Marlon Chen
Music Director and Principal Conductor
Marlon Chen’s dynamic charisma and artistic versatility have seen him conduct opera, ballet, symphonic works, and chamber orchestras to sold-out concert halls across four continents. In June 2019, Marlon Chen was appointed as Manila Symphony Orchestra’s Music Director and Principal Conductor. As a composer and arranger, Marlon Chen has performed many of his own compositions with the major orchestras he has conducted. Notable film projects have included recording for Netflix on the award winning show Sense8 and Babylon Berlin.

ARVIN JAN MEDRANO
PRINCIPAL
Winds | Oboe
Arvin joined the Manila Symphony Orchestra as principal oboist in 2014 and has performed with the orchestra in gala concerts, special concerts and productions, outreach concerts, and tours, including MSO’s first international concert tour in 2019, the 5th Hunhe River Bank Symphony Art Festival held at the Grand Shengjing Theater , Shenyang, China. Prior to joining the MSO, he was principal oboist of the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra (2013-2014) and Metro Manila Concert Orchestra (2009-2012). In addition to his numerous performances with MSO, Arvin also played as principal oboist in the Asia Orchestra Week held in Tokyo Japan in 2013, and in South East Asian Youth Orchestra and Wind Ensemble in Thailand in 2010.

Arvin acquired his Diploma in Creative Performing Musical Arts (DCPMA) from University of the Philippines Diliman. When he was still a student, Arvin was principal oboist of the University of the Philippines Orchestra, University of the Philippines Symphonic Band, and the Philippine Youth Symphonic Band.

Aside from his work with MSO, Arvin is also an oboe teacher for the Orchestra of the Filipino Youth and a band conductor of Banda Butiong 4.

MICHAEL ESTRELLA
Brass | Horn
Michael has been a french horn player of the Manila Symphony Orchestra since 2014 and is currently an assistant principal of the horns section. He has performed with the orchestra in gala concerts, special concerts, ballet productions, outreach concerts, and tours including MSO Visayas Concert Tour , Candon Music Festival and MSO’s first international concert in the 5th Hunhe River Symphony Art Festival held in the Shenjing Grand Theater, Shenyang, China in 2019. In 2020 he won First runner-up in Philippine Horns Society’s First Leopoldo Lopez Horn Competition. His winning piece was Richard Strauss’ Andante for Horn and Piano. In the same year, he also won 2nd place in individual Brass-French Horn/Mellophone Open Class in the Asian Virtual Championships, the grandest marching band virtual competition in Asia.

Michael was the former principal french horn player of Bureau of Fire Protection NCR Marching Band in 2009. He was recently appointed as a leader and teacher of beginner musicians of his marching band, Malabon Banda Cuatro.

Prior to becoming a member of the MSO, he attended a workshop of the MSO Music Academy in 2013. Michael also joined combo bands, performing in private events. He also competed in band competitions as lead guitarist.

He remains active in chamber music, woodwind quintet, brass quintet and is also a member of Philippine Hornplayers Society.