By the way, my name is Angelo - a student of Occupational Therapy, a student of piano for over a decade, and a passionate collector of music. But that part is not important!
The community for classical music here is not what it once was in the 1960s to the 1990s where for a time, Manila was a cultural hub in Southeast Asia and experienced a flowering of classical music appreciation. However, with the withdrawal of state subsidies for musicians over the years and the shift of public interest to other art forms, many Filipino musicians opted to seek better compensation in international institutions, leaving a void in local mentorship and performance.
The point I am taking way too long to arrive at is that in the Philippines, we rarely have the opportunity to see live performances of very well-known, internationally-acclaimed classical musicians - "the greats," so to speak. Hard to believe that at one point we were graced by the likes of Luciano Pavarotti.
Thanks to modern recording technology, we have the capability to listen to those great performances from the comfort of our homes, on our daily commutes, or during a long shower. But with such an enormous catalogue that can be difficult to parse, I have taken it upon myself just as a hobby to point out some performances which I feel have been a great influence on my love for the music. Hopefully, you agree, and if you don't, please disagree with me!