Philippine Contemporary

Music

JOSE MACEDA(1917-2004)

• Jose Maceda was born in Manila on January 17,1917.He started his music studies at the academy of music in Manila.Later,he went to Paris to study with Alfred Cortot.He eventually pursued advanced studies in the USA with E.Robert Schimtz and earned a Doctorate Degree in Ethnomusicology from UCLA.

• Maceda’s musical style changed when he encountered the music of the indigeneous tribes of Mindoro in 1953.He then embarked on his life’s work,dedicated to the understanding and preservation of Filipino traditional music.His extensive research and field work resulted in an immense collection of recorded music taken from the remote mountain villages and far-flung inland communities in the Philippines.Although his compositional approach tended to be Western in style.Maceda combined sounds of the environment with ethnic instruments.

• His compositions were usually for large groups of musicians.Among his work are Ugma-Ugma(1963),a work for voice and ethnic instruments;Agungan (1975),a piece for six gong families;Pagsamba(1968),a musical ritual for a circular auditorium using several ethnic percussion instruments;Cassettes 100 (1971),a composition for 100 cassette tape recorders;and Ugnayan (1974),an ethnic piece played at the same time over several stations.

• Considered as the first Filipino avant garde composer,he also worked at a recording Studio in Paris in 1958 which specialized in musique concrete.During this period,he met Pierre Boulez,Karlheinz Stockhausen,and Iannis Xenakis,considered the musical giants of this musical genre.Maceda served as Proffesor of Piano and Musicology at the College of Music.University of the Philippines from 1952 to 1990.He was appointed Executive.Director of its Center for Ethnomusicology in 1977.In the same year,he was conferred the honor of National Artist for Music.He passed away in Manila on May 5,2004.

UDLOT-UDLOT BY: JOSE MACEDA

Some of the instruments played in the “Udlot-Udlot” piece.Kalutang or sonorous sticks , balingbing or buzzers , tongatong or stampers,and ongiyong or flutes.

RAMON P.SANTOS (1941- )

Ramon P.Santos was born in Pasig on January 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 in composition at the State University of New York,USA.He had also pursued graduate studies in Ethnomusicology at the University of Illinios,USA Santo's compositional style features chromaticism,music seria and electronic components,combine with indigeneous Philippines music elements.His works include Ding Ding nga diyawa,Nabasag na Banga at Ibat iba pang pinag ugpong-ugpong na panalita sa wikang filipino para sa labing anim na yinig at L’Bad. He had done extensive research on the gamelan music of Java as well as the tradiyional music of the Ibaloi.Maranao,Mansaka,Bontoc,Yakan,and Boholano teibes in the Philippines.Santos held the position of Dean of the UP College of Music from 1978-1988.At present,he is the head of UP Center of Ethnomusicology and was appointed professor Emeritus of the same institution.He was conferred the Title of National Artist for Music in 2014.

FR.MANUEL MARAMBA,OSB(1936- )

• Manual Maramba is a Benedictine monk who had an opportunity to contribute in Philippine music.He was born July 4,1936 to Tomas Maramba Sr.Pacifica Perez.His mother was his first music teacher.Maramba began his formation in music studies with Benedictine Sisters in Legaspi and St. Scholastic Manila.He then took a degree in music major in piano from the University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music.He then worked on his master's degree in piano at the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore.He took a degree in composition in the same institution in 1958 and a master's degree in musical arts from Yale University School of Music.At the Age of 19,he performed in the acclaimed Carnegie Hall.Maramba continues his studies,specializing in sacred music at the Krichenmusiks-Chile in Germany and I'm Vienna. Aside from his degrees in music,he also obtained a degree in Philosophy and a licentiate in sacred theology and cannon law.Antenna is considered as I'm of the leading composers of scared music.He had composed a song for the First Filipino saint entitled “Hymn to San Lorenzo ruiz“ He also wrote a music for valley called “Awakening”and "Transfiguration I and II chamber music”

• .He taught in the UST Conservatory of Music in the late 1970.During his stay in the University,he encouraged organizations of performing groups like the UST Symphony Orchestra,UST Bass Quintet and UST Beads and Woodwind Ensemble.Aside from teaching Maramba is also active in music organizations.He was president of the Philippine Society of Organised,board member of the Piano Teachers Guild,and member of the National Music Council of the Philippines and League of Filipino Composers

• *He composed operasAba sto niñoLa navalLord takayama ukon

*Composition of music for awakeningPapal mass for world youth dayMass in honor of St.Lorenzo ruizMass in honor of sto.niño

• *Three cantatasSt.lorenzo ruizSt.BenedictSt.Scholastica

• *Three PsalmsA hymn of honor of St.Lorenzo ruizThe official hymn of the 1996 National eucharistic congress a

• zarzuela entitled Ang SARSWELA sa SAN SALVADOR

*Thre orchestral worksPugad LawinThe virgin of navalTransfiguration

•THE END