LEVI CELERIO (1910 – 2002)

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.

Regrettably, the brilliant Filipino composer passed away at the Delgado
Clinic, Quezon City, on April 2, 2012, aged 91. His demise came shortly
after the passing of Levi Celerio national artist peer, Lucio San Pedro.