Lucio San Pedro
- Elpidio San Pedro[1] (father)
- Soledad Diestro[1] (mother)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/National_Artist_of_the_Philippines.svg/25px-National_Artist_of_the_Philippines.svg.png)
Lucio Diestro San Pedro, Sr.[2] (February 11, 1913 – March 31, 2002) was a Filipino composer and teacher who was proclaimed a National Artist of the Philippines for Music in 1991.[3] Today, he is remembered for his contribution to the development of Filipino regional band music[4] and for his well-known compositions such as the Filipino lullaby, "Sa Ugoy ng Duyan" and the symphonic poem, "Lahing Kayumanggi".[1]
Career
San Pedro came from a family with musical roots and he began his career early. When he was still young, he succeeded his deceased grandfather as the local church organist. By then, he had already composed songs, hymns and two complete masses for voices and orchestra. After studying with several prominent musicians in the Philippines, he took advanced composition training with Bernard Wagenaar of the Netherlands. He also studied harmony and orchestration under Vittorio Giannini and took classes at Juilliard in 1947.
His other vocation was teaching. He has taught at the Ateneo de Manila University, virtually all the major music conservatories in Manila[citation needed], and at the College of Music of the University of the Philippines, Diliman, where he retired as a full professor in 1978. He later received the title professor emeritus from the university in 1979.[5] He also became a faculty member of the Centro Escolar University Conservatory of Music in Manila. San Pedro was known for composing the official march of Makati.[citation needed]
National Artist
On May 9, 1991, President Corazon C. Aquino proclaimed San Pedro a National Artist of the Philippines for Music.[5]
Personal life
He married Gertrudes San Pedro with whom he had five children: Rhodora, Bienvenido, María Conchita, María Cristina and Lucio, Jr.
Death
San Pedro died of cardiac arrest on March 31, 2002, in Angono, Rizal, at the age of 89.[1] Many peers from the Order of National Artists attended his tribute at the Tanghalang Pambansa, including: Napoleon Abueva, Daisy Avellana, Leonor Goquingco, Nick Joaquín, Arturo Luz, José Maceda, and Andrea Veneración. He is buried in his hometown of Angono, Rizal.
Works
San Pedro's works include a great variety of musical forms ranging from band music, concertos for violin and orchestra, choral works, cantatas, chamber music, and songs for solo voice. He also served as a conductor of many Filipino bands such as Peng Kong Grand Mason Concert Band, the San Pedro Band of Angono, and the Banda Angono Numero Uno.[4]
Major Works
- The Devil's Bridge
- Malakas at Maganda Overture
- Lulay
- Sa Ugoy ng Duyan (with the collaboration of Levi Celerio)[1]
- Dance of the Fairies
- Lahing Kayumanggi
Compositional Philosophy
San Pedro is known for advocating "creative nationalism" when composing his own music. According to him, representing Filipino identity doesn't just fall from literally using the material from folk songs but rather getting the most important essence,style and common touch of being a Filipino. A good example of his "creative nationalism" was his "Lahing Kayumanggi" where he dedicated this piece to "the heroic struggle of the Filipino people for liberation from colonization."
I have always attempted to immortalize the virtues and aspirations of the masses whom I believe are the pillars of the nation. I have placed them on a pedestal for everyone to emulate, and putting them on a pedestal is not an easy task. I want them to be revered, and, as such, the manner of emulating them cannot be done through a vulgar approach, but rather through utmost creativity.[6]
References
- ^ a b c d e Catipon, Eric. "National artist Lucio San Pedro passes away". Philstar.com. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
- ^ "The Bookmark, Inc". The Bookmark, Inc.
- ^ "National Artist - Lucio San Pedro". National Commission for Culture and the Arts.
- ^ a b Ganzon, Arch. Carlos Luis (2017). Journey: Contemporary Arts of the Philippines. The Phoenix Publishing House Inc. p. 79. ISBN 978-971-06-4330-1.
- ^ a b INQUIRER.net (February 11, 2019). "DID YOU KNOW: 106th birth anniversary of Lucio San Pedro". INQUIRER.net.
- ^ "Remembering Maestro Lucio D. San Pedro, the Creative Nationalist". Lifestyle.INQ. February 10, 2013. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
- 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