MP3 Angelito Agcaoili - La Guitarra Filipina

Guitar Music of the Philippines as various as the many regions of the country and influenced by many cultures, ranging from autochthonic music of the native aborigines, to music from centuries of Spanish rein and more.

18 MP3 Songs
CLASSICAL: Contemporary Planetary Asian

La Guitarra Filipina Songs


Details:
ANGELITO AGCAOILI deliberate guitar under the tutelage of Mario Rodriguez at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines, with Jose Luis Rodrigo at the Real Conservatorio Superior de Musica in Madrid, Spain and in the U.S. with Elliot Frank at East Carolina University and Frank Koonce at Arizona State University. He has also participated as a performer in the workshops and master classes conducted by world renown guitarists such as Leo Brouwer, Jose Tomas, John Williams and David Russell.

A prize winner in guitar competitions in the Philippines (1st prize at the Concurso de Guitarra del Centro Cultural de España en Manila and 3rd prize and Honorable Mention at the National Music Competitions for Young Artists), Angelito Agcaoili has also been the recipient of several scholarship awards including grants from the Spanish government through the Agencia Española de Cooperacion Internacional and from the Young Artists Foundation of the Philippines.

As a pedagogue, he has been on the faculty of the University of Santo Tomas, Santa Isabel College and St. Scholastica's College (all in the Philippines). He has also served as a teaching assistant at East Carolina University and at Arizona State University and currently teaches at Arcadia Music Academy in Phoenix, Arizona.

His work and research on the guitar music of the Philippines has been steadily gaining recognition. He has premiered the guitar works of Filipino composers such as Bayani de Leon, Lucrecia Kasilag, Antonio Pahang and Jose Valdez.

Mr. Agcaoili has been featured in solo and chamber music recitals in the Philippines, Spain, Canada and the United States of America.


"Angelito performed with a complete musical understanding and technical control which brought out the delicately beautiful and powerfully majestic attributes of his concert selections."
- Scott Anderson, In Tune- Arizona Classical Guitar Society

"Angelito Agcaoili, a national treasure when it comes to classical guitar playing, played to an awe-struck audience last night at the Cultural Center of the Philippines' Little Theater."
- The Philippine Daily Inquirer

" Mr. Agcaoili's performance was clean, spirited, and inspired, a culmination of his conviction for the music of his country and the years which he dedicated to research and being an exponent of the music."
- Raul Jose, In Tune- Arizona Classical Guitar Society


La Guitarra Filipina:
Angelito Agcaoili, guitar
Works by: Aguilar, Alcoy, Custodio, Dadap, Leon, Kasilag, Valdez
(2002)

It is seldom that I come across a recording as fresh and surprising as
this one. Here is a recording of music that is entirely new to me, and
of very high quality also. Every track on the CD save one (17 out of
18) is a premier recording of a work by a Filipino composer. Most of the
composers represent the current generation of writers for the guitar,
but there are also two born early in the twentieth century whose works
are heard here.

In style, the compositions are generally conservative and extend from
arrangements of traditional Filipino folk songs to abstract works that
are tonal but somewhat exploratory. There is a Spanish influence at work
in some of the pieces, not surprising considering the strong presence
the Spanish culture has had in the islands. Some of the compositions
(the Visayan Seranades of Michael Dadap, for example) borrow
heavily from folk music styles from various islands of the country. The most
compelling compositions were those of Bayani de Leon. His Kapilas Na
Giting is a very powerful work, despite its brevity. It has a modal
sound reminiscent of some of the works of Alexander Tansman, and is
propelled by a relentless energy. I also enjoyed the the two pieces by
Lucrecia Kasilag. Her Prelude Etnika and Toccata  had an
Asian air about them, especially the prelude, with its use of the
pentatonic scale. Jose Valdez' Himig bilang 4 is a charming, wistful
piece with a melancholy melody.

Angelito Agcaoili's performances of the pieces on this CD are
straightforward and presented with a pleasant tone and a clear sense of
phrasing. He is obviously strongly committed to the repertoire, and this
commitment is evident throughout the disc. There is no information as to
whether the music played here is published or not, but I would hope that it
is available, since much of it is very good. This is a laudable project
and a very enjoyable CD.

James Reid
GFA Soundboard Magazine
Vol. XXX, No. 1, 2004