Quarter 3 – Module 1:

Contemporary
Philippine Music
MELCs:
1. narrate the life of selected contemporary Filipino composer/s
(MU10CM-IIIc-g-3);
2. analyze the musical characteristics of traditional and
contemporary
Philippine music; (MU10CM-IIIa-h-2);
3. improvise simple vocal/instrumental accompaniments to selected
contemporary Philippine music; (MU10CM-IIId-e-5);
4. perform selections of contemporary Philippine music (MU10CM-
IIIb-h-4); and
5. evaluate music and music performances using guided rubrics.
(MU10CMIII-h-8).
 Guide questions
• Who are the Philippine
traditional/contemporary
composers of the 20th century?
• How did they become good in
music and attained their
recognitions?
 Guide questions

• How did western music

influence the music of the
Philippines?
• What are the characteristics of
contemporary Philippine
music?
COMPOSER vs. LYRICIST vs.
SONGWRITER
•If you write only words (No music, no
melody): You’re a lyricist.
•If you write both music/melody and
lyrics: You’re a songwriter.
•If you write only music and/or melody
(No words): You’re a composer.
 LESSON 1:
TRADITIONAL
COMPOSERS
 CONTEMPORARY
PHILIPPINE MUSIC
•According to National Artist Ramon Santos,
PhD, “contemporary music in the Philippines
refers to compositions that have adopted
th
ideas and elements from 20 century art
music in the west, as well as the latest trends
and musical styles in the entertainment
industry.”
 CONTEMPORARY
PHILIPPINE MUSIC
• greatly influenced by the textural
colors of Debussy’s music and the
ambiguous and “dissonant”
tonalities of early 20th century
expressionist compositions.
lack of harmony or irregular
 History

• Spain and America having colonized

the Philippines from early1500s to
the late 1800s, it was unavoidable
that Western compositional
techniques found their way into the
works of Filipino composers.
 History
• 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 know as Philippines
 History

• the music in the Philippines

have become too Westernized
especially during the American
colonial period and after the
Second World War
Having been colonized by
Spain and the United
States for almost three
centuries, it was
inevitable that Western
compositional techniques
found their way into the
works of Filipino
composers.
• Music developed during this period is one of the
roots for modern Filipino music.
• It was during this period that guitars became
popular.
• The three main forms introduced to the Filipinos
were the Harana, the Kundiman, and the Rondalla.
• Most of these forms were developed as a result of
the fusion between tribal music styles and
traditional Spanish and Mexican music.
TRADITIONAL
COMPOSERS
 • known as the “Father of the
Kundiman” and belongs to
the “Triumvirate of Filipino
Composers.”
•• He finished
Traditional his music
Filipino
specialization
love song at the American
Francisco • Conservatory
For serenade, of Music in
Santiago courtship where he obtained
Chicago,
(1889 – his Doctorate Degree in 1924.
1947)
• He was also a musical director for
films. Among the films under his
musical supervision were
“Kundiman”, “Leron Leron Sinta”,
“Madaling Araw”, “Manileña”, and
the movie inspired by his own
composition, “Pakiusap”.
• He became the first Filipino
Director of the UP Conservatory of
Music.
 • one of the “Triumvirate of
Filipino Composers” which
includes Antonio Molina and
Francisco Santiago
• He studied music at the
Chicago Music College and
NICANOR was influenced by the
ABELARDO musical styles of Schoenberg,
(1893 – 1934) Hindemith and Stravinsky.
NICANOR ABELARDO
• Abelardo, together with
Francisco Santiago elevated
the status of the Kundiman into
an Art Song status equivalent
to that of the German Lied, the
French Chanson, and the
Italian Aria
His best-known compositions
Include:
1. Mutya ng Pasig
2. Nasaan Ka Irog
3. Cavatina for Violoncello
4. Magbalik Ka Hirang.
NICANOR ABELARDO
ANTONIO MOLINA • the first National Artist for
Music, is considered one of
the “Triumvirate of Filipino
Composers” which includes
Nicanor Abelardo and
Francisco Santiago.
• He began his music career as
an orchestral soloist at the
Manila Grand Opera House.
 Other works by Molina include:
ORCHESTRA MUSIC - Misa Antoniana
Grand Festival Mass, Ang Batingaw,
Kundiman-Kundangan
CHAMBER MUSIC - String Quartet, Kung sa
Iyong Gunita, Pandangguhan
VOCAL MUSIC - Amihan, Awit ni Maria Clara,
and Larawan Nitong Pilipinas.
ANTONIO MOLINA •He is best known for his
poignantly romantic
serenade for violin and
piano “Hatinggabi”.
Subsequent transcriptions
of this piece were written
for the cello, flute, piano,
and guitar.
• Other works by Molina include:
Orchestral music - Misa Antoniana Grand
Festival Mass, Ang Batingaw, Kundiman-
Kundangan; Chamber music - String Quartet,
Kung sa Iyong Gunita, Pandangguhan; and
Vocal music - Amihan, Awit ni Maria Clara, and
Larawan Nitong Pilipinas. He received the
National Artist for Music award in 1973. He
passed away on January 29, 1980.
LUCIO SAN PEDRO
•San Pedro is known as a
“Romantic Nationalist.” He
incorporated Philippine folk
elements in his
compositions with Western
forms and harmony.
•His musical prowess was internationally
recognized when he was invited to be a
judge at the prestigious Van Cliburn
International Piano Competition in 1980.
•Declared National Artist for Music in 1991
and passed away on March 31, 2002.
LUCIO SAN PEDRO
• Arguably, his most popular
work is the well-loved “Sa
Ugoy ng Duyan”, a lullaby
melody sung by his mother. He
composed “Sa Ugoy ng Duyan”
together with his friend Levi
Celerio as the lyricist.
CIPRIANO ‘’RYAN’’ CAYABYAB
also known as Mr. C, is a
popular contemporary
composer who also has
classical compositions to his
credit, such as “Misa” and
“Misa 2000”, “Four Poems for
Soprano and Piano”, and “Te
Deum”.
RYAN CAYABYAB
He obtained his Bachelor of
Music degree at the University
of the Philippines, College of
Music in 1983. After which, he
became a faculty member for
Composition at the same
University.
RYAN CAYABYAB
Among his numerous
compositions are the award-
winning “Kay Ganda ng Ating
Musika” (1978), Paraiso (1991),
as well as the modern
zarzuela “Alikabok”(2003), and
the musical “Lorenzo” – based
on the life of St. Lorenzo Ruiz
(2013).
RYAN CAYABYAB
He continues to be a sought-
after professor/lecturer,
musical director, composer,
arranger, and conductor in the
Philippine concert and
recording scenes.
He was named National Artist
for Music in 2018.
 HARANA
The Harana is practiced in small
towns and rural places. This is
how the men court the women
from before. A man accompanied
by his friends would visit a
woman and sing to her love songs
to make her fall in love with him.
 KUNDIMAN
Kundiman may be similar to
Harana because the song is
dedicated to a woman. Although
in Kundiman, a man is singing
about his longing for a loved
one. Used as a means to express
one’s love for country and
longing for freedom.
 RONDALLA
Is an ensemble of
instruments. Philippine
rondalla is consists of piccolo
bandurria, bandurria, and la-
ud, and the guitar-shaped
octavina and mandola,
guitarra,