Exploring Lucio San Pedro: A Pioneer of Filipino Music
School
AlIttihad National Private Schoold**We aren't endorsed by this school
Course
POS 1
Subject
History
Date
Dec 11, 2024
Pages
6
Uploaded by UltraSteel12080
LUCIO SAN PEDROA lot of people are very vocal about expressing themselves, but onlyfew create such things that could reach people’s heart, even without trying.Lucio San Pedro eventually fits the description, and had inspired a lot ofartists to follow his footsteps. Born in February 11, 1913 (1913-2002) atAngono, Rizal, Philippines, he was an esteemed Filipino composer, teacher,and a conductor that was eventually proclaimed as a Filipino National Artistfor Music in the year of 1991; declared by the late president Corazon C.Aquino. Because music was already on his family’s roots and apart that hiscousin was Carlos Modesto "Botong" Villaluz Francisco, it somehow pushedhim to start his career in early age, wherein his first composition was whenhe was in elementary. When he reached his teenage years, he successfullybecame a church organist like his grandfather. It piqued his interest to writeseveral songs, hymns, and masses for voices and orchestra. He had studyvarious prominent instruments in the Philippines, and studied at JulliardSchool in New York, which later took lessons with Bernard Wagenaar andVittorio Gianini in 1947. Later on, he become the conductor of Peng KongGrand Mason Concert Band, his father’s previous band, the San Pedro Bandof Angono, and lastly, Banda Angono Numero Uno.Lucio San Pedro had depicted some of his compositions that helpedhim engage with the Filipino heritage. He combined Philippine folk elementswith Western patterns and harmony, which eventually gave a huge changeand contribution to the Philippine music. He usually work on different musicstyles and compositions that includes band music, songs for solo voice andorchestra, theatre music, movie music, and many more. He had worked withcreative folk music and polished style that could help him to give moreimpact to Filipino identification. Some of his famous works includes “Sa Ugoyng Duyan” (1948), a well-known lullaby that was in collaboration with LeviCelerio, and Lahing Kayumanggi”, a symphonic poem that express the loveof the Filipinos and independence from colonialization, (1950). Some of his
orchestral music, on the other hand are “The Devil’s Bridge”, “Fugue in Dminor, Hope” “Malakas at Maganda Overture,Prelude”, and “AmbitionOthers”. He had also created such soundtracks and music theme for otherpopular works that helped him gain and dubbed as a “creative nationalist”.Overall, he usually created his composition in an artistic way, especially forclassical music that shows how much he loves his nation.Perhaps because he focused on creative nationalism, he was also ableto look into other things that he haven’t done before. He usually takes suchinspirations in his own surroundings. That also includes the lullaby, forexample, “Sa Ugoy ng Duyan”, which he stated that he had inspirations forcomposing is because of his mother, which he remembered her hummingwhen he and his siblings' used to hear in their childhood days. He alsorevealed on one of his interview that he also took inspiration with the natureand his town, which he state his composition, “Sunset in the Village”. Otherreason is that he also wanted to showcase his affection for his own country,like “Lahing Kayumanggi”, “Sa Lupang Sarili”, “Sa Mahal Kong Bayan” andvigorously told different messages that Filipino has been able to reach theirhearts. Maestro Lucio San Pedro had a goal while working on his compositions;to reflect the Filipino soul. He wanted to give highlights to the Filipino folksongs, in a way that people could create a huge change in the Philippinemusic. In one of his interviews, he said that he wanted to immortalize thevalues of the people which he always considered as the nation’s foundation.This way, he had explained the circumstances where he wanted people toadmire, respect, and create the culture with appreciating how they shouldkeep preserving it. On the other hand, Lucio San Pedro had admitted thatthey are poor. When he finished his high school, he never thought takingmusic as his course, he planned in taking law or taking up medicine, but thenhis family convinced him to take music, as he had love composing ever sincehe was a child. That’s when he enrolled in UP Conservatory of Music, and
they have not enough money to support Lucio in studying; still, they didn’tgive up and continue to strive hard. It was even until the point where Lucio,in his boarding house actually stays in janitor’s room, and would bribe thejanitor some sandwiches for compensation. While doing his passion, hewould go around playing for cabarets, dance halls and even for orchestra. Hedid support himself to help himself lessen the difficulty that he wasovercoming while doing what he love to do. On March 31, 2002, Maestro Lucio San Pedro finally let his last breathon his very hometown in Angono, Rizal, Philippines, with the cause of cardiacarrest, at the age of 89.Documentation:Picture of Lucio San Pedro, proclaimed as a Filipino National Artist for Musicin 1991:A book written for Lucio San Pedro entitled, “Lucio San Pedro and His ColorfulMusic” written by Miguel Luois Morales, edited by Nina Macaraig-Gamboa,
and illustrated by Jonuel Benedict A. Reyna. The book tackles about the lifeof Lucio San Pedro, a Filipino National Artist for Music:A tribute for Maestro Lucio San Pedro at Dona Aurora Street at Angono, Rizal:SOME OF HIS KNOWN WORKS:Sa Ugoy ng Duyan, conducted by Josefino Chino Toledo, performed byPhilippine Philharmonic Orchestra, and sang by Lea Salonga at Quezon CityPerfoming Arts:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UU0WZgy87-sSa Mahal Kong Bayan, conducted by Herminigildo Raner, performed byPhilippine Philharmonic Orchestra, and sang by Philippine Madrigal Singers:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGPVc_pRPzsJubilate March, conducted by Nonoy V. Diestro and performed by PhilippinePhilharmonic Orchestra at PPO Performance in 2010:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENnL0s-6hqULahing Kayumangi, conducted byRodney Ambat and performed by UPSymphonic Band at Abelardo Hall Auditorium in 2016:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqEK4Iimv0MMusical Composition of Simbang Gabi by Lucio San Pedro: