This document provides biographies of several important Philippine traditional composers from the 20th century. It discusses composers from different eras who helped develop the modern Filipino musical repertoire by combining Western compositional techniques with traditional Philippine elements. Some of the composers highlighted include Nicanor Abelardo, Francisco Santiago, Lucrecia Kasilag, Ramon Santos, Cipriano Cayabyab, Antonio Molina, and National Artists like Lucio San Pedro, Francisco Feliciano, and Levi Celerio. The document emphasizes how these composers helped establish a unique Philippine musical identity through their innovative works.

1. PHILIPPINE
TRADITIONAL
COMPOSERS
MUSIC &ARTS
PRESENT BY: GROUP 2

2. According to National Artist Ramon Santos, PhD, “contemporary music in the
Philippines refers to compositions that have adopted ideas and elements from 20th
century art music in the west, as well as the latest trends and musical styles in the
entertainment industry.
The modern Filipino repertoire consists of musical pieces that have been written in
20th century idioms that have evolved out of such stylistic movements as
impressionism, expressionism, neo-classicism, as well as avant-garde and new
music.
New music are compositions which are improvisational works such as the early
compositions of Dr. Ramon Santos, Radyasyon and Quadrasyon; Josefino “Chino”
Toledo’s Samut-Sari, Pintigan and Terminal Lamentations, and Jonathan Baes’ Wala
and Banwa.
With the European and American influences brought by our country’s colonizers, it was
inevitable that the musical style of 20th century Western composers found their way
into Philippine compositions. The works many notable Filipino composers are evidence
of this. An entire group of 20th Filipino song composers became popular for their
musical compositions used as background music or theme songs in movies and films.
Philippine Traditional

3. Filipino composers of the 20th century contributed their share in
introducing innovative sounds. With Spain and then America having
colonized the Philippines from the early 1500s to the late 1800s, it was
unavoidable that Western compositional techniques found their way
into the works of Filipino composers. Yet even 20th century Filipino
composers have managed to retain some traditional elements in their
assimilation of Western techniques. In fact, they have become the
strongest foundations of what we now know as Philippine music.
Among the major Philippine contemporary composers are Francisco
Buencamino Sr., Francisco Santiago, Nicanor Abelardo, Antonio Molina,
Hilarion Rubio, Col. Antonino Buenaventura, Rodolfo Cornejo, Lucio San
Pedro, Rosendo Santos Jr., Alfredo Buenaventura, and Ryan
Cayabyab.
TRADITIONAL COMPOSER

4. Let's Start With
the Traditional
Music Composers

5. NICANOR ABELARDO (1893-1934)
Nicanor Abelardo is one of the
“Triumvirate of Filipino Composers”
which includes Antonio Molina and
Francisco Santiago. He studied
music at the Chicago Music College
and was influenced by the musical
styles of Schoenberg, Hindemith,
and Stravinsky.
Abelardo developed a style
that combined European
romanticism with
chromaticism.His
compositions contain hazy
tones,dissonance,and
unusual chords
combinations found in such
works as Cinderella
Overture, Panoramas, and a
violin sonata.

6. His best-known compositions include Mutya ng Pasig,
Nasaan Ka Irog, Cavatina for Violoncello, at Magbalik Ka
Hirang.
Nasaan Ka irog

7. CIPRIANO RYAN CAYABYAB (1954-present)
Ryan Cayabyab is a
popular contemporary
composer also has
classical compositions to
his credit, such as Misa,
Four Poems for Soprano
and Piano, and Te Deum.
Cayabyab was born on May
4, 1954 in Santa Cruz,
Manila, he was among the
four children of Alberto
Austria Cayabyab and
Celerina Venson Pujante.
Ryan Cayabyab's mother
was an opera singer and a
professor at the University
of the Philippines's (UP)
College of Music.
He also served as
the Executive and
Artistic Director
of the San Miguel
Foundation for
the Performing
Arts, At present,
he continues to
be a muchsought-
after
professor,musical
director,composer
, arranger,and
conductor in the
Philippine
concert and
recording scene.

8. Among his numerous compositions are the award-winning Kay Ganda ng Ating
Musika (1978), as well as the modern zarzuela Alikabok (2003), the opera
Spoliarium with libretto by Fides Cuyugan-Asensio, and a variety of choral
pieces and song cycles. Many of his piano works have become a staple part
of the Philippine repertoire of today`s young students especially Mayon,
Larawan and Maligayang Bati. He also wrote several zarzuelas and kundiman.

9. FRANCISCO SANTIAGO (1889-1947)
Francisco Santiago is known as the
“Father of the Kundiman” and belongs
to the “Triumvirate of Filipino
Composers.” He finished his music
specialization at the American
Conservatory of Music in Chicago,
where he obtained his Doctorate
Degree in 1924.
Santiago’s music was Romantic in
style, incorporating Western forms
and techniques with folk materials. He
composed several works such as
kundiman, symphonies, piano
concertos, and other music pieces for
the piano, violin, and voice.
TRIVIA: Santiago was the first composer
to include the kundiman in a concert and
the first to write Philippine Christmas
carols.

10. Among the films whose music he supervised are Kundiman, Leron
Leron Sinta, Madaling Araw, Manileña, and the movie inspired by his
own composition Pakiusap.

11. LUCRECIA R. KASILAG (1918-2008)
National Artist for Music
Lucrecia R. Kasilag was born in San
Fernando, La Union on
August 31, 1918. She went to Manila to
pursue a degree in Music
at the Philippine Women’s University. She
then obtained her
master’s degree from the Eastman School
of Music in New York,
USA.
Her compositions were influenced by her
professors Irving
McHose and Wayne Barlow. Kasilag
compositions
demonstrated a fusion of Eastern and
Western styles in using instruments, melody,
harmony, and rhythm. She is particularly
known for incorporating indigenous Filipino
instruments into orchestral productions.

12. Among Kasilag many compositions are Toccata for Percussion
and Winds (1959), composed for indigenous Muslim instruments
and Western instruments, The Legend of the Sarimanok(1963),
composed for chamber orchestra and Philippine ethnic
instruments; Divertissement and Concertante (1960),
compositions for piano and orchestra combining Western and
Eastern forms, harmonies, and intervals; and Dularawan (1969), a
musical drama combining a dance solo with a chorus and an
ethnic orchestra.

13. RAMON P. SANTOS (1941-present)
National Art for Music Ramon P. Santos was born in
Pasig on February 25, 1941.
He completed his Bachelor of
Music degree at the College
of Music, University of the
Philippines. He finished his
Master of Music degree at
Indiana University, USA. He
received his Doctor of
Philosophy degree i
Composition at the State
University of New York, USA.
He had also pursued
graduate studies in
Ethnomusicology at the
University of Illinois, USA.
Santos’ compositional style
features chromaticism, music
series and electronic
components,
combined
with
indigenous
Philippine
music
elements.

14. Santos held the position of Dean of the UP College of Music from 1978
to 1988. At Emeritus of the same institution. He was conferred the title
of National Artist for Music in 2014.
His works include Ding Ding Nga Diyawa,,Nabasag na Banga at Iba’t iba pang
Pinag ugpong-ugpong na Pananalita sa Wikang Pilipino para sa Labing Anim na
Tinig, and L’BAD. He had done extensive research on the gamelan music of Java
as well as the traditional music of the Ibaloi, Maranao, Mansaka, Bontoc, Yakan,
and Boholano tribes in the Philippines. present, he is the head of the UP Center
of Ethnomusicology and was appointed Professor.
Abot Tanaw

15. FRANCISCO F. FELICIANO (1942-2014)
National Artist for Music
Francisco F. Feliciano, avant garde composer
and conductor for band and chorus, was born
on February 19, 1942, in Morong, Rizal.
His first exposure to music was with the Morriz
Band, a brass ensemble established and
owned by his father, Maximiano Feliciano.
He started his music career in the high school
band where he had played the cymbals and the
clarinet. Feliciano obtained his Teacher’s
Diploma in Composition and Conducting at the
Conservatory of Music, University of the
Philippines (UP) in 1964, and a Bachelor of
Music degree major in Composition in 1967.

16. Feliciano composed more than 30 major works, including the musical
dramas Sikhay sa Kabila ng Paalam, Ashen Wings, and the monumental
three-act opera La Loba Negra (1984). He also wrote music for the
orchestra such as Prelude and Toccata (1973), Fragments (1976),
Life of Wartime Filipino Hero Jose Abad Santos, and the ballet
Yerma (1982).

17. ANTONIO J. MOLINA [music] / LEVI
CELERIO (LYRICS)
Molina, known as the “dean of Filipino composers,” was born in Quiapo, Manila, on Dec.
26, 1894. He wrote over 500 musical compositions, including “Hatinggabi” and “Awit ni
Maria Clara,” and taught some of the country's musical icons like Lucresia Kasilag
and Felipe de Leon.Molina, known as the “dean of Filipino composers,” was born in
Quiapo, Manila, on Dec. 26, 1894. He wrote over 500 musical compositions, including
“Hatinggabi” and “Awit ni Maria Clara,” and taught some of the country's musical
icons like Lucresia Kasilag and Felipe de Leon.
Molina was a product of both the Romantic and Impressionist schools of thought. He
was fascinated by the dynamics and harmonies of Debussy but retained much of the
Romantic style in his melody. A characteristically impressionist work is his piano work
Malikmata (Transfiguration). The mysteriously exotic chords of this piece gradually
lead to a lyrical melody, with the traditional harmonies abruptly returning to the initial
mood. Molina wrote several compositions for piano, violin, and voice as well as
a Spanish-style opera form known as the zarzuela.

19. LUCIO SAN PEDRO (1913-2002)
National Artist of Music
His numerous works, influences and contributions to Philippine music led to the
proclamation of Lucio San Pedro as a National Artist of the Philippines for Music
on May 9, 1991 by President Corazon Aquino.
Lucio San Pedro is known as a “romantic nationalist.” He incorporated Philippine folk
elements in his compositions with Western forms and harmony. His chords have a rich
expressive tonality, as represented in his well-loved Sa Ugoy ng Duyan, a lullaby melody
sung by his mother.

20. COL ANTONIO BUENAVENTURA(1904-1996)
National Artist for Music
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.
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.

21. Twilight

22. SONG COMPOSERS
The 20th century Filipino song
composers/lyricists include Levi
Celerio,Constancio de Guzman, Mike Velarde
Jr., Ernani Cuenco, Restie Umali, George
Canseco, Angel Peña, Leopoldo Silos Sr.,
Santiago Suarez. Together, they had
produced a memorable output of traditional
Filipino love songs, music for the movies,
and materials for contemporary
arrangements and concert repertoire Filipino
composers of the 20th century contributed
their share in introducing innovative sounds
different from the traditional folk song and
kundiman melodies that we have been
accustomed to.

23. LEVI CELERIO (1910-2002)
National Artist for Literature and Music
Celerio was born in Tondo on April 30, 1910. He
studied at the Academy of Music in Manila under a
scholarship. Later, he went on to join the Manila
Symphony Orchestra. Aside from writing his own
lyrics, he also translated and re-wrote the lyrics
of folksongs to traditional melodies like Maliwanag
Na Buwan from Ilocos, Ako ay May Singsing from
Pampanga, and Alibangbang from the Visayas.

24. LEVI CELERIO
Prolific lyricist and composer Levi Celerio was named National Artist for
Music and Literature in 1997. Also, a violinist, he had written the lyrics
for over 4,000 songs in his lifetime, including many for film. A great
number of kundiman and Filipino love songs have lyrics written by
notable of which are Dahil sa Iyo, Buhat, and Ang Pasko ay Sumapit.
Celerio, for a time, was recognized by the Guinness Book of World
Records as the only man who could play music with a leaf. Because of
his talent, Celerio was invited to The Merv Griffin Show, where he played
"All the Things You Are" with 39 musicians.

25. GEORGE CANSECO (1934-2004)
George Masangkay Canseco was born on April
23, 1934, in Naic, Cavite.
He graduated with a Liberal Arts degree at the
University of the East. After graduation, he
worked for the Philippines Herald and the
Associated Press as a journalist. He also
worked as a “freelance scriptwriter for hire” in
Manila.
His legacy as a composers Includes approximately
120 song titles including Ikaw, Kailangan Kita, Dito
Ba, Hiram, Tubig at Langis, Hanggang sa Dulo ng
Walang Hanggan, Sinasamba Kita, Kastilyong
Buhangin,Sana Bukas Pa ang Kahapon, and etc.
Canseco's best-known composition, however, was

26. THAT’S ALL THANK
YOU :>