Ruscel Torres
Pianist • Arranger • Composer
Biography:Ruscel Torres is a versatile pianist, arranger, and composer with over a decade of performance experience and formal academic training from both the UP College of Music and the UST Conservatory of Music. Recognized for possessing perfect pitch, his extensive creative work spans classical, musical theater, jazz, and contemporary styles, ranging from intricate arrangements for small chamber ensembles to expansive scores for full orchestras.His notable professional credits include arranging back to back anniversary concerts for the prestigious Samsung Performing Arts Theater : "After Oz" (2026)*, featuring Broadway actresses Lissa De Guzman and Allie Trimm, Morissette, and the UST Singers, as well as "This Is Me: An Evening with Keala Settle" (2025), featuring Broadway actress Keala Settle. Additionally, he served as Assistant Musical Director for Tanghalang Banyuhay's "Ang Batang Pio Reimagined" (2025) and regularly arranges show tunes and custom material for UST Music Theatre majors' recitals. As an active theatrical and orchestral pianist, he has performed with the UST Symphony Orchestra and held Keyboard 2 chairs for high profile productions, including Theatre Group Asia's "A Chorus Line" and the UST Conservatory of Music's production of "South Pacific".Widely recognized as a premier video game music arranger in the Philippines, his online arrangements and transcriptions have garnered over 9 million views from a global audience. Highlights of his discography include "Reeds and Seeds", a Plants vs. Zombies jazz arrangement album. Capitalizing on this crossover appeal, Ruscel founded and leads "Playtest", a jazz sextet dedicated to reimagining video game soundtracks, which also scales into "playtest+", an 11-piece ensemble. Beyond his own projects, he maintains a prolific schedule as a sought after keyboardist and collaborator across the local scene, regularly performing with prominent acts including DWTA, iluna, Akatsuki Band, intensions, Tago Jazz Collective, Triptych, Merienda Jazz Collective, Project Yazz, Dixie Sheiks, Baihana, and the AMP Big Band.Email: [email protected]
Discord: jazzmaster64 / jazzmaster64#0893