25 August 2005 – The Philippine Embassy in Bangkok reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that two of the Philippines' most acclaimed pianists and music educators held two seminar-concerts before packed audiences in Bangkok on 18 August 2005 at the Assumption University-Bang Na and on 19 August 2005 at the AMA Academy of Music.

The seminar-concerts of Ingrid Sala Santamaria and Reynaldo G. Reyes
were part of 10th international tour of the duo's Romantic Piano Concerto Journey undertaken with the assistance of the Philippine Embassy in Bangkok and Thai patrons.

Philippine Ambassador to Bangkok Antonio V. Rodriguez said: "This is the third time in two years that Santamaria and Reyes have worked with the Embassy to showcase Filipino artistry. Through their efforts, they have helped the Thai public, especially the students, appreciate the top-notch caliber of Filipino musical talent."

Captivating fans, classical aficionados and music students alike, Santamaria and Reyes performed beloved pieces by Brahms, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, McDowell, Mendelssohn, Rachmaninoff, Saint-Saens Schumann, Tschaikovsky, and Filipino compositions by Buencamino and Santiago.

In line with their mission to teach the public about music, the duo began their seminar-concerts with a historical introduction to the "Romantic Period in Music", and then ended with interactive discussions with the audience on classical music. Many of the audience members were seen enjoying the interactive discussions as these made them "acutely aware" of the merit of listening to classical music in everyday life.

The concerto series has been mounted in over 160 cities and educational institutions around the world. In January this year, the duo performed at the Piyaphand Sanitwongse Foundation and the Yamaha School of Music both in Bangkok. In June 2004, their concert at Bangkok's Oriental Hotel was part of the Embassy's Independence Day celebrations. END