Levi Celerio
Levi Celerio | |
---|---|
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Born | (1910-04-30)April 30, 1910 Tondo, Manila, Philippine Islands |
Died | April 2, 2002(2002-04-02) (aged 91) Tondo, Manila, Philippines |
Nationality | Filipino |
Awards | ![]() |
Levi Celerio (April 30, 1910 – April 2, 2002) was a Filipino composer and lyricist who is credited with writing over 4,000 songs. Celerio was recognized as a National Artist of the Philippines for Music and Literature in 1997.
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.
Early life and education
Levi Celerio was born on April 30, 1910, in Tondo, Philippines to Cornelio Cruz and Juliana Celerio and was born to a poor family. Celerio's affinity for music was a result of influence from his mother who is a harpist and a member of a church choir.[2] He was estranged from his father who is involved in the real estate and jewelry business. His father was never married to his mother.[3]
His mother encouraged him to be involved in music as a distraction from the squalid conditions of their neighborhood. Despite 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.[2] It was during his high school years that Celerio learned about his father.
He also attended the Academy of Music Manila Conservatory of Music to study violin for two semesters.[2] Then director Alexander Lippay recommended him for a scholarship at the Academy of Music in Manila.[4] He received scholarship and became the youngest member of the Manila Symphony Orchestra.[5]
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[2] later decided to shift to songwriting.[6]
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 the 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.[2]
Songwriting
Levi Celerio is credited for writing more than 4,000 songs, many of which are dedicated to his wife and children.[1] He wrote Filipino folk, Christmas, and love songs and some of his songs were used in feature films.[6]
Among Original Pilipino Music (OPM) songs he composed are "Ikaw", "Kahit Konting Pagtingin", "Saan Ka Man Naroroon? (1968)". He wrote the lyrics of the Filipino lullaby "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"[1] "Sa Ugoy ng Duyan", in particular, was a collaboration with Lucio San Pedro, a fellow National Artist.[4]
"Ang Pasko ay Sumapit", officially titled "Maligayang Pasko at Masaganang Bagong Taon" is an example of a well-known Christmas song by Celerio,[4] which was the Tagalog version from the original Cebuano song, Kasadya Ning Taknaa, by Vicente Rubi and Mariano Vestil.[7] He also wrote the Christmas carols "Pasko Na Naman" and "Noche Buena" with composer Felipe Padilla de León in 1965.
Awards and recognition
National Artist for Music and Literature
On October 9, 1997, pursuant to Proclamation No. 1114, President Fidel V. Ramos proclaimed him a National Artist for Music and Literature.[8] His citation read that his music "was a perfect embodiment of the heartfelt sentiments and valued traditions of the Filipino".[6]
Guinness recognition
Celerio was known for using the leaf as a musical instrument which resulted in the Guinness Book of World Records to recognize him as "the man who could play music with a leaf".[1] According to his daughter, he first learned to play the leaf as an instrument during World War II. According to the account, he had to prove himself as a musician when he had an encounter with Japanese soldiers. He managed to pick a young leaf and play them a song and he was left unscathed.[1]
Other honors and 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.[2]
Television appearances
In the 1950s and the 1960s, Celerio was involved in various Philippine film as a character actor. He portrayed a variety of roles which ranged from a beggar, a rapist, a liquor thief and pickpocket, and a palm-reader.[3] His Guinness recognition led to his guest appearance in The Ed Sullivan Show[4] He also guested in The Merv Griffin Show[9] and That's Incredible! (1970s[3]).
Later years
In his old age, Celerio occasionally appeared in public, usually at a concert at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.[10][unreliable source?] He also played violin at the Camelot Hotel bar and other small venues.[2]
Death and legacy
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c7/Levi_celerio_grave.jpg/220px-Levi_celerio_grave.jpg)
Celerio died in the afternoon of April 2, 2002, at the Delgado Clinic in Kamuning, Quezon City due to multiple organ dysfunction. He also had a prior episode of stroke.[4] He was buried with full military honors at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.[10]
On his 108th Birth Anniversary on April 30, 2018, Google Philippines featured Celerio in a Google Doodle.[5][1]
Personal life
Levi Celerio was married to Lina Celerio[1] and has 4 children. He had four failed relationships.[2] Singer-comedian Veronica Palileo is a half-sister of his and director-actor Tony Cruz was a half-brother. He also played the piano as a past time but not in a professional capacity.[3]
Filmography
Year | Title | Credited as | Role | Note(s) | Ref(s). | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Composer | Actor | |||||
1959 | Pitong Gatang | No | Yes | |||
1960 | Bigay Hilig | Yes | Yes | |||
1962 | Markang Rehas | No | Yes | |||
1963 | Ang Babaeng Isputnik | No | Yes | |||
Istambay | Yes | No | ||||
Miting de Avance | No | Yes | ||||
1966 | Franco Maderro | Yes | No | |||
Mr. Humble Boy (Ang Dating Kampeon) | Yes | No | ||||
1968 | The Son of Vera Cruz | Yes | Yes | |||
1973 | Hanggang sa Kabila ng Daigdig | No | Yes | |||
1977 | Wanakosey | No | Yes | |||
1992 | Mahirap Maging Pogi | No | Yes | A "lolo" | ||
1997 | Adarna: The Mythical Bird | Yes | No | [11] |
In popular culture
- Portrayed by Ariel Rivera in an episode of Maalaala Mo Kaya titled Byulin.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Afinidad Bernardo, Deni Rose (April 30, 2018). "Google, daughter pay tribute to National Artist Levi Celerio". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "The Genius of Composer Levi Celerio". PEP.ph. Philippine Entertainment Portal, Inc. December 13, 2007. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
- ^ a b c d "Natatanging Gawad Urian kay Levi Celerio" [The Only Gawad Urian for Levi Celerio]. Manunuri. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e Catipon, Eric (April 3, 2002). "Another national artist, Levi Celerio, passes away". Indian Star. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
- ^ a b "Google celebrates Levi Celerio's 108th birth anniversary with a doodle". GMA News. April 30, 2018. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
- ^ a b c "L. Celerio, 91; Filipino Composer, Lyricist". Los Angeles Times. April 4, 2002. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
- ^ "What's Happening Archive | Philippine Postal Corporation". www.phlpost.gov.ph. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
- ^ National Commission for Culture and the Arts. (n.d.). National Artists of the Philippines. Manila: National Commission for Culture and the Arts.
- ^ Levi Celerio. IMDb
- ^ a b Filipino of the Century Archived June 6, 2016, at the Wayback Machine Czarina love Karl
- ^ Samio, Veronica R. (October 8, 2006). "Discovery ni Kuya Germs, bibigyan ng scholarship ni Josh Groban sa Yale Univ!". Pilipino Star Ngayon (in Filipino). Philstar Global Corp. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
Levi Celerio (Adarna soundtrack)
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Levi Celerio at IMDb
- Levi Celerio interview at Ryan Cayabyab's show on YouTube
- v
- t
- e
- 1973 Juan Nakpil
- 1976 Pablo Antonio
- 1990 Leandro Locsin
- 2006 Ildefonso P. Santos Jr.
- 2014 José María Zaragoza
- 2018 Francisco Mañosa
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/National_Artist_of_the_Philippines.svg/80px-National_Artist_of_the_Philippines.svg.png)
- 1973 Francisca R. Aquino
- 1976 Leonor Orosa
- 1988 Lucrecia Reyes
- 2006 Ramon Obusan
- 2014 Alice Reyes
- 2022 Agnes Locsin
- 2006 Ramón Valera
- 2022 Salvacion Lim Higgins
- 1976 Lamberto V. Avellana
- 1982 Gerardo de León
- 1997 Lino Brocka
- 2001 Ishmael Bernal
- 2003 Eddie Romero
- 2006 Fernando Poe Jr.
- 2009 Manuel Conde
- 2018 Kidlat Tahimik
- 2022 Nora Aunor
- 2022 Marilou Diaz-Abaya
- 2022 Ricardo Lee
- 1997 Carlos Quirino
- 1973 Amado V. Hernandez
- 1973 José Garcia Villa
- 1976 Nick Joaquin
- 1982 Carlos P. Romulo
- 1990 Francisco Arcellana
- 1997 N. V. M. Gonzalez
- 1999 Edith Tiempo
- 2001 F. Sionil José
- 2003 Virgilio S. Almario
- 2003 Alejandro Roces
- 2006 Bienvenido Lumbera
- 2009 Lazaro Francisco
- 2014 Cirilo F. Bautista
- 2018 Ramon Muzones
- 2018 Resil B. Mojares
- 2022 Gémino Abad
- 1973 Antonio Molina
- 1976 Jovita Fuentes
- 1988 Antonino Buenaventura
- 1988 Lucrecia Kasilag
- 1991 Lucio San Pedro
- 1997 Levi Celerio
- 1997 Felipe Padilla de León
- 1997 José Maceda
- 1999 Ernani Joson Cuenco
- 1999 Andrea Veneracion
- 2014 Ramon Santos
- 2014 Francisco Feliciano
- 2018 Ryan Cayabyab
- 2022 Fides Cuyugan-Asensio
- 1987 Atang de la Rama
- 1997 Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero
- 1997 Rolando Tinio
- 1999 Daisy Avellana
- 2001 Severino Montano
- 2003 Salvador Bernal
- 2018 Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio
- 2022 Tony Mabesa
- 1972 Fernando Amorsolo
- 1973 Botong Francisco
- 1973 Guillermo Tolentino
- 1976 Napoleon Abueva
- 1976 Victorio Edades
- 1981 Vicente Manansala
- 1990 Cesar Legaspi
- 1991 Hernando R. Ocampo
- 1997 Arturo R. Luz
- 1999 J. Navarro Elizalde
- 2001 Ang Kiukok
- 2003 José T. Joya
- 2006 Benedicto Cabrera
- 2006 Abdulmari Imao
- 2009 Federico Aguilar Alcuaz
- 2014 Francisco Coching
- 2018 Larry Alcala
- National Commission for Culture and the Arts
- Cultural Center of the Philippines