LEVI CELERIO
Levi Celerio was born on April 30, 1910, in Tondo, Manila
the Philippines. His parents hailed from Baliuag in Bulacan. As
a boy, he injured his arm while climbing a tree, the reason
why he could not play for long.
Levi attended the University of the Philippines
Conservatory of Music for a violinist course. His talent
impressed the Conservatory’s Director, who recommended
him for a scholarship at the prestigious Academy of Music
Manila. Later, he enrolled at the Academy of Music,
becoming the youngest member of the Manila Symphony
Orchestra. Through this scholarship, he began his climb to
become a renowned Filipino composer at home as well as
abroad.
Levi Celerio was a renowned Filipino composer born in
1910 in Manila. He showed early musical talent and received
a scholarship to study at the prestigious Academy of Music
Manila. Celerio had a prolific career as a composer, lyricist,
and writer producing many famous Filipino folk songs.
He was recognized for his unique musical style of
creating music using only his mouth and a brown leaf. Celerio
received numerous honors and awards throughout his career,
including being named a National Artist of the Philippines and
earning a Guinness World Record for his musical leaf
invention.
His mother encouraged him to be involved in music as a
distraction from the squalid conditions of their
neighborhood. Despite of this, Celerio became a close
acquaintance of gang leader Asiong Salonga. At his mother’s
encouragement Celerio started playing the violin at age 11
taking lessons from a member of the Philippine Constabulary
Band. Celerio later performed with the band as its member
while simultaneously attending Torres High School.
Career
Orchestral and poetry career
Levi Celerio was a member of the Manila Symphony
Orchestra but his stint with the musical troupe ended when
he fell off a tree and broke his wrist. He temporarily worked
as a comic illustrator and later decided to shift to songwriting.
Prior to turning to songwriting. Celerio got involved in
poetry and was a humorist in the orchestra of Premiere
Productions. He held high regard to poet. Jose Corazon de
Jesus. However his poems failed to gain positive reception
and his works were regarded as “lacking in style”. Later in his
career, he had Filipino Palindromes and Take It From Levi, a
collection of love poems he wrote published.
Songwriting
Levi Celerio is credited for writing more than 4,000
songs, many of which are dedicated to his wife and children.
He wrote Filipino folk, Christmas, and love songs and some of
his songs were used in feature films.
Among Original Pilipino Music (OPM) songs he
composed are “Ikaw”, “Kahit Konting Pagtingin”, “Saan Ka
Man Naroroon?”. He wrote the lyrics of the famous Filipino
lullabye Sa Ugoy ng Duyan. He also composed folk songs
including “Ako ay May Singsing”, “Ang Pipit”, “Dungawin Mo
Hirang”, “Itik-Itik”, “Pitong Gatang”, and “Waray-Waray”[6][6]
“Sa Ugoy ng Duyan”, in particular was a collaboration with
Lucio San Pedro, a fellow National Artist. The song is a carrier
song in Aiza Seguerra’s gold album, Pinakamamahal. [3]
“Ang Pasko ay Sumapit”, officially title “Maligayang Pasko
at Manigong Bagong Taon” is an example of a well-known
Christmas song composition by Celerio.
He is also known for using the leaf as a musical
instrument which led to being recognized as the “only man
who could play music using a leaf” by the Guinness Book of
Records. [1] This led to him making guest appearances on
television shows recorded outside the Philippines.
Aside from being a musician, Celerio was also a poet and
a film actor who appeared in various Philippine films of the
1950s and 1960s.
AWARDS
• The University of the Philippines conferred him an honorary
doctorate degree in Humanities in 1991.
• The Film Academy of the Philippines gave Celerio the
Lifetime Achievement Award in 1989.
• He is also the recipient of the CCP Gawad Para Sa Sining in
1991, and the Gawad Urian Award in 1993.
• 1985, Winner FAMAS Lifetime Achievement Award.
• Awarded as national artist for music and literature in 1997.
SIGNIFICANTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS
TO PHILIPPINE ARTS
Plays violin when he was 11. Lyricist and wrote a wide
range of songs of different themes He wrote several number
of songs for local movies, which earned for him the Lifetime
Achievement Award of the Film Academy of the Philippines.
Celerio has written lyrics for more than 4,000 Filipino folk,
Christmas, and love songs, including many that became
movie titles. He wrote several number of songs for local
movies, which earned for him the Lifetime Achievement
Award of the Film Academy of the Philippines. Celerio has
written lyrics for more than 4,000 Filipino folk, Christmas, and
love songs, including many that became movie titles. He
wrote several number of songs for local movies, which
earned for him the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Film
Academy of the Philippines. Celerio has written lyrics for
more than 4,000 Filipino folk, Christmas, and love songs,
including many that became movie titles.
This award seeks to give honor to the Filipino individuals
with outstanding share the cultural heritage and cultural
identity the country by means of their valuable efforts and
contribution to the Philippine arts.
LESSON IN HIS LIFE
Don’t give up and be creative seek for another unique
idea that people will remember you.
