...Last year, one discovered a promising young cellist in the National Music Competition for Young Artists (Namcya) winner Victor Michael Coo.  The 15-year-old proved his mettle in the Young Artists Gala Concert at Philamlife Theater and went on to earn his first standing ovation in Bicol when he substituted for the then-indisposed Makie Misawa.

Last week, I discovered Victor's pianist brother, Jonathan Coo, in a very revealing recital at the Greenhills Music Studio.  I heard about the violinist-sister, Cecile, and I said, why don't you start a trio?

It was too soon, Jonathan said, because he had just arrived from New York--he is a masteral candidate at the Eastman School of Music--and was just starting to read music with his brother.

What have you been reading together lately, I asked.

Schubert Piano Trio, Jonathan said.

Let's try it, I said, and let's see what happens.

We whipped an instant program in Odette Alcantara's Heritage House in Blue Ridge with National Artist Lucrecia Kasilag as guest of honor.  Meanwhile, another Coo in the family joined the ensemble as assisting artist to Cecile and Victor Michael--their mother, Corazon Arevalo Coo, from whom they got their musical genes...

...As in a previous recital, Jonathan was consistently inspired from Mendelssohn's "Rondo Cappricioso" to Liszt's "Concert Etude (Forest Murmur)" and to the roaring virtuoso demands of Kasilag's "Rondeau in E Flat Major, No. 1."

The main assets of this young pianist are his magnificent tones which sparkled on Odette's baby grand Kawai piano.

Here, Liszt and Kasilag were on an even keel:  still, Tita King's piano opus stole the thunder because no one has heard of it played with fire and thunder until this young interpreter came along.  Needless to say, Tita King was profuse with praise for the young pianist.

Schubert's Piano Trio, the finale, brought out the innate chamber musician in the Arevalo-Coo siblings.  Jonathan was in control, Victor Michael interacted with verve and Cecile knew exactly when to spin a lovely Schubert phrase at the right moment.  Best of all, they listened to each other.  They enhanced the music and did not compete with it or with each other.

At the end of the piece that was greeted with a shower of bravos, the Arevalo-Coo family ensemble was born in a triumphant Heritage House debut in Blue Ridge...