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Antonio J. Molina

Born December 26, 1894

Quiapo, Manila, Captaincy General of the Philippines

Died January 29, 1980 (aged 85)

Nationality Filipino

Occupation Composer, conductor and music administrator

Known for Ana Maria, Hatinggabi

Early Life

Molina was born into a musical family Quiapo, Manila on 26 December 1894. His father Juan Molina was an influential government official who also founded the Molina Orchestra. His first formal music lessons was violin and solfeggio under Celestino de Vera, then a member of his father's orchestra.

He attended the Escuela Catolica de Nuestra Padre Jesus Nazareno in Quiapo. He continued high school and college at San Juan De Letran where he obtained abachelor of arts degree in 1909.

Complying with his father's wishes he pursued a Bachelor of Laws initially at the UST. He transferred in his second year of law studies to the Escuela de Derecho de Manila, where he finished his studies. He attained a teacher's diploma in violincello at the UP Conservatory of Music in 1923.

Career

His first composition was "Matinal" in 1912 and it is preserved in an unpublished volume "Miniaturas", Volume I. He did a professional work, as concert soloist, composer, and conductor in Hanoi, French Indochina (now North Vietnam). Back in the Philippines, he was appointed to teach harmony, composition, music history, and violincello at the UP Conservatory of Music]]. He was also the first Filipino composer who was invited to perform his works to Malacañang. From being a consultant in music education at the Bureau of Public Schools, he also became the dean of the Centro Escolar Conservatory of Music. He also founded the first chamber music group, the CEU String Quartet which was professionally organized and financed by its music school.

As a conductor, he lead the first performance in the Philippines of Bach's Christmas Oratorio presented by the combined Knox and Central Church Choirs (1947), as well as the first performance Mozart's...