The brown box with a red ribbon held an aroma candle labeled Piano in Candlelight, a diffuser set called Spanish Night, and a gift tag with QR codes to the music of DJ Pablo Bolivar and pianists Lorenzo Travaglini and Davide Sammarchi. It’s a souvenir from the media launch of Medium Rare held in March at Gallery by Chele.
Bar-lounge Salon de Ning at The Peninsula Manila is where Medium Rare—Kaleidoscope Edition is happening tonight. (Image from Medium Rare)
It subtly nudges the recipient to engage in aromatherapy and scan the QR codes for a brief vicarious experience of the new Medium Rare — Kaleidoscope Edition on May 9 at The Peninsula Manila’s Salon de Ning. (Medium Rare was last held in Manila in October 2025.)
I lighted the Piano in Candlelight candle and my room was suffused with scents of warm sandalwood and Mediterranean lavender. The label said the fragrances reflect the atmosphere of an intimate piano concert especially with the emotional music of Travaglini and Sammarchi playing in the background. On the contrary, I found Travaglini’s 111 (To Retune Myself) up to 21 (Verde intorno)—from his new album Patterns—meditative, that it feels like you’ve been transported to a weeklong yoga retreat in an elegant resort in Ubud, Bali.
Bosco Studio’s Lorenzo Travaglini blends classical tradition with modern sounds. (Image from Medium Rare)
On the other hand, Sammarchi’s 9.11.24 (intro), Primi Canti, and The Art of Life evoke a sense of introspection, spurring you to withdraw from the city, from the madding crowd, and seek solace and healing in the rustic outskirts of town.
The diffuser’s soaked reed imbued Manila’s hot, humid day with the sweet smell of ocean breeze. It partnered well with Bolivar’s YouTube music video Unrec Open Source sessions on Jan. 11, 2026, which was broadcast from Ølgod Brewpub in Barcelona. His rhythms and melodic structures conjure an image of a beach club in Bali under a cool night with a DJ playing a gig near the sea. The beach is packed with people laughing, dancing, drinking beer, cocktails, wine, or vodka. The dancing is mellow, just heads bobbing and hips swaying.
The Medium Rare — Kaleidoscope Edition team (from left): Kristina Pereverzeva, production; Liliana Rejante-Manahan, vice-president of culture, Philippine Italian Association; Samantha Nicole, DJ; Miguel Utray Delgado, ambassador of Spain to the Philippines; and Chele González, DJ and chef (Image by Liana Garcellano)
Medium Rare can very well mean glorious food. There is wonderful food to be had, but that’s not all. The event has a lot of music that’s not part of the mainstream commercial culture.
Medium Rare is the passion project of DJ Chele González, whose close affinity to Manila’s creative and culinary scenes propelled him to bring the divergent worlds of music and food together into a seamless immersive experience for one night.
“Medium Rare began as a personal idea to merge two art forms I deeply care about: gastronomy and music,” explained González. “The word ‘medium’ represents the space between disciplines where they meet while ‘rare’ reflects our desire to present something unique beyond the mainstream.”
González developed the project with DJ Samantha Nicole, credited for bringing the energy and authenticity of the local electronic music community.
This year’s edition is based on the concept of a kaleidoscope, an optical instrument that creates symmetry among several varied patterns. With Medium Rare — Kaleidoscope Edition, music enthusiasts will hear and feel the coming together of two distinct music genres: neoclassical piano and electronic music. All this while enjoying a curated repast at the ritzy bar-lounge Salon de Ning.
Medium Rare combines two experiences with distinct ticket options. The first choice is Full Experience, the first act of the evening’s program running from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. It features a live performance by Italian artists Travaglini and Sammarchi from Bosco Studio. It also has dinner served via a melange of live stations and pass-around canapés. The menu prepared by Chef Chele highlights jamón and adobo croquestas, crab pintxos, smoked salmon puff, tuna ceviche, roasted beef, paella, and mango Pavlova. After dinner, Chef Chele puts away his toque and takes over the console for his own set as DJ Chele during the second act of Medium Rare. (The Full Experience ticket is inclusive of access to the full evening program.)
From Travaglini and Sammarchi’s neoclassical music, the sound transitions into immersive deep techno electronic music when the clock strikes 10. It’s time for Dance Experience, the second part of the program that ends at 4 a.m. Headlining it is Spanish DJ Pablo Bolivar, who’s joined by compatriot Chele and local artists Samantha Nicole, Roll the Dice, NOT ANJ B2B FAIZY and Joee & I (live).
Multi-hyphenated artist Travaglini—composer, pianist, and sound designer —explores the synergy between classical music and expression, atmospheric sound design, and modern cinematic composition. He studied classical piano then branched out into film scoring and sound design. After graduating with a degree in film scoring from the Bologna-based GB Martini Conservatory in 2021, he began composing original music for short films, theater productions, and multimedia projects.
His debut album Airplane Songs was released in 2023; a year later he founded Bosco Studio, which combines artistic research, recording sessions and live performances that meld acoustic piano, ambient textures, and the modern electronic element together. The exclusive live sessions of the invited musicians are filmed in a 16th-century stone farmhouse surrounded by a forest in Romagnol Apennines in northern Italy.
Sammarchi graduated in 2022 from the Conservatory of Music Luisa D’ Annunzio in the province of Pescara with a degree in piano and electronic keyboards. He completed his master’s degree in electronic music in 2025. Like Travaglini, he also composes soundtracks for film projects. His debut album And in the Silence I found my Voice was released in 2021.
Davide Sammarchi from Bosco Studio wants listeners to experience sound as an emotional, reflective space. (Image from Medium Rare)
The duo’s first visit to the Philippines is supported by the Philippine-Italian Association, an organization fostering cultural dialogue and artistic exchange between European and Filipino creative communities.
Bolivar is another multi-hyphenate: He’s an album artist, producer, prolific remixer, and DJ. The hailed “modern master of house and techno” studied sound engineering at Barcelona’s Crash Institute, then worked as an audio engineer before fully dedicating himself to music production and performance. His debut album Anjanas was released in 2006 and introduced his distinct sound of hypnotic tech structures infused with melodic depth and ambient atmosphere. His other album, Recall, which was released in 2009, is said to carry a deeply personal, emotional layer to it inspired by his father’s passing.
Pablo Bolivar is the master of house and techno. (Image from Medium Rare)
He set up the labels Seven Villas Music and Avantroots Records. Per Google, the former’s sound aesthetics is “soft, dark electronic music” while the latter is “deep, spacey, and hypnotic sounds.” Both labels are dedicated to supporting deep, atmospheric electronic music, and emerging artists from the global underground scene.
Likewise, Bolivar is visiting the country for the first time. His trip is made possible by the Embassy of Spain in the Philippines, which highlights Spain’s commitment to cultural exchange. Bolivar’s jaunt is marked by a personal dimension — his friendship and creative connection with DJ Chele. #
Full Experience tickets are ₱2,200 (early bird) | ₱2,500 (regular) while Dance Experience tickets are ₱1,200 (early bird) | ₱1,500 (regular). Visit @mediumraremuzik for details.
