DIVINAGRACIA MONTALBAN-LAGUA has a master’s degree from the Juilliard School of Music where she was a scholar violin student of the late Ivan Galamian. Acclaimed at age seven as a ‘child prodigy’, she had been featured as soloist by all major symphony or

DIVINAGRACIA MONTALBAN-LAGUA: A SKETCH

DIVINAGRACIA MONTALBAN-LAGUA has a Master of Music degree from the Juilliard School of Music where she was a scholar and violin student of the late Ivan Galamian. Acclaimed at age seven as a ‘child prodigy’, she had been featured as soloist of all the major symphony orchestras in her country, the Philippines. One of the most auspicious highlights of her career was a command performance as a professional violin concertist at age 10 for the U.S. President and Mrs. Dwight D. Eisenhower. She had also showed her rare musical wares before the Royal Highnesses of Thailand, the ambassadors and plenipotentiaries of countries from Europe, Latin, America, and Asia, and the members of the prestigious Diplomatic Corps to the United States in Washington, DC. She had likewise breezed through internationally reviewed and widely appreciated appearances in Italy, Switzerland, Spain, France, Austria, and other parts of North America.

Ms. MONTALBAN-LAGUA is the recipient of numerous competitive awards, including the distinguished and foremost “Premio Internationale di Violino Nicolo Paganini” in Genoa, Italy, The Young Artists National Music Contest sponsored by the Manila Symphony Society, the Philippine National Search for Talent in Violin sponsored by the Music Promotion Foundation of the Philippines and the grand finals’ 1^st prize in the National Television Cultural Annual Competition (“Your Children on Parade”) when she was judged the “Most Talented Child” in the Philippines. She has held various positions in the musical milieu such as clinician at the George Washington Suzuki Piano Institute in Virginia, violin specialist at the Montclair State College in New Jersey, head of the string department and choral director of the Shumiatcher School of Music in Larchmont & Mamaroneck, NY, and the Fil-Am Cultural Society of Rockland in NY, choir director/arranger of the Philippine Choraleers of New York City, music director/arranger of the New York Phil-Am Lions/Lioness Choir, the De La Salle College & Philippine Women’s University Joint Glee Clubs in Manila, and the Music Director of the Barangay Theater Guild of the Philippines. As a member of the Composers Guild and the National Academy of Songwriters, she was awarded honorable mention for her song “We Are Your Children” which was premiered and performed by her Youth Pops String Ensemble at the United Nations during the Statue of Liberty’s Centennial Celebration.

Tita Divine, as her students fondly call her, is the founder, teacher, music director and arranger of the creditworthy Youth Pops String Ensemble which marked their sensational New York City debut at the Carnegie Recital Hall and had, thereafter, performed during numerous appearances in the Tri-State area. She celebrated the group’s 10th founding anniversary with a successful concert at the New York Children’s Public Library Auditorium in Lincoln Center. In 1996, following an almost six-year sabbatical, she started developing a new brood of dedicated student musicians some of whom were recommended for active participation in the new edition of the Youth Pops String & Vocal Ensemble. To date, she has directed her second edition of the ensemble players in the “Simbang Gabi” Christmas musical celebration in 1996 at the St. Matthias Church in Somerset, NJ where the capacity crowd gave them a standing ovation, the TKR cable TV show, “The Joe Brower Half Hour” which was aired 18 times in summer ’97, the highly acclaimed “June Musicale ‘98” concert presented at the Douglass College Center of Rutgers University, and during this year’s Philippine Independence Day Celebration Cultural Show in Manhattan, NYC.

DIVINAGRACIA MONTALBAN-LAGUA who also received the “Musician of the Year Award” from the University of the Philippines and the “Outstanding Education” award from the Philippine-New York Jaycees, takes center stage anew as the music director/arranger and assisting pianist of the Youth Pops String and Vocal Ensemble, a responsibility which has always been an indigenous and intrinsic segment of her duly recognized musical talent and well-balanced career. Alberto Vallejo, a Rockleigh reporter of New York City, said of her: “About Ms. Montalban-Lagua, the inspiring force behind it all, there are not enough words to describe the highly talented musician-artist. Under her dynamic direction, a group’s instrumental or choral performance becomes just a small proof of her ability to teach the art in which she is a master.” (Copyright 1989 by Roberto C. Ordonez of the Filipino Reporter, NYC)

THUMBNAIL REVIEWS:

“. . . Youngsters Fill the Air With Music . . . Every member of the cast seemed candid and refreshingly animated as they sang like pros, displaying certain qualities of natural vocal technique . . . a string and choir ensemble held together by the exemplary commanding dynamic and rhythmic sense of the lady conductor, DIVINAGRACIA B. MONTALABAN-LAGUA, who amazed the crowd with her convincing artistry, unique individual style, and incredible talent.”

MERCEDES NICANOR

Philippine Press, LA-NY

Philippine News, San Francisco

“MONTALBAN PROGRAM – A SMASHING SUCCESS … Everything Ms. Montalban did on stage was totally at her command . . . a TOUR DE FORCE . . . her demeanor as a well matured pedagogue astonishingly belies her youth, much too young for all that she has accomplished.”

FILIPINO REPORTER (1980), NYC

"Ms. Montalban-Lagua is a gifted and talented artist of the highest quality . . . An excellent teacher with a willing spirit and who is totally dedicated to her art . . . an inspiration to her students, an attribute to any institution, and an asset to the world of music.”

HERSHELL L. SPIEGEL, Ph.D.

YPSE Parent/Patron

“CHILDREN FLASH MUSICAL FINESSE . . . the youngsters effortlessly held the complete attention pf the audience. For when music is interpreted by a youthful musical group, the polyphony of sound becomes enchanting, their stage presence and discipline, (instilled in them by their mentor during long hours of rehearsals and regular lessons) marked their concert with a touch of class and professionalism, their exclusive musical training under Ms. Montalban-Lagua has made them a solid group of young, intelligent performers.

Alberto Vallejo

Rockleigh Reporter

New York City