CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE MUSIC

According to National Artist Ramon Santos, PhD, contemporary music in the Philippines refers to
compositions that have adopted ideas and elements from 20th century art music in the west, as well as the latest
trends and musical styles in the entertainment industry.
The modern Filipino repertoire consists of musical pieces that have been written in 20th century idioms
that have evolved out of such stylistic movements as impressionism, expressionism, neo-classicism, as well as
avant garde and new music. New music are compositions which are improvisational works
20th CENTURY TRADITIONAL COMPOSERS
With Spain and then America having colonized the Philippines from the early 1500s to the late 1800s, it
was unavoidable that Western compositional techniques found their way into the works of Filipino composers.
Yet, even 20th century Filipino composers have managed to retain some traditional elements in their
assimilation of Western techniques. In fact, they have become the strongest foundations of what we now know
as Philippine music.
FRANCISCO B. BUENCAMINO SR. (1883 1952)
Francisco Beltran Buencamino Sr. was born on November 5, 1883 in Bulacan. He was the son of a
musically inclined couple. His father was Fortunato Buencamino, a church organist and band master. His
mother was Luisa Beltran, a noted singer. He studied music composition and harmony at Liceo de Manila.
Unfortunately, he was not able to finish. He taught at the Ateneo de Manila, and at Centro Escolar de Seoritas
whose Conservatory of Music he founded. He also created the Buencamino Music Academy in 1930 where
Nicanor Abelardo was one of his students. Expanding his career, he ventured into musical directing and scoring,
and composing film music for Sampaguita Pictures, LVN, and Excelsior.
Buencaminos compositions include Harana, Pandanggo ni Neneng, Collar de Sampaguita, Dulces las
Horas, Mayon (Fantasia de Concierto), My Souls Lament, Larawan, Mazurka, Boholana, Mi Bandera,
Princesa ng Kumintang, Maligayang Bati, Ang Bukang Liwayway, Pandanggo ni Neneng, Ang Bagong Balitaw,
Himig ng Nayon, Damdamin (Romance), and Pizzicato Caprice.
Many of his piano works have become a staple part of the Philippine repertoire of todays young
students, especiallyMayon, Larawan, and Maligayang Bati. He also wrote several zarzuelas and kundimans. He
passed away on October 16, 1952 after which a posthumous award honored him with the title Outstanding
Composer.
FRANCISCO SANTIAGO (1889 1947)
Francisco Santiago is known as the Father of the Kundiman and belongs to the Triumvirate of
Filipino Composers. He finished his music specialization at the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago,
where he obtained his Doctorate Degree in 1924. Santiagos music was Romantic in style, incorporating
Western forms and techniques with folk materials. He composed several works such as kundiman, symphonies,
piano concertos, and other music pieces for the piano, violin, and voice. Among his famous works are
Pakiusap, Madaling Araw, Sakali Man, Hibik ng Pilipinas, Ano Kaya ang Kapalaran, and Kundiman (Anak
Dalita). This piece was sung before the Royal Court of Spain upon the request of King Alfonso II. He was also
a musical director for films. Among the films whose music he supervised are Kundiman, Leron Leron Sinta,
Madaling Araw, Manilea, and the movie inspired by his own composition Pakiusap. He became the first
Filipino Director of the UP Conservatory of Music.
NICANOR ABELARDO (1893 1934)
Nicanor Abelardo is one of the Triumvirate of Filipino Composers which includes Antonio Molina
and Francisco Santiago. He studied music at the Chicago Music College and was influenced by the musical
styles of Schoenberg, Hindemith and Stravinsky. Abelardo developed a style that combined European
romanticism with chromaticism. His compositions contain hazy tones, dissonance and unusual chordal
combinations found in such works as Cinderella Overture, Panoramas, and a violin sonata. Although a 20th
century modern composer in style, he is also considered a composer in the Romantic style. His best-known
compositions includeMutya ng Pasig, Nasaan Ka Irog, Cavatina for Violoncello, and Magbalik Ka Hirang.
ANTONIO J. MOLINA (1894 1980) National Artist for Music
Antonio Molina, the first National Artist for Music, is considered one of the Triumvirate of Filipino
Composers which includes Nicanor Abelardo and Francisco Santiago. He began his music career as an
orchestral soloist at the Manila Grand Opera House. He served as Dean of the Centro Escolar University
Conservatory of Music from 1948 to 1970. He was also a faculty member of the University of the Philippines
Conservatory (now College) of Music. Molina was a product of both the Romantic and Impressionist schools of
thought. He was fascinated by the dynamics and harmonies of Debussy, but retained much of the Romantic
style in his melody. A characteristically impressionist work is his piano work Malikmata (Transfiguration). The

mysteriously exotic chords of this piece gradually lead to a lyrical melody, with the traditional harmonies
abruptly returning to the initial mood.
Molina wrote several compositions for piano, violin, and voice as well as a Spanish-style opera form
known as the zarzuela.
He is best known for his poignantly romantic serenade for violin and piano Hatinggabi. Subsequent
transcriptions of this piece were written for the cello, flute, piano, and guitar. Other works by Molina include
orchestral music Misa Antoniana Grand Festival Mass, Ang Batingaw, Kundiman-Kundangan; chamber music
- String Quartet, Kung sa Iyong Gunita, Pandangguhan; and vocal music - Amihan, Awit ni Maria Clara, and
Larawan Nitong Pilipinas. He received the National Artist for Music award in 1973. He passed away on
January 29, 1980.
HILARION RUBIO Y FRANCISCO (1902 1985)
Hilarion Rubio was born on October 21, 1902 in Bacoor, Cavite. A composer, music teacher, conductor,
and clarinetist, he created substantial works for the orchestra. He served as conductor for opera, ballet, dance
recitals, and movie music. His early interest in music came from the influence of his uncle who was then
playing with the Bacoor Band. His first music lessons in music theory and clarinet were with Fr. Amando
Buencamino who taught himsolfeggio and some musical instruments.
When he was eight years old, he was accepted as a member of the Bacoor Band as a clarinetist. At that
time, he made his first composition Unang Katas for his concert with the band.In his high school years at the
North High School (now Arellano High School), Rubio became a member of several orchestras. He performed
with various movie house bands and orchestras. He was also a member of the Lyric Theater Orchestra, Trozo
Band in Benavides Street, and the Band Moderna in Tondo. After he graduated from high school in 1930, he cofounded the Anak Zapote Band. He later became a bandleader and conductor of the ROTC Band of the
Conservatory of Music, University of the Philippines (UP) and played the violin and timpani with the UP Junior
Symphony Orchestra.
After his student years, Rubio became a conductor of opera at the Manila Music School in 1936. He
became the choirmaster and choral conductor of the Choir Islanders. Also, he assumed the position of instructor
at the Conservatory of Music, University of the Philippines. He was also a lecturer at the Buencamino Music
Academy, La Concordia College, College of the Holy Spirit, Santa Isabel College, Laperal Music Academy,
Manila Music School, St. Theresas College, and the Valencia Academy of Music. He became full professor of
the UP Conservatory of Music from 1936-1937. He was appointed director of the Conservatory of Music,
Centro Escolar University in 1944-1945.
During the Second World War, Rubio composed and arranged many works and conducted many military
and civilian brass bands. After the war, he was appointed conductor of the Manila Municipal Symphony
Orchestra. He held various positions, including as Vice President of the PASAMBAP (Pambansang Samahan
ng mga Banda sa Pilipinas), the National Band Association, board and charter member of the League of
Filipino composers, and the first President of the Philippine Bandmasters Association. He was conductor of the
National Opera Company for 23 years from 1937 to 1960. Rubios compositions include: Bulaklaken, Theme
and Variations for Band, Dance of the Nymphs Rondo, Florente at Laura (overture), Halik, Danza, Unang
Katas, Twopart Invention (piano), Ang Konsyerto (ballet), Ang Magsasaka, Bukang Liwayway, Concertino in C
(marimba and piano), Filipinas Kong Mahal, Hatulan Mo Ako, Ginintuang Araw, In a Tropical Sea, Light,
Narra, Mutya ng Silangan, To the Filipino Youth, Nela, National Heroes Day Hymn, and Salamisim. He passed
away on December 28, 1985.
COL. ANTONINO BUENAVENTURA (1904 1996) National Artist for Music
Col. Antonino Ramirez Buenaventura was a renowned composer, conductor, and teacher. His father
Lucio was the chief musician of the Spanish artillery band in Intramuros and founder of Banda Buenaventura.
As a young boy, he had already demonstrated a passion for music while learning the rudiments of music and
solfeggio and becoming a proficient clarinet player.
Col. Buenaventura further developed his musical abilities at the Conservatory of Music, University of
the Philippines (UP) at the age of 19. He received a Teachers Diploma in Science and Composition at UP.
Nicanor Abelardo and Francisco Santiago were among his famous mentors. At the University, Buenaventura led
the UP ROTC Band and established the UP Junior Orchestra which was the first collegiate orchestra in the
country. He pursued further studies at the Institute of International Education in New York. He was also
awarded a study grant by the UNESCO in 1949. He was a delegate to the general assembly of the International
Society for Music Education held in Montreux, Switzerland in 1976. He represented the country at the general
meetings of the International Music Council (IMC) in Rome (1962) and Hamburg (1964).
Buenaventura was actively involved with the various military bands which ultimately earned him his
military rank of Colonel. He was a music instructor and band conductor of the Philippine Military Academy
(PMA). Later, he restored the Philippine Constabulary Band in 1945, which was reputedly likened to a
symphony orchestra. It was considered

as one of the best military bands in the world. It would later be renamed the Philippine Army Band. He also
founded the San Pablo Music Academy in Laguna.
Buenaventura was a faculty member of the UP Conservatory of Music. Later, he became the music
director of the Conservatory of Music, University of Santo Tomas (UST) in 1961. After retiring from the
military, he became the music director at the School of Music and Arts, University of the East (UE) in 1964. He
promoted Philippine music through his extensive use of folk materials which he had recorded around the
country with Ramon Tolentino and National Artist for Dance Francisca Reyes Aquino. Buenaventura composed
the music and folk dance notations for the dance researches of Aquino. As a multi-awarded musician, he
composed Minuet, Mindanao Sketches, Divertimento for Piano and Orchestra, Variations and Fugue, and
Greetings based on Philippine folk music. Pandanggo sa Ilaw, one of his most popular compositions, remains a
favorite performance repertoire of many folk dance companies. He was declared National Artist for Music in
1988 and passed away in 1996.
RODOLFO S. CORNEJO (1909 1991)
R o d o l f o S . C o r n e j o was born on May 15, 1909 in Singalong, Manila. Inspired by his mothers
genuine support, the young Cornejo started formal music lessons at the age of six. He performed on stage after
only two years of music studies. During this time, he was also invited as organist of the Pasay Catholic Church.
His first composition at age 10 was a piano piece entitled Glissando Waltz. It was followed three years later by a
military march entitled Salute. At the age of 14, 26 of Cornejos compositions were already listed by the United
Publishing Company Inc.
Cornejo graduated with a Teachers Diploma in Pianoforte and a Teachers Diploma in Science and
Composition at the Conservatory of Music, University of the Philippines (UP) in 1930. He received his
Bachelor of Music degree major in piano and theory from the Chicago Musical College of Roosevelt
University, USA in 1932. He received a Master of Music degree major in composition and conducting at the
Chicago Musical College of Roosevelt University, USA in 1933. He was conferred a Doctor of Music degree
honoris causa in 1954. He received his Doctor of Philosophy degree major in composition from the Neotarian
College of Philosophy in Kansas City, USA in 1947.
Cornejo taught at the UP Conservatory of Music and became the researcher and official composer of the
Philippine government-in-exile. He was appointed by then President Manuel L. Quezon. He was commissioned
to write a symphony and an opera and compose the music for the documentary film on President Quezons
funeral. He served as pianistdirector of a USO concert unit that entertained the Allied Forces at the E.T.O., the
Marianas, and the Hawaiian Islands during World War II. Cornejo was the soloist of the Manila Symphony
Orchestra, Filipinas Youth Symphony Orchestra, and UP Symphony Orchestra.
Later on, he became the musical director of the Sampaguita and Vera-Perez Movie Companies. Since
1978, he held concerts in the United States. He appeared as composer-conductor at the Seattle Opera House and
the Seattle Playhouse. He is listed in The International Whos Who in Music. Cornejo was also known for his
extemporaneous thematic improvisations based on the letters of peoples names. His compositional output
includes A la Juventud Filipina, Bailes de Ayer, Caprice on a Folksong, Cello Sonata, Ibong Adarna,
Kandingan, Malakas at Maganda, Overture, Okaka, Oriental Fantasy, Ibong Adarna, Piano Concerto Nos.
1,2,3, Ruby, and Song of the Miners. He passed away on August 11, 1991.
FELIPE PADILLA DE LEON SR. (1912 1992) National Artist for Music
Felipe Padilla de Leon was born on May 1, 1912 in Barrio Papaya (now General Tinio) in Penaranda,
Nueva Ecija. He is the son of Juan de Leon and Natalia Padilla. Felipe de Leon married pianist Iluminada
Mendoza with whom he had six children. Bayani and Felipe Jr., are two of his children. Bayani is a well-known
composer, and Felipe Jr. is a writer and the chairman of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts
(NCCA).
De Leons talent in painting and drawing was discovered during his school days and admired by his
uncle, peers. People asked him to make illustrations and sketches and was paid for them. When he was studying
at the Nueva Ecija High School, he went on trips with his hometown band and wrote short pieces for them. He
took up Fine Arts at the University of the Philippines in 1927, but he had to stop schooling in order to make a
living. He played the trombone in dance orchestras which performed in cabarets, circuses and bodabil
(vaudeville). Then, he worked as an assistant conductor of the Nueva Ecija High School Orchestra where he
started doing musical arrangements. Later on, he wrote music for the zarzuela.
He decided to study formally and enrolled at the Conservatory of Music, University of the Philippines,
where he studied under National Artists Col. Antonio Buenaventura and Antonio Molina. He contributed articles
to the school paper and vernacular magazines. Later, he wrote music columns for the Manila Times (then known
as Manila Tribune) and Taliba. He graduated with a music teacher's diploma, major in conducting in 1939.
Much later, he took advanced studies in composition under Vittorio Giannini of the Julliard School of Music in
New York, USA. De Leon received many awards, such as Composer of the Year (1949), Manila Music Lovers
Society, Musician of the Year (1958), UP Conservatory of Music, and others. He was conferred an honorary
degree, doctor of philosophy in the humanities, by the University of the Philippines in 1991.

De Leon wrote piano compositions, hymns, marches, art songs, chamber music, symphonic poems,
overtures, band muic, school songs, orchestral works, operas, kundiman, and zarzuelas. He was known as a
nationalist composer who expressed the Philippines' cultural identity through his compositions. Two operas
which are considered his masterpieces are the Noli Me Tangere (1957) and El Filibusterismo (1970). These two
operas have been staged in the Philippines and abroad. He also wrote a march during the Japanese regime
entitled Tindig, Aking Inang Bayan, and another march Bagong Lipunan during the martial law. He wrote the
popular Christmas carols Payapang Daigdig (1946), Noche Buena, and Pasko Na Naman, both in 1965. Felipe
de Leon received a posthumous award as National Artist for Music in 1997. He died on December 5, 1992.
LUCIO SAN PEDRO (1913 2002) National Artist for Music
Lucio San Pedrowas born on February 11, 1913 inAngono, Rizal. Since his elementary days, he started
composing. He studied the banjo which inspired him to become a serious musician.He later pursued his music
degree at theUniversity of the Philippines and the Juilliard School in New York, USA. Upon returning to the
Philippines, he became a professor of theory and composition at the University of the Philippines College of
Music.
San Pedro is known as a romantic nationalist. He incorporated Philippine folk elements in his
compositions with Western forms and harmony. His chords have a rich expressive tonality, as represented in his
well-loved Sa Ugoy ng Duyan, a lullaby melody sung by his mother. His orchestral compositions are best
represented by the Suite Pastorale (1956), a poetic aural description of his hometown Angono, and his
nationalistic symphonic poemLahing Kayumanggi (1962). Other compositions include songs, pieces for violin,
cello, and chorus. His works for the symphonic band was where he was most prolific and productive both as
composer and conductor.
His musical prowess was internationally recognized when he was invited to be a judge at the prestigious
Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 1980. He was declared National Artist for Music in 1991 and
passed away on March 31, 2002.
ROSENDO E. SANTOS JR. (1922 1994)
R o s e n d o E . S a n t o s J r . was born on September 3, 1922 in Cavite City. At age 11, he started
composing band marches, instrumental, and vocal scores, as well as music for Catholic masses. He studied in
Cavite schools and later graduated from the UP Conservatory of Music where he eventually became a faculty
member. He also pursued a Master of Music degree in theory and composition from the Catholic University of
America in Washington, D.C. After which, he also served on its faculty as well as in West Virginia University
and Howard University.
As a UNESCO scholar, Santos was awarded the Philippine Composer of the Century after receiving
the Composer of the Year Award in Manila in 1956 and 1957. He joined the faculty at Wilkes University,
Pennsylvania in 1968. He performed as timpanist, pianist, and conductor with several orchestral groups. He
conducted church choirs in Maryland, New Jersey, Lehman, Huntsville, and Shavertown United Methodist
Churches in Pennsylvania, USA. He composed the background music for J. Arthur Rank Films at Pinewood
Studios in London, England, where he worked with British composers Malcolm Arnold and Muir Mathieson.
Among Santos teachers were famous composers Aaron Copland, Irving Fine, Humphrey Searle, and conductor
Norman Del Mar.
A prolific composer, he had composed several piano concerti, sonatas, symphonies, symphonic poems,
five operas in Filipino, numerous band overtures, and more than 200 marches. He had also written 50 masses in
Latin and 20 in English. He has more than 1,000 musical compositions in the library of the University of the
Philippines. Santos last musical work and only ballet composition, Melindas Masquerade, was performed in
1995, a year after his death. Santos passed away on November 4, 1994 in Swoyersville, Pennsylvania, USA.
ALFREDO BUENAVENTURA (1929 )
Dr. Alfredo Santos Buenaventura, composer, conductor and teacher, was born in Sta. Maria, Bulacan
on October 14, 1929. He grew up in a musical environment and became a band member in his hometown at a
young age. He was drawn by his fascination with trumpets and trombones and became one of its arrangers and
conductors. He was one of twenty boy sopranos of Tiples at Sto. Domingo Church from where he received his
first significant musical training. At that time, he also wrote his first composition, Danza.
A prolific composer, Buenaventura has composed over 50 major works including five full-length operas,
operettas, dance dramas, cantatas, symphonies, concertos, ballets, overtures, prelude, fugues, and chamber
music. His compositions and other creative works have transcended territorial, racial, and language barriers as
these have been performed abroad by international virtuosi and religious groups. Many of his compositions are
based on Filipino heroes, legends, and epics. He uses native songs, both tribal and folk, as themes of his music
compositions. A number of his compositions are accompanied by Filipino indigenous instruments.
Some of his major works include the operas Maria Makiling (1961), Diego Silang (1966), Prinsesa Urduha
(1969), cantatas Ang Ating Watawat (1965), Pasko ng Barangay (1964), three piano concertos subtitled
Celebration, Determination, and Exultation, and symphonies such as Dakilang Lahi (1971), Gomburza (1981),

and Rizal, the Great Malayan Antagonist (1990). His minor works numbering more than 50 cover mostly
religious songs and hymns for specific celebrations such as the Sixteenth Centenary of St. Augustine, Mass for
the 400th Year of the Augustinian Recollect, and the PhilippineMusic Festival. His other creative musical works
have been commissioned by the Cultural
Center of the Philippines, Metropolitan Theater, and the National Music Competitions for Young Artists
(NAMCYA).
Buenaventuras compositional style rests mainly on his own set of musical ideas, wherein he creates a
combination of contemporary and conventional materials. He keeps his melodies simple and understandable but
with contemporary harmonies that enhance their complexity. He became an official organist of the Manila
Cathedral in 1960. He became the Dean of the College of Music, Centro Escolar University. He is a member of
the League of Filipino Composers. He received a number of awards in the music industry. He was twice an
awardee of the Republic Cultural Heritage Award and the The Outstanding Filipino Award (TOFIL) for Music
in 1995.
CIPRIANO RYAN CAYABYAB (1954 )
Ryan Cayabyab is a popular contemporary composer who also has classical compositions to his credit,
such as Misa, Four Poems for Soprano and Piano, and Te Deum. His compositional style makes much use of
syncopation, extended chords, and chromatic harmony. Among his numerous compositions are the awardwinning Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika (1978), as well as the modern zarzuela Alikabok (2003), the opera
Spoliarium with libretto by Fides Cuyugan-Asensio, and a variety of choral pieces and song cycles. He also
produced a number of recordings, including the memorable album One, where he personally sang the
unaccompanied songs on different tracks to produce 16 voices. Cayabyab was born on May 4, 1954 in Manila.
He obtained his Bachelor of Music degree at the University of the Philippines College of Music. After
which, he became a faculty member for Composition at the same University. He also served as the Executive
and Artistic Director of the San Miguel Foundation for the Performing Arts, which oversaw the operations and
programming of the San Miguel Philharmonic Orchestra and the San Miguel Master Chorale. At present, he
continues to be a much sought-after professor, musical director, composer, arranger, and conductor in the
Philippine concert and recording scenes.
NEW MUSIC COMPOSERS
JOSE MACEDA (1917 2004) National Artist for Music
Jose Maceda was born in Manila on January 17, 1917. He started his music studies at the Academy of
Music in Manila. Later, he went to Paris to study with Alfred Cortot. He eventually pursued advanced studies in
the USA with E. Robert Schmitz and earned a Doctorate Degree in Ethnomusicology from UCLA.
Macedas musical style changed when he encountered the music of the indigenous tribes of Mindoro in
1953.He then embarked on his lifes work, dedicated to the understanding and preservation of Filipino
traditional music. His extensive research and fieldwork resulted in an immense collection of recorded music
taken from the remote mountain villages and far-flung inland communities in the Philippines. Although his
compositional approach tended to be Western in style, Maceda combined sounds of the environment with ethnic
instruments
His compositions were usually for large groups of musicians. Among his works are Ugma-Ugma (1963),
a work for voice and ethnic instruments; Agungan (1975), a piece for six gong families; Pagsamba (1968), a
musical ritual for a circular auditorium using several ethnic percussion instruments; Cassettes 100 (1971), a
composition for 100 cassette tape recorders; and Ugnayan (1974), an ethnic piece played at the same time over
several radio stations.
Considered as the first Filipino avant garde composer, he also worked at a recording studio in Paris in
1958 which specialized in musique concrte. During this period, he met Pierre Boulez, Karlheinz Stockhausen,
and Iannis Xenakis, considered the musical giants of this musical genre.Maceda served as Professor of Piano
and Musicology at the College of Music, University of the Philippines from 1952 to 1990. He was appointed
Executive Director of its Center for Ethnomusicology in 1997. In the same year, he was conferred the honor of
National Artist for Music. He passed away in Manila on May 5, 2004.
LUCRECIA R. KASILAG (1918 2008) National Artist for Music
Lucrecia R. Kasilag was born in San Fernando, La Union on August 31, 1918. She went to Manila to
pursue a degree in Music at the Philippine Womens University. She then obtained herMasters degree from the
Eastman School of Music in New York, USA.
Her compositions were influenced by her professors Irving McHose and Wayne Barlow. Kasilags
compositions demonstrated a fusion of Eastern and Western styles in using instruments,melody, harmony, and
rhythm. She is particularly known for incorporating indigenous Filipino instruments into orchestral productions.
Among Kasilags many compositions are Toccata for Percussion and Winds (1959), composed for
indigenous Muslim instruments and Western instruments; The Legend of the Sarimanok (1963), composed for

chamber orchestra and Philippine ethnic instruments; Divertissement and Concertante (1960), compositions for
piano and orchestra combining Western and Eastern forms, harmonies, and intervals; and Dularawan (1969), a
musical drama combining a dance solo with a chorus and an ethnic orchestra. Her other works include
compositions for piano, instrumental ensemble, and chorus.
She was equally admired in the academe as a former Dean of the College of Music and Fine Arts,
Philippine Womens University. In the cultural field, she was the President of the Cultural Center of the
Philippines. In the dance circles, she was the President and Music Director of the Bayanihan Dance Company.
She also served as Chairman of the Asian Composers League and the League of Filipino Composers. She is
credited for having written more than 200 musical works, ranging from folksongs to opera to orchestral works,
which she continued to compose for the rest of her life. For all these outstanding achievements, she was
conferred the title of National Artist for Music in 1989. She passed away in Manila in August 2008.
RAMON P. SANTOS (1941 ) National Artist for Music
Ramon P. Santos was born in Pasig on February 25, 1941. He completed his Bachelor of Music degree
at the College of Music, University of the Philippines. He finished his Master of Music degree at Indiana
University, USA. He received his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Composition at the State University of New
York, USA. He had also pursued graduate studies in Ethnomusicology at the University of Illinois, USA.
Santos compositional style features chromaticism, music seria, and electronic components, combined
with indigenous Philippine music elements. His works includeDing Ding Nga Diyawa, Nabasag na Banga at
Ibat iba pang Pinag-ugpong-ugpong na Pananalita sa Wikang Pilipino para sa Labing Anim na Tinig, and
LBAD. He had done extensive research on the gamelan music of Java as well as the traditional music of the
Ibaloi, Maranao, Mansaka, Bontoc, Yakan, and Boholano tribes in the Philippines.
Santos held the position of Dean of the UP College of Music from 1978 to 1988. At present, he is the
head of the UP Center of Ethnomusicology and was appointed Professor Emeritus of the same institution. He
was conferred the title of National Artist for Music in 2014.
FR. MANUEL MARAMBA, OSB (1936 )
Fr. Manuel Perez Maramba, OSB is one of the most accomplished musicians and liturgists in the
Philippines emerging during the second half of the 20th century. He was born on July 4, 1936 in Pangasinan.
When he was 11 years old, he gave his first public performance at the Bamboo Organ in Las Pias. He became
the official accompanist of the Las Pias Boys Choir at 14 years old. He was the youngest finalist to participate
in the National Music Competitions for Young Artists (NAMCYA) piano competition in 1978. Immediately
after high school, he was sent on full scholarship to the University for Music and Performing Arts in Graz,
Austria. There, he earned with distinction the degree of Master of Arts in Church Music. He also received a
Teachers Certificate in Organ. His musical career led him to the United States, where he performed at Carnegie
Hall at the age of 19.
After finishing his Bachelor of Music degree major in Piano at the Conservatory of Music, University of
Sto. Tomas (UST), Fr. Maramba pursued his studies abroad where he received his Master of Music degree,
Artist Diploma, Bachelor of Music degree in Composition, and Teachers Certificate in Theory from the
Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University, USA. He received a Masters degree of Musical Arts in
Performance from Yale Universitys School of Music, USA. He also studied sacred music at the
Kirchenmusikschule in Regensburg, Germany. He took further lessons in piano, organ, and the harpsichord at
the Hochschule fur Musik in Vienna, Austria. Fr Maramba is a monk at Our Lady of Montserrat Abbey in
Manila. He was the former director of the Paul VI Institute of Liturgy in Malaybalay, Bukidnon during which he
composed the music for the papal mass. A prominent canon lawyer, he served on the National Appellate
Matrimonial Tribunal. He was also a faculty member at the UST Conservatory of Music, St. Scholaticas
College, and Sta. Isabel College.
He has composed operas like Aba!, Sto. Nino, La Naval, and Lord Takayama Ukon. His other major
compositions are the music for Awakening which was commissioned by Ballet Philippines and music for
Philippine Ballet Theaters production of Seven Mansions; three masses Papal Mass for World Youth Day,
1995; Mass in Honor of St. Lorenzo Ruiz, and the Mass in Honor of the Sto. Nino; three cantatas St. Lorenzo
Ruiz, St. Benedict, and St. Scholastica; Three Psalms; A hymn in honor of St. Lorenzo Ruiz, and the official
hymn of the 1996 National Eucharistic Congress; a zarzuela entitled Ang Sarswela sa San Salvador, and three
orchestral works Pugad Lawin, The Virgin of Naval, and Transfiguration.
JERRY DADAP (1935 )
Jerry Dadap, the first Filipino composer to conduct his own works at the Carnegie Recital Hall in New
York City, was born on November 5, 1935 in Hinunangan, Southern Leyte. He earned his Bachelors Degree in
Music, major in Composition at the Conservatory of Music, University of the Philippines (UP) in 1964.
In 1968, he went to the USA on a study-observation grant from the Music Promotion Foundation of the
Philippines. While there, he received a full scholarship grant from the United Presbyterian Church of USA from
1969 to 1971. During that time, he obtained his Postgraduate Diploma in Composition at the Mannes College of

Music in New York, USA. Upon his return to the Philippines in 1971, he taught composition, ear training, and
orchestration at the Sta. Isabel College of Music in Manila. Dadap started composing when he was still studying
at Silliman University in the southern city of Dumaguete. Among his numerous compositions are The
Passionate and the Wild (1960), Mangamuyo I (1976) and Mangamuyo II (1977), The Redemption (1974), Five
Little Fingers (1975), Tubig ng Buhay (1986), Dakilang Pagpapatawad (1986), Andres Bonifacio, Ang
Dakilang Anak Pawis, Ang Pag-ibig ng Diyos, Balitaw Nos. 1-7, Lamang Epic, Lorenzo Ruiz, Chorale
Symphonic Ode Nos. 1 and 2, Aniway at Tomaneg, Song Cycle, Nos. 1-4, Choral Cycle Nos. 1-3, and Diyos
Ama ay Purihin.
His major works as composer-conductor were performed at the concert LAHI that featured works
by local major composers.
FRANCISCO F. FELICIANO (1942 2014) National Artist for Music
Francisco F. Feliciano, avant garde composer and conductor for band and chorus, was born on
February 19, 1942 in Morong, Rizal. His first exposure to music was with the Morriz Band, a brass ensemble
established and owned by his father, Maximiano Feliciano. He started his music career in the high school band
where he had played the cymbals and the clarinet.
Feliciano obtained his Teachers Diploma in Composition and Conducting at the Conservatory of Music,
University of the Philippines (UP) in 1964, and a Bachelor of Music degree major in Composition in 1967.
Subsequent degrees include a Master in Music Composition from the University of the Philippines, a Diploma
in Music Composition from the Hochschule der Kunst in Berlin, Germany, and a Master of Musical Arts and
Doctorate in Music Composition from Yale University School of Music, USA. He studied composition with
Jacob Druckman, Isang Yun, H.W. Zimmerman and Krystof Penderecki.
Feliciano became the choir conductor and instructor in music fundamentals at St. Andrews Seminary in
Quezon City. He became an instructor at the UP Conservatory of Music and conducted the UP Symphony
Orchestra. He was the musical director of the movie Ang Bukas ay Atin and provided orchestration for a number
of musical productions including My Fair Lady and various Philippine productions. Feliciano composed more
than 30 major works, including the musical dramas Sikhay sa Kabila ng Paalam, Ashen Wings, and the
monumental three-act opera La Loba Negra (1984).
He also wrote music for the orchestra such as Prelude and Toccata (1973), Fragments (1976), Life of
Wartime Filipino Hero Jose Abad Santos, and the ballet Yerma (1982). Among his other large works are
Transfiguration and Missa Mysterium for orchestra and large chorus. He has composed several prize winning
works such as Pokpok Alimpako, (a favorite piece of choirs in international choral competitions), Salimbayan,
Umiinog, and Walang Tinag (Perpetuum I mobile) which was premiered at the ISCM Festival in New York City,
USA. His latest choral works,Pamugn and Restless, have been performed by Filipino choirs in various choral
festivals in Europe. In 1977, he was given a John D. Rockefeller III Award in Music Composition.
Feliciano composed hundreds of liturgical pieces, mass settings, hymns, and songs for worship. He
founded the Asian Institute for Liturgy and Music (AILM) in Quezon City, a school for church musicians, and
supervised the publication of a new Asian hymnal containing mostly works of Asian composers. He was
conferred the title of National Artist for Music in 2014. He died on September 19, 2014.
JOSEFINO TOLEDO (1959 )
Josefino Chino Toledo is a recognized figure in the Asian contemporary art music scene. He received
his Master of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, USA. Among his awards are the following:
Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM); International Award for the Arts; Civitella Ranieri Fellowship in
Italy; and the Chancellor Awards for Outstanding Musical Works, University of the Philippines.
Toledo served at the Pangkat Kawayan (a bamboo orchestra) from 1966 to 1979 and the Philippine
Youth Orchestra (PYO) in 1977-1978. A principal percussionist of the Manila Symphony Orchestra in 19801983, he later became music director and principal conductor in 1985. He attended the 1984 International
Computer Music Conference in France. He was the countrys representative to the 1980 Young Composers
Conference in HongKong, the ASEAN Composers Forum on Traditional Music in 1989 (Philippines) and 1993
(Singapore), the 1995 ASEAN Composers Workshop (Indonesia), and the 1996 International Composers
Workshop (Gaudeamus, Amsterdam). He was also a fellow at the 1990 Pacific Music Festival and Pacific
Composers Conference (Japan).
Toledo is a Music Professor at the College of Music, University of the Philippines (UP). He is the
founding music director of the Metro Manila Community Orchestra, the UP Festival Orchestra, and the
Crosswave Symphony Orchestra. He is noted for conducting the premiere performances of the works of Filipino
composers as well as other Asian composers. His own music, including works for chorus, orchestra, chamber
ensemble, solo instrument, and music theater have been performed by well-known international artists and
ensembles.
JONAS BAES (1961 )

Jonas Baes was born in Los Baos, Laguna in 1961. He enrolled at the College of Music, University of
the Philippines (UP) in 1977 as a student of Ramon P. Santos.While at UP, he encountered the works of Jose
Maceda and attended several seminar-workshops of visiting lecturers. He researched on the music of the IrayaMangyan people of Mindoro, which later became the inspiration for his compositions. From 1992- 1994, he
studied with Mathias Spahlinger in Freiburg, Germany.
Baes is known for writing music utilizing unorthodox musical instruments such as beanpod rattles,
leaves, iron nail chimes, and various Asian instruments such as bamboo scrapers, bamboo flutes, and vocal
music using Asian vocal techniques. His early works in the 1980s were influenced by Maceda in the use of large
numbers of performers. In the 1990s, he experimented with various methods by which the audience became
integral in the performance. It was also typical for social theory to influence the work of Baes who has made a
mark on contemporary music and cultural politics in the Asian region.
Some of Baes musical compositions include: Imagined Community, after Benedict Anderson for four
bamboo scrapers, bamui trail caller, sarunai for oboe, khaen for mouth organ, and about a hundred iron nail
chimes distributed among the audience; 1997/2001; WALA (Nothingness) for seven or hundreds of mens voices
1997/2001; DALUY (Flow)interval music for five animator-percussionists and about a hundred bird whistles
distributed among the audience, 1994; IBO-IBON (birdwoman) for dancer wearing small bells, two large wind
chimes passed around the audience, four animator callers, and iron nail chimes played by the audience (1996);
SALAYSAY, for solo voice, three percussionists, and pairs of pebbles distributed among the audience;
PATANGISBUWAYA (and the crocodile weeps) for four sub-contrabass recorders or any blown instruments
2003; PANTAWAG (music for calling people) for 15 bamboo scrapers, 15 palm leaves, and 20 muffled forest
voices 1981; and BASBASAN (blessing) for 20 bean-pod rattles and 20 muffled mens voices 1983.
Baes received the Gawad Chancellor para sa Pinakamakusay na Mananaliksik (Hall of Fame, 2003)
from the University of the Philippines. He is currently an Associate Professor in Composition and Theory at the
UP College of Music as well as an ethnomusicologist, cultural activist, and writer.
SONG COMPOSERS
LEVI CELERIO (1910 2002) National Artist for Literature and Music
Prolific lyricist and composer Levi Celerio was named National Artist for Music and Literature in 1997.
Also a violinist, he had written the lyrics for over 4,000 songs in his lifetime, including many for film. A great
number of kundimans and Filipino love songs have lyrics written by him, most notable of which are Dahil sa
Iyo, Buhat, and Ang Pasko ay Sumapit. Celerio was known for creating music with a mouth-blown leaf
Celerio was born in Tondo on April 30, 1910. He studied at the Academy of Music in Manila under a
scholarship. Later, he went on to join the Manila Symphony Orchestra. Aside from writing his own lyrics, he
also translated and re wrote the lyrics of folksongs to traditional melodies like Maliwanag Na Buwan from
Ilocos, Ako ay May Singsing from Pampanga, and Alibangbang from the Visayas.
His achievements include a citation in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the only person to
make music with a mouth-blown leaf. He will forever be remembered through his lyrics for songs such as Ang
Pipit (music by Lucio D. San Pedro); Bagong Pagsilang (music by Felipe Padilla de Leon); Sa Ugoy ng Duyan
(music by Lucio D. San Pedro); Misa de Gallo (music by J. Balita); Itik-itik (folk song); Tinikling (folk song),
among others. Celerio passed away on April 2, 2002.
CONSTANCIO DE GUZMAN (1903 1982)
Constancio Canseco de Guzman was born on November 11, 1903 in Guiguinto, Bulacan. He grew up
in Manila where he studied piano and composition under Nicanor Abelardo. At the prodding of his father, he
went to law school but switched to pursue and finish a BS Commerce degree at Jose Rizal College in 1928. He
passed the certified public accountants (CPA) board examinations in 1932. After he took the CPA board exam,
he started working for the movies.
Acknowledged as the Dean of Filipino Movie Composers and Musical Directors, De Guzman became
the music director of movie production companies like Sampaguita, LVN, Royal, Excelsior, Lea, and Tagalog
Ilang-Ilang Productions. His unexpected hit music, Panaginip, paved the way for him to record hundreds of
songs, principally under Villar and Columbia Records.
In 1948, his song Ang Bayan Ko and Kung Kitay Kapiling won the gold medal at the Paris International
Fair. Bayan Ko was later adopted as the symbolic song of the People Power Movement of 1986. The same song
won for him the Awit Award for Best Filipino Lyricist.
Some of De Guzmans notable compositions include Babalik Ka Rin, Ang Tangi Kong Pag-ibig,
Birheng Walang Dambana, Maalaala Mo Kaya, and Sa Piling Mo. De Guzman passed away on August 16,
1982.

MIGUEL MIKE VELARDE JR. (1913 1986)

Miguel Mike Guison Velarde Jr, composer, conductor, movie actor, and musical director was born
in Manila on October 23, 1913 as the second of two children of Dr. Miguel Velarde, Sr. and Dolores Guison. His
family moved to Zamboanga when he was only one year old and where he spent the succeeding eighteen years
of his life. His exposure to the unaffected and unpretentious environment of Basilan and Zamboanga had
influenced his creative imagination, mainly nurtured by his mother who became his first music teacher in piano
and violin when he was six years old.
Velarde studied at the Zamboanga Normal School, where he became a member of the school orchestra
and graduated as valedictorian. He then went to Manila to pursue medicine at the University of the Philippines,
but later realized that it was music that he truly loved. He learned the basics of harmony and composition from
Antonio Molina and Ariston Avelino as he further deepened his musical knowledge through self-study.
Later, when his father however objected to his plans to pursue a music career, he went on to support
himself as a bus conductor to realize his dream. He later got a job at a radio station where he was featured as
singer and jazz composer in its morning and evening programs. He also opened a jazz school and became song
editor for the Philippines Free Press. Velarde eventually went into writing Tagalog songs, composing the song
Ugoy-Ugoy Blues which opened opportunities for him in the movies. He had a jazz band known as
Mike Velardes Jazztocrats. He became editor of the Literary Song Movie Magazine. Velarde
composed musical scores for Sampaguita Films movie productions and managed its advertising department.
Among his most important works were Luksang Tagumpay, which received the FAMAS (Filipino Movie Arts
and Sciences) Award for Best Picture (1960) and for which he wrote its story and screenplay, and Alaala Kita
for Best Director (1961). He attributes substantive influence from American composer and songwriters Irving
Berlin and Cole Porter.
In subsequent years, Velarde created his own style as he composed highly melodious and romantic songs
such as Ikaw, Lahat ng Araw, Habang Buhay,Minamahal Kita , Ikaw ay Akin, andDahil Sa Iyo. In 1970, he won
the Best Conductor award at the First International Popular Song Contest in Japan with his composition As
Long as Forever. He received the Cultural Achievement Award in Popular Music from the Philippine
Government Cultural Association in 1975 and the Gawad CCP Para Sa Sining in 1986. His other compositions
include Buhat, Ikaw, Bituing Marikit, Minamahal Kita, Dating Sumpaan, Dalisay, Eternally Yours, and Gabi at
Araw. Velarde passed away in 1986.
SANTIAGO SUAREZ (1901 1964)
Santiago Suarez was born in Sampaloc, Manila. He learned how to play the piano from his
grandmother who was also a competent harpist, while his grandfather played the flute. He attended the
Conservatory of Music, University of the Philippines and the Ateneo de Manila in Intramuros. He took private
music lessons from Caetano Jacobe, Pedro Floriaga, and Nicanor Abelardo.
Suarezs compositions are a mixture of the soulful kundiman style and the lively strains of the
countryside. The melodies are tonal and catchy, while the rhythms follow the regular meter with minimal tempo
changes. His harmonies follow the traditional classical progression, making his compositions easy to understand
without the complexities of form and structure. Some of his works are quite popular and heard even with
todays classical singers, pop singers, and choral groups. They include the following: Ligaya Ko, Pandanggo ni
Neneng, Dungawin mo Hirang, Bakya Mo Neneng, Caprichosa, Sa Libis ng Nayon, Harana, Kataka-taka,
Labandera Ko, Lakambini, Kamia, Ikaw ang Buhay Ko!, Kay Lungkot nitong Hating-Gabi, and Mutya
Niyaring Puso. Suarez passed away in 1964.
RESTITUTO RESTIE UMALI (1916 1998)
Restituto Aquino Umali was born in Paco, Manila on June 16, 1916. His early exposure to music was
due to the influence of his father who taught him violin as well as his exposure to the regular family rondalla.
He was also taught solfeggio and score reading at the Mapa High School where he became an active member of
the school glee club and orchestra.
Umali played the E-flat horn, trombone, and tuba when he was part of the UST (University of Santo
Tomas) Band. He also taught choral arranging and orchestration at the UST Conservatory of Music. He majored
in Composition and Conducting at the Conservatory of Music, University of the Philippines (UP) and
Commerce at the Jose Rizal College.
He even passed an electricians course at the Philippine School of Arts and Trades before embarking on
a rewarding career as musical scorer for movies. During World War II, Umali took lessons in harmony from
Felipe Padilla de Leon. Shortly after the war, he performed with the Manila Symphony Orchestra. He continued
his studies in composition and conducting even while teaching at the UP Conservatory of Music. He was under
the tutelage of noted composers such as Lucrecia Kasilag, Antonio Buenaventura, and Ramon Tapales.
Umali arranged the Philippine national anthem and the local classic Kataka-taka for the Boston Pops
Orchestra when it performed for the Philippine Independence Night in Boston in 1972. He composed
approximately 120 movie theme songs and more than 250 scores for movies. His musical scoring career was
capped by a Universal Pictures production of No Man Is An Island starred by Jeffrey Hunter and Barbara Perez.
His musical scores for the movies Sa Bawat Pintig ng Puso (1964), Pinagbuklod ng Langit (1969), Mga Anghel

na Walang Langit (1970), and Ang Alamat (1972) won for him Best Musical Score honors at the Filipino
Academy of Movies Arts and Sciences (FAMAS Awards). He also garnered the Best Music Awards for BitterSweet at the 1969 Manila Film Festival andAng Agila at Ang Araw at the 1973 Olongapo Film Festival.
Among Umalis most popular songs are Saan Ka Man Naroroon, Alaala ng Lumipas, Ang Pangarap
Koy Ikaw, Sa Libis ng Barrio, Di Ka Nag-iisa, and Paano Kita Lilimutin. He had arranged the performance of
Maestro Federico Elizaldes Manila Little Symphony aired on radio stations DZRH and DZPI, apart from his
stint as musical director fof Sampaguita Pictures.
ANGEL PEA (1921 2014)
A n g e l M a t i a s P e a is a classical and jazz composer, arranger, and bass player. He is widely
considered by modern Filipino jazz musicians as one of the founders of traditional jazz in the Philippines. He
was born was born on April 22, 1921 to a musical family.
Pea learned solfeggio from his mother Rosario Velarde Matias. His mother was a schoolteacher who
studied voice at the University of the Philippines. His father, Gregorio Cid Pea, played the violin. His
grandfather was a respected guitar player. He grew up in Malabon which was then famous for its musicians and
marching bands. At the age of 11 when his mother passed away, he was discouraged by his father to continue
his musical pursuits. But, the boy persisted and proceeded to study music theory and composition.
Pea wrote his first original jazz composition just before World War II erupted. He also wrote
kundimans for the young women he would be courting. After the war, he became one of the most sought-after
musical arrangers in Manila. He had also switched from guitar to bass. This switch led him to write orchestral
background music for various musical ensembles.
He also wrote musical scores for film companies, most notably LVN Pictures. As his interest in classical
composition grew more intense, he formed a big band in 1956 for the Upsilon Sigma Phis traditional concert at
the University of the Philippines. During that time, he composed Bagbagtulambing, a landmark in Philippine
music.
In 1959, the University of Santo Tomas launched a national symphonic composition contest open to
Filipino composers. Peas entry Igorot Rhapsody won first prize the following year. Since then, he moved
effortlessly between the jazz and classical idioms. In the mid-1960s during his 3-year stint in Hongkong, he
earned a Licentiate with the Royal School of Music in London.
Pea auditioned for the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra. He was immediately accepted as bassist and
later as arranger in 1969. He would spend the next 28 years in Hawaii, where he continued to write his own
music. As farewell homage, the Manila Symphony Orchestra performed hisConcerto for Double Bass and
Orchestra. In 1981 on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of Filipino presence in Hawaii, the Honolulu
Symphony premiered his Concerto for Jazz Quartet and Orchestra with an all-star Filipino jazz quartet. The
following year, the Cultural Center of the Philippines performed a concert of his classical works in his honor.
Despite of his absence from Manila, local jazz groups continued to play his compositions. The seeds that he had
sown began to bear fruit.
Now, a new generation of Filipino musicians are starting to discover the composer. When he finally
came back to the Philippines, he started teaching scholars in Double Bass as an adjunct faculty member of the
UP College of Music. He started collaborating with the UP Jazz Ensemble on a number of concerts.
In 1998, a House Resolution from the State of Hawaiis House of Representatives was passed to honor
Pea for his contributions in the field of music as a world renowned jazz musician, musical arranger, and
Hawaiis own living classical composer. The Jazz Society of the Philippines-USA further gave him a Lifetime
Achievement Award at the Third Annual Fil-Am Jazz Festival in Hollywood. Pena passed away on December
22, 2014.
ERNANI CUENCO (1936 1988) National Artist for Music
Ernani Joson Cuenco, composer, film scorer, musical director and music teacher, was conferred the
National Artist Award for Music in 1999. His works embody a Filipino sense of musicality that contain the
classical sound of the kundiman. Cuenco was born on May 10, 1936 in Malolos, Bulacan. As a boy, he was
encouraged to learn the violin. He was mentored by his mother, his godmother Doa Belen Aldaba Bautista, and
his first teacher, Jovita Tantoco. He earned his Bachelors Degree in Music, major in Piano at the UST
Conservatory of Music in 1956. A UST scholarship grant in the same year enabled him to study the cello under
Professor Modesto Marquiz, which he finished in 1965.
In 1968, he completed his Master of Music degree at the Sta. Isabel College. From 1960 to 1968,
Cuenco was a cellist at the Manila Symphony Orchestra under Dr. Hubert Zipper. Likewise, he played for the
Filipino Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Manila Chamber Soloists from 1966 to 1970.
His career as a musical director began in 1960 when he was discovered by then actor Joseph Estrada
while he was playing as part of a band he had formed with friends at an exclusive restaurant in Makati. In 1963,
Cuenco was sent as a delegate to the International Music Conference in Tokyo, Japan.
Aside from being a composer and musical director, he was also a faculty member at the UST
Conservatory of Music until his death on July 11, 1988.

GEORGE CANSECO (1934 2004)

George Masangkay Canseco was born on April 23, 1934 in Naic, Cavite. He graduated with a Liberal
Arts degree at the University of the East. After graduation, he worked for the Philippines Herald and the
Associated Press as a journalist. He also worked as a free-lance scriptwriter for hire in Manila. Canseco was
considered as a nationally acclaimed composer of numerous popular classics. He was commissioned by
Former First Lady Imelda R. Marcos to compose a national tribute hymn entitled Ako Ay Pilipino (I Am A
Filipino).
He wrote the classic Kapantay Ay Langit, a theme from the award winning motion picture of the same
title, sung by Amapola. Its English version entitled Youre All I Love containing some Tagalog lyrics was sung
by American singer Vic Dana. The song won the Manila Film Festival Best Song of the Year Award in 1972.
He followed it with an English song entitled Songs exclusively for Songs and Amapola under the Vicor Music
Corporation Pioneer Label.
One of his best-known compositions was Child, the English-language version of Freddie Aguilars
signature song Ank. He wrote songs for the countrys top popular singers such as Sharon Cuneta, Basil Valdez,
Regine Velasquez, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Pilita Corrales, Martin Nievera, and Kuh Ledesma. Canseco credited film
producer and Vicor Music Corporation owner Vic del Rosario for giving him his biggest break in the music
industry. He was elected President of the Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, Inc.
(FILSCAP) in 1973. He was also elected as Councilor for the First District of Quezon City in 1988. His legacy
as a composer include approximately 120 song titles including Ikaw, Kailangan Kita, Dito Ba, Hiram, Tubig at
Langis, Hanggang sa Dulo ng Walang Hanggan, Sinasamba Kita, Kastilyong Buhangin, Minsan Pa Nating
Hagkan ang Nakaraan, Ngayon at Kailanman, Saan Darating ang Umaga, Sana Bukas Pa ang Kahapon, Dear
Heart, Gaano Kadalas ang Minsan, Paano kita Mapapasalamatan, and Kahapon Lamang. He passed away on
November 19, 2004 in Manila.
To this day, Cunecos compositions are popular and well-loved, especially Gaano Ko Ikaw Kamahal and
Bato sa Buhangin which he composed for films in honor of his wife. Aside from these signature pieces,
Cuencos other songs include Nahan, Kahit na Magtiis, Diligin Mo ng Hamog ang Uhaw na Lupa, Pilipinas,
Inang Bayan, Isang Dalangin, and Kalesa.
LEOPOLDO SILOS Sr. (1925 2015)
Leopoldo Silos Sr.was born on March 6, 1925. He was a composer, singer, and arranger. He composed
and recorded a number of romantic songs, the most famous of which were two of his well known hits, Dahil Sa
Isang Bulaklak (Because Of One Flower) and Hindi Kita Malimot (I Cant Forget You). He was also the awardwinning musical director of the long running television musical program, Aawitan Kita, which starred Armida
Siguion-Reyna.
Accordingly, the music of Silos touches the sentiment quite deeply. His lyrical melodies are
complemented by exotic harmonies. His melodies were made more appealing through their extended chords,
diminished intervals, and secondary dominants. Thus, that enriched the otherwise basic chordal patterns
accompanying a tonal melody. Although not as widely performed as other mainstream love songs and
kundimans, his music always impresses the listener with its melodic sincerity and elegantly crafted
accompaniments. The other notable compositions of Silos include Aling Kutsero, Ay Anong Saklap, Bastat
Mahal Kita, Diyos Lamang ang Nakakaalam, Hindi Ko Malilimutan, Lagi kitang Naaalala, Langit sa Lupa,
Halina Halina, Lihim na Pag-ibig, and Mundo May Mawala. He died on March 10, 2015.