A Biographical Research on Lucrecia Kasilag

In partial fulfillment for Music 10

Presented to:
Pastor Noel Cacho

A study presented by
Hernandez. Gabriel C.

I.

Background
Lucrecia Roces Kasilag was born on August 31, 1917 in San Fernando, La Union and
died on August 16, 2008 in Paco, Manila. Not just a composer, Kasilag was also a
teacher, cultural and arts administrator, and performing artist. Lucrecia was raised by her
mother, Asuncion Roces Kasilag; it was her mother that influenced Lucrecia and her
siblings to music at an early age. Lucrecia Kasilag was named National Artist in Music in
1989.
Being exposed to music at an early age, her piano mentors were Doa Concha Cuervo
and Doa Pura Lacson-Villanueva. A diligent school girl, Lucrecia graduated Paco
Elementary High School as valedictorian in 1930 and in Philippine Womens University
where she also graduated valedictorian in 1993. Lucrecia pursued her studies in PWU
then took up Bachelor of Arts in English and graduated Cum Laude. Furthermore she also
took music lessons in St. Scholasticas College and was a student of Sister Baptista Battig
then having a Music Teachers Diploma from SSC. Kasilag later then taught at SSC in
music theory and piano and left for University of the Philippines Conservatory of Music
from 1946 to 1947. She then returned to PWU to teach.
In 1950, she completed her graduate studies at the Eastman School of Music in
Rochester, New York under a Fulbright Travel Grant. In 1953 she became dean of the
PWU College of Music and Fine Arts in 1953. She established in 1957 the Bayanihan
Folk Arts Center to research Philippine music. Through her efforts she made Bayanihan
Philippine Dance Company the primary artistic and cultural ensemble of the country.
(Samson, 1976)
Kasilag has also served organizations like NAMCYA, the Bayanihan Philippine Dance
Company, and the Cultural Center of the Philippines. In addition, she has held other
positions including Director of the Center for Arts and Humanities of the PWU, honorary
adviser to the Asian Arts Festival, Chairperson of the League of Filipino Composers,
president and artistic director for the Cultural Center of the Philippines, and three years as
special consultant of the Office of the President under the Aquino administration. (Yan,
2011)

II.

Music

Lucrecia Kasilag has over 250 compositions and started composing during WW II.
Her songs would be mostly folk song arrangements, art songs, solo instrumental pieces,
and chamber and orchestral works. Her most known works were Love Songs, Legend of
the Sarimanok, Philippine Scenes, Sisa, Fantasie on a 4-Note Theme, and East Meets Jazz
Ethnika.

Kasilags most honorable awards are 1975 Doctor of Music, Honoris Causa, from
the Centro Escolar University, 1980 Doctor of Law, Honoris Causa, from the PWU,
1981 Doctor of Fine Arts, Honoris Causa, from St. Johns University in New York,
1989 The Outstanding Filipino (TOFIL) Awardee for Culture and the Arts.

Sources:

http://www.globalpinoy.com/gp.topics.v1/viewtopic.php?
postid=4d22ca80b77ec&channelName=4d22ca80b77ec
http://philippinemusicregistry.com.ph/main/artist/view/374
http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php/Lucrecia_R._Kasilag