THE LIFE OF ANTONIO MOLINA

The life of Antonio Molina starts when he was born on 26 th of December,

This artist made an impact to me as a student to love music. From his works, I
can really say that are extravagant and are made to make someone feel something
and not just for beauty. At an early age, he took to playing the violoncello and played
it so well it did not take long before he was playing as orchestra soloist for the
Manila Grand Opera House. This experience he had made me think that when you
start young you will truly reap the reward you work for when you grow up, and in
dreaming there is no age limit or standard in what you should and should not dream.
Molina is credited with introducing such innovations as the whole tone scale,
pentatonic scale, exuberance of dominant ninths and eleventh cords, and linear
counterpoints. Molina is also dubbed as “Dean of Filipino Composers” and he wrote
over 500 musical compositions, including “Hatinggabi” and “Awit ni Maria Clara,”
and taught some of the country’s musical icons like Lucresia Kasilag and Felipe de
Leon.

It is a good thing that we come to know the life of this great teacher in music, to
take time to appreciate his works and paying tribute to his great music. Antonio
Molina set a great example for students like me to always do our best in everything
we do, and in that way people will surely hear your message and voice. It is also
through remembering his life that we come to know more of ourselves.
 THE LIFE OF JUAN F. NAKPIL

Juan Felipe Nakpil was born on May 26, 1899, the eldest child of Julio Nakpil and
Gregoria De Jesus. Julio Nakpil was a architect, civil engineer, teacher and civic
leader, is a pioneer and innovator in Philippine architecture. He was the National
Artist for Architecture on the year 1973. He later married Bonifacio’s widow,
Gregoria, who was also a courageous leader of the Katipunan.

When Juan Nakpil was on the second year of his course in civil engineering at
the University of the Philippines, he took the bold decision to go the United States
for his studies despite the disapproval of his family. He left what must have been a
favored life as an only son with five sisters, by pawning his watch to buy a steerage
ticket to America. He was also a musician and composer who fought in the Philippine
Revolution against Spain and had been designated by Andres Bonifacio as secretary
of the command in the north of Manila before he decided to enter College of
Architecture. In essence, Nakpil's greatest contribution is his belief that there is such
a thing as Philippine Architecture, espousing architecture reflective of Philippine
traditions and culture. It is also largely due to his zealous representation and efforts
that private Filipino architects and engineers, by law, are now able to participate in
the design and execution of government projects. He has integrated strength,
function, and beauty in the buildings that are the country's heritage today. He
designed the 1937 International Eucharistic Congress altar and rebuilt and enlarged
the Quiapo Church in 1930 adding a dome and a second belfry to the original design.

Knowing the life of Juan Nakpil brought me to a realization that it is important to

The National Artist for Sculpture, Guillermo Estrella Tolentino was born in
Malolos, Bulacan on 24 July 1890.  He was the fourth of eight children.  His father
was a tailor, whose only artistic trait is the love of playing the guitar.  Guillermo or
Memong, as his family called him, inherited this artistic skill.  Moreover, Memong
became one of the three best guitar players in the Philippines during his time.

While studying at the School of Fine Arts, he supported himself by doing works
for various marmolerias in Manila.  In 1914, he did his first important work for
architect Juan Arellano.  The figure is that of a woman praying against a cross for the
tomb of the Palma family in Cementerio del Norte. On 9 August 1930, a jury, created
to select the best design honoring the Supremo of the Katipunan, met.  The designs
were entered under pseudonyms.  The winning entry was under the pseudonym of
Batang Elias – Tolentino was Batang Elias.  He won the design for the Bonifacio
Monument and was granted a commission for its installation.  He completed the
figures for the monument in 1932.  Then, he sent the figures to Italy for bronze
casting.  In 1933, he completed the Bonifacio Monument. Tolentino worked on the
Oblation at about the same time he did the Bonifacio Monument.  He made the
Oblation an amalgam of the solid physique of Anastacio Caedo, his
sculptor/assistant, and the height and proportion of Virgilio Raymundo, Caedo’s
brother-in-law.

As I learned that Guillermo Tolentino was the maker of “Oblation” seen at the
UP campus on Manila, I was mind blown. Truly his talent in sculpture is beyond the
mark and it is just rightful to learn and study his life. As a student, the main lesson I
learned from his life is that when you do something for the country you should do
with the best of your ability. From the meaning itself of oblation, “depicts a man
facing upward with arms outstretched, symbolizing selfless offering of oneself to his
country.”
 THE LIFE OF JOSE GARCIA VILLA

National Artist for Literature, Jose Garcia Villa is the son of personal doctor of
Emilio Aguinaldo, Simeon Villa. He was born on August 5, 1908 in Singalong , Manila.
He enrolled in school of Medicine, shifted to Law school, but realized his passion is
arts. He start in painting but later focus in creative writing after reading Winesburg,
Ohio by Sherwood Anderson.

Jose Garcia Villa was the first Filipino National Artist for literature, an award-
winning poet here in Philippines and in United States. He is known for his "reverse
consonance" style in poetry such as "said" and "days". He is also popular in his style
for "comma poems" with every word with commas making the reader pause for
every word, slowing the pace of poem resulting to what Villa called "a lineal dignity
of pace and movement". In 1929, he published an erotic series of poems called "Man
Songs" which tend UP Administrators to suspend him from the University and even
fined of seventy pesos for "obscenity" by the Court of First Instance. During that time
he won P1,000 from the Philippine Free Press or his "Mir-i-Nisa" which he used to
migrate to United States. He enrolled at the University of New Mexico and finished
Bachelor of Arts Degree. In 1942, after the released of "Have Come Am Here", he
introduced his "reversed consonance" rhyming scheme and in 1949, he introduced
his comma poems.

If you want a person that is poetic and charismatic in nature you might as well
go for Jose Garcia Villa. But, setting this aside, his life made me think again how
important is reading in our lives and how reading a book or any literary works can
send you in places you’ve never been before while feeling feelings. I also realized it is
okay to fail at some things you first taught you loved as long as you continue to try
your best , never to be afraid in trying new things and eventually you will find the
passion of your soul.