Micah Althea A. Gemeniano 10- Br.

Richard Duerr, FSC December 10, 2015

Filipino Contemporary Composers

 
Nicanor Abelardo
  
Nicanor Abelardo is a Filipino composer who composed
over a hundred of Kundiman Songs especially before and during
the World War II. Born in San Miguel de Mayumo (now is San
Miguel, Bulacan in February 7, 1893, Nicanor Sta. Ana Abelardo
was introduced to music when he was five years old, when his
father taught him the solfeggio and the banduria. At the age of
8, he was able to compose his first work, a waltz entitled "Ang
Unang Buko," which was dedicated to his grandmother. At the
age of 13, he was already playing at saloons and cabarets in
Manila. At age 15, he was already teaching in barrios schools in
San Ildefonso and San Miguel Bulacan. All of these happened
even before young Abelardo finally took up courses under Guy F.
Harrison and Robert Schofield at the UP Conservatory of Music in
1916. By 1924, following a teacher’s certificate in science and
composition received in 1921, he was appointed head of the composition department at the
Conservatory. Years later, he ran a boarding school for young musicians, and among his
students were National Artist Antonino Buenaventura, Alfredo Lozano and Lucino
Sacramento. In the field of composition he is known for his redefinition of the kundiman,
bringing the genre to art-song status. Among his works were "Nasaan Ka Irog," "Magbalik
Ka Hirang," and "Himutok." He died in 1934 at the age of 41, leaving a prolific collection of
more than 140 works. As a composition major at the University of the Philippines, he also
composed the melody for the university's official anthem, U.P. Naming Mahal. The building
housing the College of Music in UP Diliman (Abelardo Hall) is named in his honor.

 
 Levi Celerio
Levi Celerio is a Filipino composer and lyricist, born on April 30,
1910 in Tondo, Manila, Philippines. He received a free
education to the Academy of Music in Manila and became the
youngest affiliate of the Manila Symphony Orchestra. He was a
creative songwriter, with more than 4,000 songs to his acclaim
including Filipino folk, Christmas, and love songs
that are popular pieces, which many consider to be immortal.
Famous for being a lyricist, his songs treasure life; express
nationalistic sentiments and complete grand philosophies. At
one instance or another, no Filipino can miss the song or lyrics
of Levi's Christmas songs namely Pasko na Naman, Ang Pasko
ay Sumapit, and Misa de Gallo. He is probably best recognized
for being a leaf-player, an achievement where he was place into the Guinness Book of World
Records. He wrote a huge number of songs for local movies, which gained him the Lifetime
Achievement Award of the Film Academy of the Philippines. He was awarded as National
Artist of the Philippines for Music in 1997. He died on April 2,2002.
 
Ryan Cayabyab
Warmly known as Mr. C, born Raymundo Cipriano Pujante
Cayabyab on May 4, 1954 in Manila, Philippines. Ryan's
mother was an opera singer; she died when he was only 6,
while his father fight to sustain him and his three siblings.
His mother's wish was that no one of her children would
make music as a line of work; knowing how tough life is for
a musician within sufficient income. Ryan Cayabyab firstly
took up Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in
the University of the Philippines, Diliman. But at the same
moment, he searched for an employment to sustain his
studies, and sooner join with then-Senator Salvador Laurel
as accompanist for the Development Bank of the
Philippines (DBP) Chorale Ensemble. Noting his
incomparable ability on the piano, the Senator presented
him a scholarship that would allow Ryan to alter his course and hold learning in music.
Cayabyab afterward graduated from the UP College of Music earning a Bachelor of Music,
Major in Composition degree. Following that, he became a complete professor for the
Department of Composition and Music Theory in the UP Diliman for about two decades. At
the twist of the century, he was about to take his family and transfer abroad, but
when presented by Danding Cojuangco, President of the San Miguel Corporation, a authority
post that would give him full way in producing and performing new music that would carry
out a new wave to the Philippine music scene, he acknowledged the proposal. Ryan
Cayabyab is a prominent Filipino musician and the existing Executive and Artistic Director of
the San Miguel Foundation for the Performing Arts. His works vary from specially made full-
length ballets, theater musicals, choral pieces, a crowd set to unaccompanied chorus, and
orchestral pieces, to salable recordings of popular composition, film scores and television
specials. Now, he is presently in his 7th year as Executive and Artistic Director of the San
Miguel Foundation for the Performing Arts.

Jose Mari Chan

He first appeared on the local scene as the host and singer of a
television show called "9 Teeners" of ABS-CBN in 1966. His first
single Afterglow was released in 1967. His first long playing
album Deep in My Heart was issued in 1969. In 1973, he
represented the Philippines in the World Popular Song Festival in
Tokyo where his song Can We Just Stop and Talk A While went
into the final entries.
In 1975, he moved to the United States for his sugar business
and remained there for 11 years. In 1986, he returned to the
Philippines and went back to the music industry with the release
of his album A Golden Change. In 1989, he released his
album Constant Change. It was named Album of the Year by
the Awit Awards, the local equivalent of the American Grammy
Awards and reached the Diamond Record in terms of sales. It
also sold in other Asian countries such
as Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.
In 1990 his Christmas album, Christmas in Our Hearts was released.[2] It reached triple
platinum status that same year, eventually earning the Double Diamond Record Award. His
2001 album A Heart's Journey won Album of the year in the Awit Awards. In 2005, he
composed We're All Just One as the theme song of the 2005 Southeast Asian Games. In
2009, Joe Mari was finally inducted to the Philippines Eastwood City Walk Of Fame.In 2011,
he released his 13th full-length album, The Manhattan Connection: The Songs of Jose Mari
Chan. The album, which was produced by Janis Siegel of The Manhattan Transfer. The songs
were reimagined by music producer Yaron Gershovsky. In 2012, he released his 2nd
Christmas album and his 14th over-all album Going Home To Christmas, his 2nd Christmas
album after 22 years since Christmas In Our Hearts was released in 1990, his 1st Christmas
album became one of the best selling albums in the Philippines until today.

Antonio J. Molina

Antonio J. Molina (26 December 1894 – 29 January 1980) was

a Filipino composer, conductor and music administrator. He was
named a National Artist of the Philippines for his services to
music. He was also known as the Claude Debussy of the
Philippines due to his use of impressionism in music. Molina
made his first composition in 1912 titled Matinal, which is
preserved in an unpublished volume called Miniaturas, Vol. 1. He
was appointed to teach harmony, composition, music history,
and violincello at the UP Conservatory of Music, pursuing a career
in music education until being appointed dean of the Centro
Escolar Conservatory of Music. He founded the CEU String
Quartet which was professionally organized and financed by its
music school. As a composer Molina is credited with over 500
compositions. Molina stated in his interview conducted by Helen F. Samson that his
music was usually inspired by literature, with his favorite being La Novia Muerta by
Ruben Daria.