Antonino R. Buenaventura’s Firsts

Buenaventura inscribed Philippine music history with many “firsts”. He was the first Filipino to compose a 4-movement symphony for orchestra (Symphony C, 1961) and for symphonic band (Second Symphony in E flat, 1977). The first Filipino who wrote a 3-movement concerto for piano and symphonic band (Parangal, 1981), a concerto in 3 movements for bassoon and orchestra (1981), a concerto for trumpet and symphony orchestra (1985) and a concerto for French horn and symphony orchestra (1987). He was the first Filipino musician to organize and train an all-student orchestra (1929) and whose orchestral compositions were performed in Russia, Greece, and Israel. The first extensive research on folk songs was also made possible through the collaboration of Buenaventura, Ms. Francisca Reyes-Aquino (who was declared National Artist for Dance in 1973), and her then-husband, Ramon P. Tolentino, Jr. Buenaventura was regarded as one of the first few Filipino classical composers whose major works are still being recognized and performed abroad.

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