CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE

ARTS FROM THE REGIONS

MUSIC
 INTRODUCTION
• During the early American period, the music
of the country was mostly classical due to the
influence of the European. This kind of music
continued flourishing until the 1950’s. It was
in the 1960’s that avant-garde music emerged.
• The Philippine music at that time evolved into
a combination of classical and traditional or
ethnic music.
• Due to the introduction of radio, film and
other entertainment technology, the theater
music that flourished gradually declined.
• RONDALLA or the string hands remain up to
the present.
• Philippine music continuously evolved, Pinoy
pop or the Filipino pop music took place. It
covered different forms like jazz, dance
hits,folksong, revival, rock and roll, rap, etc.
• The development of Pinoy Pop, Manila Sound
was born. This was characterized as Western-
derived from English lyrics but with pure Filipino
spirit.
• Later on, the OPM became popular. It is a kind of
music purely Filipino composers and singers.
• Alternative music became popular after which
was influenced by folk balladeers with the theme
on Filipino values, political and environmental
concerns and other social concerns.
• Examples of alternative music are Freddie
Aguilar’s Anak, Herber Bartolome’s Tayo’y Mga
Pinoy and Florante. De Leon’s Ako’y Pilipino.

• Different music genre at present are pop, rock,

OPM, indigenous music, jazz, rap and a mixture
of different genre like ethnic rock and other
forms exists in the music industry. Rock bands
and pop stars entered the limelight.
CCP was established. Filipino music and artists
were given importance. Provincial art councils
were established which preserve the traditional
music and innovate Philippine music.
Indigenous music continuously thrives and
spread in different localities. Local composers
still create vernacular songs. Local festivals like
the Las Pinas Bamboo Organ Festival were
established.
 NATIONAL ARTISTS IN PHILIPPINE
MUSIC
• The Philippines government recognizes the artist’s
remarkable inputs in the development of the Philippine
Art through the National Commission for culture and
the Arts (NCCA) and the Cultural Center of the
Philippines (CCP) which gives awards to the notable
contemporary artists and the most prestigious
recognition by Order of the National Artist Award (
Order ng Pambansang Alagad ng Sining).
• The government also gives recognition to the nation’s
finest traditional artists at present through the Gawad
sa Manlilikha ng Bayan or the national Living Treasures
Award.
 Order of the National Artist

The Republic of the Philippines, through the National

Commission for Culture and the Arts ( NCAA) and the Cultural
Center of the Philippines (CCP) established the Order of the
National Artist Award or the Order ng Pambansang Alagad ng
Sining on April 27, 1972 under Proclamation No. 1001. This
award seeks to give honor to the Filipino individuals with
outstanding share in the cultural heritage and cultural identity of
the country by means of their valuable efforts and contribution
to Philippine arts specifically in the areas of Visual Arts, Dance,
Music, Architecture Design and Allied Arts, Broadcast and Film,
Theater and Literature.
 Antonino R. Buenaventura

• -was with Francisca Reyes Aquino, National Artist for Dance researched
on and popularized Philippine folk songs of different ethnic groups in
the country included in his works several marches and symphonic and
orchestral music composition. His notable marches include History of
Fantasy, Triumphal March, Echoes of the Past, Second Symphony in E-
flat, Ode to Freedom and Echoes from the Philippines. His own
orchestral music composition includes Prelude and Fugue in G Minor,
Philippine Triumphant, symphony in C Major, Mindanao Sketches and
Concert Overture.
• - was also the conductor of the Philippine Army Band that brought
back the band’s prestige as one of the world’s best military bands.
With his lead, the Philippine Army was tagged as the only band that
can sound like a symphony orchestra.
 Jose Maceda

• His life-long musical career focused on understanding

and popularizing Filipino traditional music. He
conducted researches and fieldworks on traditional
music which resulted in his wide array of recorded
music from different parts of the country. His papers
led to the understanding and appreciation of the ethnic
and traditional music of the Philippines-locally and
internationally. Apart from conducting researches, he
also wrote some compositions inspired by traditional
music. Hi major works include: Ugma-ugma,
Pagsamba, Udlot-udlot, Kubing, Agungan, Ugnayan,
Aroding, Ading, Siasid and Suling-suling.
•
 Lucrecia R. Kasilag

She reinforces the Filipino’s appreciation to music by

fusing Western influences to Philippine artistic music.
She integrated ethnic instruments in her orchestral
production like “Toccata for Percussions and Winds,
Divertissement and Concertante”Filisiana De Profundis
and Misang Filipino. Her other works are: Legend of the
SArimanok, Philippine Scenes, Her Son, Ang Pamana,
Jose, Sisa, Awit ng mga Awit Psalms, Fantasie on a 4-Note
Theme and East Meets Jazz Ethnika. Also, Kasilag was the
music director of the Bayanihan Dance Company.
Together with other artists, she made the group one of
the finest cultural dance group in the Philippines.
 Ernani J. Cuenco

He is one of the remarkable singer, composer, film scorer and

musician in his time. Many f his songs etched a mark in the
hearts of the Filipinos due to his style of incorporating Kundiman
elements in his ballad love songs. Many of his works served as
the theme songs and musical scores for numerous Filipino
movies that led to his fame. Some of his works include Bato sa
Buhangin, Bulong ng Puso, Kalesa, Gaano Kita Kamahal, Diligin
Mo ng Hamog ang Uhaw na Lupa, Nahan, Kahit Na Magtiis. He
collaborated with Levi Cilerio in composing and adding lyrics to
most of his musical compositions used in the films. Before
entering the movie world, he was a cellist for five years in the
Manila Symphony Orchestra and a soloist fortwo years in the
Manila Chamber Orchestra. He became a professor in the
University of Sto. Tomas.
 Lucio San Pedro

He is a master composer known for creatively using folk

idioms his musical composition. He extracted the Filipino
essence and style from the folk materials and used them
in his compositions. His music has this effect of bringing a
sense of identity of the Filipinos. He produced numerous
works like songs, orchestral compositions including
Eastern Cantata, Sa Mahal Kong Bayan. Orchestral works
include The Devil’s Bridge, Malakas at Maganda Overture,
Hope and Ambition and band musical compositions
include Dance of Fairies and Lahing Kayumanggi. He was
a conductor of three bands namely Peng Kong Grand
mason Band, The San Pedro band of Angono and Banda
Angono Numero Uno.
 Antonio J. Molina

His notable contribution to the Philippine music is his use

of folk music in his works. He innovated the Philippine
music by using folk instruments like the kulintangan and
gabbang. He composed more than 300 works and two-
thirds of which are used traditional music. His works
involve orchestral music like Ang Batingaw Choral
Symphony, Kundiman-Kundangan, The Living World;
chamber music like the Hating gabi, String Quartet, Kung
sa Iyong Gunita, keyboard music like Malikmata, We Were
Moonlight, Dancing Fool; vocal music like Amihan, Awit ni
Maria Clara and Larawan Nitong Pilipinas, etc. he came
from a family of musicians.His father founded the
Orquestra Molina.
 Francisco Feliciano
He was a musician, composer, teacher and
conductor known for incorporating “ Asianess”
in his music. His works show the rich culture and
ethnicity of Asia especially the Philippines.He
transformed the indigenous music to a level of
equal to the music of the western countries.His
major works are Sihay sa Kabila ng Paalam, La
Loba Negra, Pokpok Alimako, Pamagun, Yerma
and the Ashen Wings.
 Levi Celerio
He started playing his violin when he was 11.He was
recommended by Alexander Lippay of the University of
the Philippines Conservatory of Music in the Academy of
Music Manila for scholarship. Though he had a broken
wrist due to an accident, he did not stop to continue
playing the violin. He became a lyricist. He composed
about 4000 musical works like Sa Ugoy ng Duyan, Dahil sa
Isang Bulaklak, Saan Ka Man Naroroon, Ang Pipit, Tayo’y
Magtanim,Kalesa, famous Christmas Songs: Ang Pasko ay
Sumapit. He wrote songs for Filipino movies. He was
known of making music using leaf,this made him to be
included in the Guinness Book of World Records.
 Ramon Santos
He combined Philippine indigenous instruments
and vocals to orchestral instruments and other
instruments from foreign nations like the
Javanese gamelan. He also composed works that
interweaved Asian culture, drama, poetry and
dance like his Sandiwaan, Daragang Magayon,
Ta-O, Awit ni Pulau. He included Kulintang, a
piece of solo piano. He organized an
international festival for rondalla and form for
traditional music attended by composers.
 Jovita Fuentes
She was awarded as “Embahadora de Filipinas a su
Madre Patria” for portraying different musicl
performing roles in Europe.She made the country
proud for her exceptional voice and performances.
She was also the founder of the Artists Guild of the
Philippines which periodically produced the “ Tour
of Operaland.She was an educator of music at the
University of the Philippines Conservatory of Music,
Sta. Isabel College and College of Holy Spirit.
 Felipe Padilla de Leon
He is a people’s musician for the sentiments and
aspirations of the Filipino people in times of war
and peace are evident in his musical works.
Some of his orchestral music include Mariang
Makiling Overture and Roca Encantada, his
symphonic works include Maynila Overture and
Orchestershuk while his choral music and songs
include Payapang Daigdig, Ako ay Pilipino, Bulaklak
and Mutya ng Lahi.
 Andrea Veneracion
She was the founder of the Philippine Madrigal
Singers who contributed to the development of
choral literature and movement throughout the
Philippines. She also conducted cultural
outreach program providing music education in
several areas in the country.