1.

NICANOR ABELARDO (February 7, 1893 – March 21, 1934) was a Filipino composer known for
his kundiman songs, especially before the Second World War.

Composer, pianist, and teacher Nicanor Santa Ana Abelardo was born in San Miguel de
Mayumo, Bulacan, on February 7, 1893. He was the son of a photographer, Valentin Abelardo,
and a church singer, Placida Santa Ana.

At age five the young Abelardo learned solfeggio and how to play the bandurria from his father.
A year later, he was already able to play the William Tell Overture on the guitar. At age eight, he
already composed a waltz, “Ang Unang Buko,” which he dedicated to his grandmother. He later
learned to play the piano while working for his uncle, painter Juan Abelardo, in Manila, where
he studied in primary schools.

The prodigiously talented Abelardo started teaching music in schools in San Ildefonso and San
Miguel, Bulacan, when he was barely 15 years old. Before he enrolled at the University of the
Philippines Conservatory of Music, he worked as a pianist in pubs and theaters in Manila.

At U.P. Abelardo won first prize for “U.P. Beloved” in a competition for the university hymn. He
eventually became a full-fledged instructor and obtained his teacher’s certificate in science and
composition in 1921. In 1924, he became the head of the Conservatory’s composition
department. He pursued further studies at the Chicago Musical College.

When he returned to the Philippines, he continued teaching at U.P. He also taught music to
students in a boarding house run by his family.

Abelardo was credited for bringing the kundiman to the level of art. He also composed music for
the sarswela as well as songs in different musical forms. He completed more than 140
compositions, including Nasaan Ka Irog?, Kundiman ng Luha, Mutya ng Pasig, and Bituing
Marikit.

He died on March 21, 1934, at the age of 41. He left behind his wife, Sixta Naguiat, and their six
children. He also left a number of unfinished works, including a symphony, an opera, and a
concerto. The main theater of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, and the U.P. College of
Music were named after him.

2. ALFREDO BUENAVENTURA

Alfredo Santos Buenaventura was born in Santa Maria, Bulacan in 1929 and studied music at the
University of Santo Tomas, the Centro Escolar University and the Gregorian Institute. His career
brought him teaching appointments at the Philippine Women’s University, St. Scholastica’s
College and at the Centro Escolar University, where he became Dean of Music at the
conservatory. He was formerly organist at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Manila and, among
many other honours, received the Republican Cultural Heritage Awards in 1964 and 1972 and
the Bonifacio Centennial Awards.
 The compositions of Alfredo Buenaventura include a number of operas, symphonic poems, vocal
works and chamber music. Buenaventura's compositions are nationalist and employ Romantic,
impressionist and contemporary styles.

3. FRANCISCO BUENCAMINO

Francisco Buencamino belonged to a family of musicians. He was born on November 5, 1883 in

San Miguel de Mayumo, Bulacan. His father Fortunato, a church organist and band master,
taught him music at a very early age. His mother Luisa, meanwhile, was a singer. At age 12, he
could already play the organ.

His early exposure to music was complemented by education in composition and harmony at
the Liceo de Manila, where Marcelo Adonay, an eminent composer and conductor in the late
19th century, served as his mentor. After graduating from the Liceo, Buencamino composed a
number of Tagalog operettas or sarswelas, including Marcela (1904), Si Tio Selo (1904), Yayang
(1905), and Pangakong Hindi Natupad (1905).

Buencamino taught at the Ateneo de Manila in the early 1900s. He also taught at the Centro
Escolar de Señoritas and headed its Music Department for 30 years. He founded the
Buencamino Music Academy in 1930, and had Nicanor Abelardo as one of his students. He also
became a musical director for sarswela productions, and composer of music for films produced
by Sampaguita Pictures, LVN, and Excelsior.

His kundimans, including “En el bello Oriente” and “Ang Una Kong Pag-Ibig,” were very popular.
His compositions based on folk music also appeared in the Philippine Music Primer.

He died on October 16, 1952.

Works:
Ang Larawan (2)
Harana (1)
Hibik Ng Diwa (1)
Maligayang Bati (1)
Mayon "Fantasia de concierto" (2)
No hablos mas! (1)

4. RODOLFO CORNEJO (Dr. Rodolfo Soldevilla Cornejo -- The Composer of the Baguio Colleges
March and Hymn)

BC-BCF-UC Founder Benjamin R. Salvosa and Rodolfo S. Cornejo were contemporary students at
the University of the Philippines. Before Cornejo became famous, he was commissioned by the
Founder to compose the music for then Baguio Colleges. The lyrics well reflect the Founders'
vision for the first institution of higher education in Baguio City, in the Cordillera highlands, as
relevant today as it was in 1946.

Rodolfo S. Cornejo, a composer, pianist and conductor, was born on the 15th of May, 1909, in
Manila. His parents are Miguel Cornejo, Sr. and Crisanta Soldevilla. In 1949, he married Nieves
Guerrero, a lyric soprano. The couple had five children.

Rodolfo S. Cornejo started piano lessons with Gelacio Reyes at age six. At age eight, he had his
first recital, and he became the organist of the Pasay Catholic Church. He wrote his first
composition, Glissando Waltz, at age 10. He also wrote and published a military march, Salute,
at age 13. At 16, twenty-six of his works had been listed by the United Publishing Co.. While he
was finishing his high school, he was already enrolled at the University of the Philippines (UP)
Conservatory of Music.

At the UP Conservatory, he studied under Dr. Francisco Santiago, Nicanor Abelardo and
Alexander Lippay. Barely three years after completing his high school, he obtained his teacher's
diplomas in piano, science and composition. He taught for a year at UP, then left for the United
States. He acquired a bachelor's degree in piano and theory at the Chicago Musical College of
Roosevelt University in 1932. He won the Wesley Le Violette scholarship in composition, went
on to complete his master's degree in 1933. He studied with Rudolf Ganz and Glenn Dillard
Gunn.

In 1934, he returned to the Philippines, founded and directed the Manila Conservatory of Music.
He again left for the US in 1939 to pursue doctorate studies in composition. He earned his
doctorate degree in 1947 at the Neotarian College in Kansas City, USA. In his US sojourns,
Cornejo was a soloist with various orchestras, such as the New York City Symphony Orchestra,
National Orchestra Association, and many others. During World War II, he played at concerts for
the Allied Armed Forces. In 1941, he became researcher and official composer of the Philippine
government-in-exile. In 1945, the Chicago Musical College awarded him an honorary doctorate
in music.

In the Philippines, he became director of the Cosmpolitan Colleges Conservatory of Music from
1948 to 1949. He also concertized. He wrote scores for twenty-seven films during his 10 years as
musical director of Sampaguita Pictures. He is founding member of the League of Filipino
Composers.

He wrote over 300 compositions. These ranged from classical to pop. His major works include
The Season - Song Cycle (1932), A La Juventud Filipina (1935), Philippine Symphony No. 1 (1939),
No.2 (1942), and No. 3 (1947) all for piano solo; Oriental Fantasy (1944) and Philippine Fantasy
with Marimba Solo (1962). He wrote music for the ballets Ibong Adarna (1970) and Baile de Ayer
(1974). His cantata Christ the Redeemer for soloists, narrator, mixed chorus and orchestra,
premiered at the Philamlife Auditorium in 1977. He also wrote a musical A Glimpse of Philippine
 Life and Culture, which premiered at the Seattle Opera House in 1978. He is listed in the
International Who's Who in Music.

Rodolfo S. Cornejo died in Manila on the 11th of August, 1991.

The Philippine composer Cornejo received his Teacher's Diploma in piano (1930) and Teacher's
Diploma in science and composition (1930) from the Conservatory of Music, University of the
Philippines.

He received his Bachelor of Music major in piano and theory (1932) from the Chicago Musical
College of the Roosevelt University, Master of Music major in composition-conducting (1933),
and Doctor of Music (honoris causa, 1954).

He received his Doctor of Philosophy major in composition from the Neotarian College of
Philosophy in Kansas City (1947).

He served as pianist-director of a USO concert unit that entertained the Allied Forces at the
E.T.O., the Marianas, and the Hawaiian Islands in World War II.

Since 1978 he held concerts in the United States and appeared as composer-conductor at the
Seattle Opera House and the Seattle Playhouse.

5. LUCRECIA R. KASILAG

Lucrecia Roces Kasilag was born on August 31, in San Fernando, La Union. Music was introduced
to her at an early age by her mother, Asuncion Roces, a music teacher. She learned to play the
bandurria and guitar at an early age. Every weekend, she and all five of her siblings performed as
the “Kasilag Rondalla” before their mother.

She excelled in academics as well, graduating valedictorian at Paco Elementary School and the
Philippine Women’s University (PWU) High School. She obtained Bachelor of Arts degree in
English, at the PWU, cum laude.

Even with her academic achievements, she never turned her back on music. Aside from taking
piano lessons under Concha Cuervo and Pura Lacson-Villanueva, the young Lucrecia also took a
diploma course in music teaching at St. Scholastica’s College. Shortly thereafter she enrolled for
bachelor’s degree in music at PWU, and pursued graduate studies in music at the Eastman
School of Music, University of Rochester in New York.

She taught at St. Scholastica’s College, Assumption College, the University of the Philippines
Conservatory of Music, and PWU, where she became dean of the College of Music and Fine Arts
from 1953 to 1977. She was president of the Cultural Center of the Philippines during the
Marcos years and special consultant during the Aquino administration. She also held key
 positions in both national and international music organizations, including the League of Filipino
Composers, National Music Council of the Philippines, Regional Music Commission of Southeast
Asia, Philippine Society for Music Education, Asian Composers League, and the National Music
Competition for Young Artists Foundation. She also reaped international recognition as musical
director of the Bayanihan Dance Company.

Kasilag wrote more than 200 compositions which include folksongs, opera, and orchestral
works. Her orchestral body of work includes “Love Songs,” “Legend of the Sarimanok,” “Ang
Pamana,” “Philippine Scenes,” “Her Son,” “Jose,” “Sisa,” “Awit ng mga Awit Psalms,” “Fantaisie
on a 4-Note Theme,” and “East Meets Jazz Ethnika.”

As educator, composer, and performer, Kasilag was known for incorporating indigenous Filipino
music with Western influences, thus paving the way for more experimentation among Filipino
musicians. She also did pioneer research on Filipino ethnic dances and culture. In 1989, she was
the lone addition to the roster of National Artists. She was conferred honorary doctorate
degrees by the Centro Escolar University, PWU, and New York’s St. John’s University. Fondly
called “Tita King,” Kasilag died on August 16, 2008.

6. FELIPE PADILLA DE LEON (National Artist for Music (1997)

(May 1, 1912 – December 5, 1992)

Felipe Padilla de Leon, composer, conductor, and scholar, Filipinized western music forms, a feat
aspired for by Filipino composers who preceded him. The prodigious body of De Leon’s musical
compositions, notably the sonatas, marches, and concertos have become the full expression of
the sentiments and aspirations of the Filipino in times of strife and of peace, making him the
epitome of a people’s musician. He is the recipient of various awards and distinctions: Republic
Cultural Heritage Award, Doctor of Humanities from UP, Rizal Pro-Patria Award, Presidential
Award of Merit, Patnubay ng Kalinangan Award, among others.

De Leon’s orchestral music include Mariang Makiling Overture (1939), Roca Encantada,
symphonic legend (1950), Maynila Overture (1976), Orchesterstuk(1981); choral music like
Payapang Daigdig, Ako’y Pilipino, Lupang Tinubuan, Ama Namin; and songs Bulaklak, Alitaptap,
and Mutya ng Lahi.

7. ANTONIO 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.

He was a versatile musician, composer, music educator was the last of the musical triumvirate,
two of whom were Nicanor Abelardo and Francisco Santiago, who elevated music beyond the
 realm of folk music. At an early age, he took to playing the violoncello and played it so well it did
not take long before he was playing as orchestra soloist for the Manila Grand Opera House.
Molina is credited with introducing such innovations as the whole tone scale, pentatonic scale,
exuberance of dominant ninths and eleventh cords, and linear counterpoints. As a member of
the faculty of the UP Conservatory, he had taught many of the country’s leading musical
personalities and educators like Lucresia Kasilag and Felipe de Leon.

Date of death: 29 January 1980

Cause of death: Congestive heart failure

Works:
–Hatinggabi,

-Misa Antoniana Grand Festival Mass

-Ang Batingaw, Kundiman- Kundangan

-String Quartet

-Kung sa Iyong Gunita

-Pandangguhan

-Amihan

-Awit ni Maria Clara

-Larawan Nitong Pilipinas

8. FRANCISCO SANTIAGO

On January 29, 1889, Francisco Santiago, the Father of Kundiman Art Song, was born to
musically-minded peasant parents, Felipe Santiago and Maria Santiago, in Santa Maria, Bulacan.

Poverty did not stop him from pursuing his studies in piano. He became a piano instructor in
1916 when the University of the Philippines Conservatory of Music was established during the
same year.

Notably, Santiago's most famous piece, "Kundiman (Anak-Dalita)," was sung upon the request of
King Alfonso XIII before the Royal Court of Spain in 1917.
 His other compositions include: "Sakali Man," "Hibik ng Filipinas," "Pakiusap," "Ang Pag-ibig,"
"Suyuan," "Alaala Kita," "Ikaw at Ako," "Ano Kaya ang Kapalaran?", "Hatol Hari Kaya?", "Sakali't
Mamatay," "Dalit ng Pag-ibig," "Aking Bituin," "Madaling Araw" and "Pagsikat ng Araw."

His masterpiece “Concerto in B flat Minor” for piano forte and orchestra was presented at the
Chicago Music School, where he received his doctorate degree in 1924.

He also directed the music for such films as "Manileña," "Madaling Araw," and "Pakiusap."

Santiago became director of the U.P. Conservatory of Music from 1930 to 1946, and was
subsequently named U.P. Emeritus Professor of Piano on May 25, 1946.

He died on September 28, 1947 at the age of 58.

9. RAMON TAPALES

Filipino composer and conductor. He had his first training in solfège and the violin from his
father; and continued violin lessons at the age of 12 with Abdon. In 1923 he went to Europe for
further studies at the Milan Conservatory (from which he graduated in 1929), with Flesch at the
Berlin Hochschule and with Kaplan at the Klindworth-Scharwenka Conservatory; he also studied
composition with Butting and conducting with Robitsok. In Riga he appeared as guest conductor
of the National Opera. After returning to the Philippines in 1937, he conducted opera and
orchestral concerts in many parts of the country. He was appointed director of the Silliman
University Conservatory (1939–41), a teacher at the Philippine Women’s University, and
director, then dean, of the Conservatory of the University of the Philippines

10. SANTIAGO SUAREZ

SANTIAGO SUAREZ
- 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
- Suarez’s 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 today’s
 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.

11. MIGUEL VELARDE - (born August 20, 1939), better known as Brother Mike Velarde, is the
founder and "Servant Leader" of a Philippines-based Catholic charismatic movement called El
Shaddai which has estimated following of three to seven million. He is the best known
televangelist in the Philippines.

MIGUEL “MIKE” GUISON VELARDE JR.

- composer, conductor, movie actor, and musical director
- 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
- studied at the Zamboanga Normal School, where he became a member of the school orchestra
and graduated as valedictorian
- He learned the basics of harmony and composition from Antonio Molina
and Ariston Avelino as he further deepened his musical knowledge through self-study
- opened a jazz school and became song editor for the Philippines Free
Press
- went into writing Tagalog songs, composing the song Ugoy-Ugoy Blues which opened
opportunities for him in the movie
- He had a jazz band known as “Mike Velarde’s Jazztocrats”
- became editor of the Literary Song Movie Magazine

12. JULIAN FELIPE

Julian Felipe, composer of the Philippine National Anthem, was born in Cavite on January 28,
1861, to parents Justo Felipe and Victoria Reyes. His musical talent began to be honed when he
was 10 years old, under the instruction of Leandro Cosca. After Cosca’s death, Pedro Catalan, a
Recollect priest, taught him to play the piano.

Catalan later employed him as an organist at the San Pedro Parish Church in Cavite. Felipe also
taught music at a girls’ school, La Sagrada Familia.

A prolific composer, Felipe produced such pieces as Aurorita, Danza (Early Dawn Danza), Cintas y
Flores (Ribbons and Flowers), and Motete al Santisimo (Motet to the Most Holy). Owing to these
works, he became a member of the prestigious Santa Cecilia Musical Society.
 A patriot, Felipe joined the Philippine Revolution in 1896. His participation in the uprising
resulted in imprisonment at Fort Santiago together with the “13 Martyrs of Cavite.” The “13
Martyrs” were sentenced to death, but Felipe was found innocent and was eventually released
on June 2, 1897.

When Emilio Aguinaldo came to power, he commissioned Felipe to compose “something stirring
and majestic which can inspire our men to fight the enemy—something which embodies the
noble ideals of our race.” Thus, the composition Marcha Nacional Filipina, also known as Himno
Nacional Filipino was born (see The Philippine National Anthem).

Felipe was elected councilor of Cavite after the Philippine–American War. He was also appointed
director of the Banda Nacional of the first Philippine Republic in 1899, and served as
bandmaster of the US Navy in May 1904. His other works include Philippines, My Philippines,
and Un Recuerdo, which is dedicated to the “13 Martyrs of Cavite.” He died in Sampaloc,
Manila, on October 2, 1944.

13. CONSTANCIO DE GUZMAN

CONSTANCIO DE GUZMAN
- born on November 11, 1903 in Guiguinto, Bulacan
- grew up in Manila where he studied piano and composition under Nicanor Abelardo
- went to law school but switched to pursue and finish a BS Commerce degree at Jose Rizal
College in 1928
- passed the certified public accountants (CPA) board examinations in 1932
- acknowledged as the “Dean of Filipino Movie Composers and Musical Directors”
- 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 Kita’y Kapiling won the gold medal at the Paris
International Fair
- De Guzman passed away on August 16, 1982.
- 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.

WORKS
Babalik Ka Rin
Ang Tangi Kong Pag-ibig
Birheng Walang Dambana
Maalaala Mo Kaya
Sa Piling Mo
14. JUAN HERNANDEZ

Juan Anderson Hernandez was born 0n 8 March 1885 in Lipa City, Batangas, Philippines to
Herman Hernandez and Maria Macaria Anderson. According to oral histories, his mother was a
woman of American-Mexican descent.

Juan allegedly worked as an actor for silent film and appeared in “Ang Magpapawid” with Mary
Walter, under a stage name.

Juan had an illustrious career during the American regime, serving as officer of the Philippine
National Guard and of the Reserve Corps of the US Army. In February 1932, he was among the
founders the National Volunteers of the Philippines, a semi-military organization composed of
civic-minded citizens, and held the rank of Brigadier General. In July 1938, Juan Anderson
Hernandez was among 198 officers of the Philippine Army who were transferred to the newly-
formed Philippine Constabulary, the national police organization. Captain Hernandez’
responsibility was “commanding headquarters troops”.

During World War II, in 1942, he was promoted to Major and served as the Assistant
Superintendent of the Constabulary Academy, an institution under the control of the Japanese
Military Administration. He left this post in 1943 for another assignment as the Senior Inspector
of the Philippine Constabulary in Samar.

Juan served as the Sergeant-at-Arms at the Philippine Senate, headed by Manuel Quezon (1935-
1940) and Manuel Roxas (1940- 1943). He also served as Aide de Camp to President Elpidio
Quirino (1948).

After serving in government, he became the chief steward for the Sta. Ana Racetrack. A street in
Sta. Ana, Manila, Philippines was named after him.

Juan’s mestizo looks supposedly made him irresistible to many women — it is said that he sired
children with as many as fifteen paramours. Family lore says that he married at a very young
age to a woman from Pasay. Their union did not result in children, and they were no longer
together by the time his children with other women were born. Juan fell in love with Candelaria
Francisco of Alabat, Quezon, Philippines with whom he had Fredesvinda Francisco Hernandez.
With Conchita Ortiz (a soprano), he sired Jesus Hernandez Ortiz — Jesus became the editor-in-
chief of La Voz de Manila, a now-defunct Spanish language newspaper. He had two other
children from two different women: Milagros Zaldivar Hernandez and Dorothy Fleming
Hernandez. His last partner was Dolores Gonzales with whom he had German. They lived in 404
Barasoin St., Makati, in the 1950s.

On 29 July 1957, Juan left ex-President Quirino’s home on Novaliches to go to V. Luna General
Hospital in Quezon City. He came in for a check-up and accidentally slipped and hit his head, as
he was getting off the examination bed. He was quickly confined and was attended to by Dr.
 Felix Sibal. After 19 days, Juan passed away on 11 August 1957 at 3:45 pm. He was 72 years old.
While his obituary reads that he died from a heart attack, his death certificate states that the
condition directly leading to death is “undetermined”. Juan’s wake was at the Funeraria Popular
along 2139 Rizal Avenue, Manila. He was finally laid to rest on 15 August 1957 at the La Loma
Cemetery, also called North Cemetery, in the city of Manila.

15. CECILE LICAD

Called "a pianist's pianist" by The New Yorker, Cecile Licad's artistry is a blend of daring musical
instinct and superb training. Her natural talent was honed at the Curtis Institute of Music by
three of the greatest performer/pedagogues of our time: Rudolf Serkin, Seymour Lipkin and
Mieczyslaw Horszowski. Licad's large repertoire as an orchestral soloist spans the Classical works
of Mozart and Beethoven, the Romantic literature of Brahms, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Schumann
and Rachmaninoff, and on to the 20th century compositions of Debussy, Ravel, Shostakovich,
Prokofiev and Bartók.

Ms. Licad’s 2019-20 engagements include Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2 with Fresno
Philharmonic, a recital with Danbury Concert Association, a joint recital with cellist Alban
Gerhardt with Shriver Hall Concert Series in Baltimore, Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 21 with
Springfield Symphony Orchestra, and Brahms' Piano Concerto No. 1 with Maryland Lyric Opera
Orchestra. She is also recording the complete Gershwin works for piano and orchestra under the
baton of Gerard Salonga.

Ms. Licad can be heard in the recently released album titled American Landscapes (Danacord),
which was named “Classical New Release Of The Month” for March 2019 by 90.5FM WKAR
Classical of Michigan State University. The album is the third volume of her critically acclaimed
Anthology of American Piano Music, which explores lesser played music of American composers.
Of the Anthology, Pianist Magazine wrote, “To hear a master pianist like Cecile Licad tackle
these works is a luxury not often granted when unknown piano music is concerned. It’s usually
left to the second-division pianists to be dragged into the studio to record the ‘outsiders’. Not so
here.”

Ms. Licad’s recent engagements include Nashville Symphony’s summer season playing
Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 at the opening concert; Liszt’s Piano Concerto No.1 and
Totentanz in the Cultural Center of the Philippines with the ABS-CBN Symphony; a recital at the
Husum Rare Music Festival in Germany, as well as at Festival Miami; Rachmaninoff’s Piano
Concerto No. 2 with San Antonio Symphony under Sebastian Lang-Lessing; Bartók’s Piano
Concerto No. 1 with Spokane Symphony; Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with Philippine
Philharmonic Orchestra at Carnegie Hall; Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2 with Stamford
Symphony; Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1, Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 1, and Saint-
Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2 with Vallejo Symphony; Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of
Paganini with Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra, under Lawrence Rachleff; returns to Buffalo
Philharmonic Orchestra and Adrian (MI) Symphony Orchestra; performing with Northwest
Sinfonietta in Seattle and Tacoma, as well as North Mississippi Symphony Orchestra; and recitals
in Boston’s Isabella Gardner Museum and at the Harvard Musical Association, also in San Jose,
California and in Bogota, Colombia.

A memorable highlight was her collaboration with the Wynton Marsalis Septet performing the
music of Louis Moreau Gottschalk to accompany the feature film Louis, a silent film homage to
Louis Armstrong which premiered in Chicago’s Symphony Center and was also seen at the
Apollo Theater in New York City as well as in Detroit, Bethesda and Philadelphia. The project was
repeated in London with two performances in Barbican Hall followed by a recording of the live
music at Abbey Road studios.

Ms. Licad has toured in Germany in past seasons with Wurtemburg Philharmonic and appeared
with Freiburg Orchestra performing the Shostakovich Concerto for Piano and Trumpet. She has
appeared in North America with orchestras such as Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Boston
Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, National Symphony
Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and many others. In Europe she has played with London
Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Bayerisches Rundfunk Orchester,
Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, and Moscow State Academy Symphony. In Asia, she has
performed with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, New Japan Philharmonic, Tokyo’s NHK
Symphony Orchestra, and her native Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra. Among the conductors
with whom she has collaborated are Andrew Davis, Charles Dutoit, Zubin Mehta, Seiji Ozawa,
Gerard Schwarz, Michael Tilson-Thomas, David Zinman, Pinchas Zukerman, as well as the late
Kurt Masur, Claudio Abbado, Sir Neville Marriner, Sir Georg Solti, Eugene Ormandy, and Mstislav
Rostropovich.

Cecile Licad has performed in recital with Murray Perahia, Peter Serkin and Nadja Salerno-
Sonnenberg, with whom she has appeared at Lincoln Center, Orchestra Hall in Chicago, and the
Kennedy Center, respectively. She also performs with cellist Alban Gerhardt in Germany and in
the US. She appeared as soloist in the Steinway Piano Sesquicentennial Celebration at Carnegie
Hall, performing six Rachmaninoff songs with tenor Ben Heppner, and has made television
appearances with Mstislav Rostropovich.

As a highly regarded chamber musician, she has performed regularly with ensembles such as the
New York Chamber Symphony, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Guarneri Quartet, Takacs Quartet,
Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and Music from Marlboro. She also appeared as guest
soloist on tour with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra in Leipzig, Hamburg, Dusseldorf and Köln,
among other European cities.

Her summer festival appearances have included Caramoor, Tanglewood, the International Music
Festival of Seattle, Mostly Mozart Festival (in both New York and Tokyo) as well as the Santa Fe
Chamber Music Festival, La Jolla Chamber Music and Eastern Music Festival. She has also
performed at the Great Mountains Music Festival in Korea.

On the Music Masters label, Licad released a recording of three works by Ravel: Le tombeau de
Couperin, Gaspard de la Nuit, and Sonatine. She has an all-Gottschalk recording on the Naxos
label. And on Sony Classical, she has recorded Schumann’s Carnaval, Papillions and Toccata in C
Major; and Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2, and Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini with
the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Claudio Abbado. Her CBS Masterworks release
of Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and Saint-Saens’ Piano Concerto No. 2, with André Previn
conducting the London Philharmonic, was awarded the Grand Prix du Disque Frédéric Chopin.
Angel/EMI produced her solo all-Chopin recordings, which include Études, op. 10. Also for
Angel/EMI, she recorded, with Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, the Franck Sonata in A Major, the
Brahms Sonata No. 2 in A Major, and Sonatensatz in C Major.

Cecile Licad began her piano studies at the age of three with her mother, Rosario Licad, in her
native Philippines, and later studied with the highly regarded Rosario Picazo. At seven, she made
her debut as soloist with the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Philippines. As one of the youngest
musicians to receive the prestigious Leventritt Gold Medal, Ms. Licad won immediate
international recognition, and her career was launched.