CONTEMPORARY DANCE

Dance
1. Art – Tells a story, a set of moods and expresses an emotion
2. Recreation

Types of dances
1. Folk dance/Ethnic dance- Social dances that portray the beliefs, interests, habits, customs and practices
of the native.
Examples: Maranao and Tausug dances, dances from Mindanao and Cordillera
2. Ballroom dances – Dances of public entertainment, usually performed in pairs in ballrooms, nightclubs,
auditoriums or in public places
Examples: foxtrot, cha cha, boogie, tango, rumba, waltz
3. Theatrical dance – performed for the entertainment of the audience in a theatre.
Examples: Ballet, Modern dance, musical comedy, tap dance

Contemporary dance
- A performing art that involves rhythmic body movement within a given space, choreographed based
on musical beat.
- Performed either in front of an audience or by everyone on a dance floor

Elements of contemporary dance

1. Theme – most basic element of a dance. It conveys the message of a dance
2. Design – pattern of movement in time and space
3. Movement – the bodily actions of the dancer that include his steps
4. Technique – the skill of movement executed by the dancer
5. Music – the auditory background to which a dancer moves
6. Costume and body paraphernalia – properties worn by the dancer that help reflect the message, customs
and beliefs
7. Choreography – the figures and steps in dancing that enable the dancers to perform in an organized
manner
8. Scenery – the background or setting where the dance is performed to make it more realistic and
enriching.

Notable figures in Philippine Dance

1. Alice Reyes
 National artist for dance (1970)
 The mother of contemporary dance
2. Lisa Macuja – Elizalde
 Founded ballet manila in 1995 with Osias Barroso (her dancing partner)
 Bringing Ballet to the people, bringing people to Ballet
3. Douglas Nierras
 Founder and resident choreographer of Philippine power dance
 Making dance more accessible to a greater number of audiences
4. Norbert Dela Cruz III
 Danced as a soloist with the metropolitan opera house and in other dance companies in Europe

Contemporary Philippine Music

Contemporary music refers to compositions that have adopted ideas and elements from the 20th century
art music in the west, as well as the latest trends and musical styles in the entertainment industry. According to
Ramon Santos – National artist.

20th Century Traditional Composers

 With Spain and then America having colonized the Philippines from the early 1500s to the late 1800s, it
was unavoidable the Western compositional techniques found their way into the works of Filipino composers.
Yet Filipino composers managed to retain some traditional elements in their assimilation of Western techniques.
In fact, they have become the strongest foundations of what we now know as Philippine music.

Francisco B. Buencamino Sr. (1883 – 1952)

 His piano works that became a staple part of Philippines repertoire of today’s young students are:
Mayon, Larawan and Maligayang bati.
 Died October 16, 1952, after which a posthumous award honoured him with the title “Outstanding
Composer”

Francisco Santiago (1889 – 1947)

 Known as the “Father of the Kundiman”
 Belongs to the “Triumvirate of Filipino Composers”
 His music was Romantic in style, incorporating Western forms and techniques with folk materials.

Nicanor Abelardo (1893 – 1934)

 One of the “Triumvirate of Filipino Composers”
 He developed a style that combined European romanticism with chromaticism.
 Considered a composer in the Romantic style. His best known compositions include Mutya ng Pasig,
Nasaan ka irog, Cavatina for Violoncello, and Magbalik ka hirang.

Antonio J. Molina (1894 – 1980)

 The first National Artist for Music (1973)
 One of the “Triumvirate of Filipino Composers”
 He is best known for his poignantly romantic serenade for violin and piano

Hilarion Rubio Y. Francisco (1902 – 1985)

 When he was 8 years old he was accepted as a member of the Bacoor band as a clarinettist and made his
first composition “Unang Katas”
 Vice president for PASAMBAP (Pambansang Samahan ng mga Banda sa Pilipinas)

Col. Antonino Buenaventura (1904 – 1996)

 National artist for Music
 He promoted Philippine music through his extensive use of folk materials which he had recorded around
the country with Ramon Tolentino and Francisca Reyes Aquino.
 He was declared National artist for music in 1988

Rodolfo S. Cornejo (1909 – 1991)

 His first composition at age 10 was a piano piece entitled “Glissando Waltz.
 He is was also known for his extemporaneous thematic improvisations based on the letters of people’s
names

Felipe Padilla De Leon Sr. (1912 – 1992)

 National artist for music 1997
 He was known as a nationalist composer who expressed the Philippines’ cultural identity through his
compositions
 Two operas which are considered his masterpieces are the noli me tangere and El filibusterismo

Lucio San Pedro (1913 – 2002)

 Declared as national artist for music in 1991
 Known as a “romantic nationalist”
 He incorporated Philippine folk elements in his compositions with western forms and harmony

Rosendo E. Santos Jr. (1922 – 1994)

  At age 11 he started composing band marches, instrumental, and vocal scores, as well as music for
Catholic masses
 He was awarded as the “Philippine Composer of the Century” after receiving the “Composer of the year
Award” in manila in 1956 and 1957.

Alfredo Buenaventura (1929 – )

 Composer, conductor and a teacher who grew up in a musical environment
 Many of his compositions are based on Filipino heroes, legends, and epics, he useds native songs, he
uses native songs, both tribal and folk, as themes of his music composition.

Cipriano “Ryan” Cayabyab (1954 - )

 Popular contemporary composer who also has classical compositions like Four poems for soprano and
piano
 His Compositional style makes much use of syncopation, extended chords, and chromatic harmony.
 He produced a number of recordings, including the memorable album “One” where he personally sang
the unaccompanied songs on different tracks to produce 16 voices.

SONG COMPOSERS

The 20th century Filipino song composers/lyricists had produced a memorable output of traditional
Filipino love songs, music for the movies, and materials for contemporary arrangements and concert repertoire.

Levi Celerio (1910 – 2002)

 National artist for literature and music – 1997
 Prolific Lyricist, composer and violinist who had written lyrics for over 4,000 songs in his lifetime,
including many for films.
 He made it to the Guinness Book of World records for being the only person to make music with a leaf.

Constancio De Guzman (1903 – 1982)

 Was acknowledged as the “Dean of Filipino movie composers and musical directors.”
 He is the composer of the nationalistic song Bayan ko

Miguel “Mike” Velarde Jr. (1913 – 1986)

 Was a composer, conductor, movie actor and musical director.

 1986 – he received the Gawad para sa Sining.
 He had a jazz band known as “Mike Velarde’s Jazztocrats”

Santiago Suarez (1901 – 1964)

 Was an accomplished composer of traditional Filipino love songs
 His compositions are a mixture of the soulful kundiman style and the lively strains of the countryside.

Restituto “Restie” Umali (1916 – 1998)

 Was a composer, teacher and musical arranger
 He wrote a total of more or less 120 movie theme songs.

Ernani Cuenco (1936 – 1988)

 Was a composer, film scorer, musical director and music teacher
 National artist for music – 1999
 His works embody the Filipino sense of musicality

George Canseco (1934 – 2004)

 Was considered “a nationally acclaimed composer of numerous popular Filipino classics.”
 His legacy as a composer include approximately 120 song titles including Ikaw, Kailangan kita,
Hanggang sa Dula ng walang hangan and kahapon Lamang

Angel Peña (1921 – 2014)

 Is a classical and jazz composer, musical arranger and bass player
  He is widely considered by modern Filipino jazz musicians as “one of the founders of traditional jazz in
the Philippines”

Leopoldo Silos Sr.

 Was a composer, singer and musical arranger
 He composed and recorded romantically soulful songs
 He was the award winning musical director of the television musical Aawitan Kita.

NEW MUSIC COMPOSERS

New Music Composers retained the Filipino spirit by incorporating traditional music forms as well as
indigenous rhythms and instruments in their compositions.

Jose Maceda (1917 – 2004)

 National artist for Music - 1997
 His music style changed when he encountered the music of the indigenous tribes of Mindoro in 1953.
He then embarked on his life’s work, dedicated to the understanding and preservation of Filipino
traditional music.
 Considered as the first Filipino avant garde composer,

Lucrecia R. Kasilag (1918 – 2008)

 National artist for music - 1989
 Her compositions demonstrated a fusion of Eastern and Western styles in using instruments, melody,
harmony and rhythm.
 She is particularly known for incorporating indigenous Filipino instruments into orchestral productions.

Ramon P. Santos (1941 – )

 National artist for music - 2014
 His compositional style features chromaticism, music seria, and electronic components, combined with
indigenous Philippine music elements.

Fr. Manuel Maramba, osb (1936 – )

 Is one of the most accomplished musicians and liturgists in the Philippines emerging during the second
half of the 20th century.
 When he was 11 years old, he gave his first public performance at the Bamboo Organ in Las Piñas.
 His versatility as a pianist, composer, arranger, theorist and teacher is widely recognized in the local
musical scene.

Jerry Dadap (1935 – )

 First Filipino composer to conduct his own works at the Carnegie Recital Hall in New York City
 1968 - he went to the USA on a study-observation grant from the Music Promotion Foundation of the
Philippines.
 He taught composition, ear training, and orchestration at the Sta. Isabel College of Music in Manila.