Riza Anne C.

Revillo BSBA2C

Artist: Levi Celerio

Date of Conferment: October 9, 1997

Contribution:
 A Filipino composer and lyricist who is
credited to writing not less than 4,000
songs.
 Born in Tondo, Celerio received his scholarship at the Academy of Music in
Manila that made it possible for him to join the Manila Symphony Orchestra,
becoming its youngest member. He made it to the Guinness Book of World
Records as the only person able to make music using just a leaf
 Celerio was recognized as a National Artist of the Philippines for Music and
Literature in 1997.
 He is also known for using the leaf as a musical instrument which led to being
recognized as the "only man who could play music using a leaf" by the Guinness
Book of Records
 Aside from being a musician, Celerio is also poet. He was also a film actor who
appeared in various Philippine films of the 1950s and 1960s.
 Among Original Pilipino Music (OPM) songs he composed are "Ikaw", "Kahit
Konting Pagtingin", "Saan Ka Man Naroroon?". He wrote the lyrics of the famous
Filipino lullabye Sa Ugoy ng Duyan . He also composed folk songs including "Ako
ay May Singsing", "Ang Pipit", "Dungawin Mo Hirang", "Itik-Itik", "Pitong Gatang",
and "Waray-Waray" "Sa Ugoy ng Duyan", in particular was a collaboration
with Lucio San Pedro, a fellow National Artist. The song is a carrier song in Aiza
Seguerra's gold album, Pinakamamahal.
 Ang Pasko ay Sumapit", officially title "Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong
Taon" is an example of a well-known Christmas song by Celerio, which was the
Tagalog version from the original Cebuano song, Kasadya Ning Taknaa,
by Vicente Rubi and Mariano Vestil.
 Celerio was known for using the leaf as a musical instrument which resulted
the Guinness Book of World Records to recognized him as "the only man who
could play music with a leaf".
 The University of the Philippines conferred him an honorary doctorate degree in
Humanities in 1991. The Film Academy of the Philippines gave Celerio the
Lifetime Achievement Award in 1989. He is also the recipient of the CCP Gawad
Para Sa Sining in 1991, and the Gawad Urian Award in 1993.