Philippines National Artist

Philippine National Artist for Music

Antonino R. Buenaventura

Antonino R. Buenaventura has vigorously pursued a musical career that spanned seven decades of unwavering commitment to advancing the frontiers of Philippine music. In 1935, Buenaventura joined Francisca Reyes-Aquino to conduct research on folksongs and dances that led to its popularization. Buenaventura composed songs, compositions, for solo instruments as well as symphonic and orchestral works based on the folksongs of various Philippine ethnic groups. He was also a conductor and restored the Philippine Army Band to its former prestige as one of the finest military bands in the world making it "the only band that can sound like a symphony orchestra".

This once sickly boy who played the clarinet proficiently has written several marches such as the "Triumphal March," "Echoes of the Past," "History Fantasy," Second Symphony in E-flat, "Echoes from the Philippines," "Ode to Freedom." His orchestral music compositions include Concert Overture, Prelude and Fugue in G Minor, Philippines Triumphant, Mindanao Sketches, Symphony in C Major, among others.

Ernani J. Cuenco

Music (1999)

Ernani J. Cuenco is a seasoned musician born in May 10, 1936 in Malolos, Bulacan. A composer, film scorer, musical director and music teacher, he wrote an outstanding and memorable body of works that resonate with the Filipino sense of musicality and which embody an ingenious voice that raises the aesthetic dimensions of contemporary Filipino music. Cuenco played with the Filipino Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Manila Symphony Orchestra from 1960 to 1968, and the Manila Chamber Soloists from 1966 to 1970. He completed a music degree in piano and cello from the University of Santo Tomas where he also taught for decades until his death in 1988.

His songs and ballads include "Nahan, Kahit na Magtiis," and "Diligin Mo ng Hamog ang Uhaw na Lupa," "Pilipinas," "Inang Bayan," "Isang Dalangin," "Kalesa," "Bato sa Buhangin" and...