First Veniccio Production Brings Churen Li to the Philippines
The future looks promising for the classical music scene in the Philippines.
By Joseph John L. Verallo · May 11, 2026
2026 marks a milestone for Veniccio.com with its very first independent production featuring
Singaporean pianist-composer Churen Li. Before her Manila debut with Veniccio last March 15, Churen
was asked to play two concerts over the course of two days at Silliman University in Dumaguete, making
her Philippine debut a consecutive 3-day concert run!
Accompanying Churen to Dumaguete was Marco Balbin, director of Veniccio. Following two days of
strenuous repertory, they flew back to Manila, where she would play
her final concert at Manila Pianos, Inc. in Makati City.
Churen’s Philippine debut happily exposed concertgoers from all over the country to an original kind of
artistry. Speaking on his decision to invite Churen, Veniccio founder Balbin stated:
“As for why Churen Li, she was our first attempt on bringing in an international artist to the country, so I had to make a practical choice. I always fly to Singapore to watch their classical concerts, so it felt like a natural starting point. That’s when I found Churen. At the time her career was gaining momentum, so I thought she would be interested in performing here.”
As a classical music presenter introducing international artists into the country’s cultural foray, Balbin
approaches the role through the lens of a pianist and music teacher. “One of my goals with Veniccio is to
bring international artists to the Philippines and really focus on that direction,” Balbin stated.
“It gives us exposure to different interpretations, not just what we’re used to hearing. At the same time, it helps us build connections and makes international artists more aware that there is a classical music scene here.”
Balbin also envisions the Philippines replicating the musical experience found in neighboring countries
like Japan and Singapore. “Whenever I watch classical concerts in another country,” he said, “I always
end up thinking how we can replicate the same experience here.”
Expounding on the international concert experience, he said: “The whole process feels different. From browsing events to buying tickets to the recital itself, everything feels more intentional. There’s definitely room for us to grow, and for me, what I can focus on right now is accessibility and convenience. These are things I have control over and areas where I feel we can actually improve.”
Ultimately, Balbin plans for Veniccio to encourage a collaborative spirit among classical musicians and
presenters around the Philippines. He states:
“I want Veniccio, along with our future projects, to become a hub for classical music in the Philippines, somewhere people can easily check what concerts are happening, regardless of who’s presenting them, including us."
“If it becomes easier for people to see what’s happening, I think it naturally leads to more performances and a bigger audience. It also gives new people a way to discover classical music and can encourage more presenters to put on shows. I hope it helps position the Philippines as a place where international groups would actually want to present.”