Levi Celerio

This led to him making guest appearances on television shows recorded outside the Philippines. Aside from being a musician, Celerio was also a poet and a film actor who appeared in various Philippine films of the 1950s and 1960s.

• Name — Levi Celerio • Born — 30 April 1910 • Birthplace — Tondo, Manila, Philippine Islands • Died — 2 April 2002 • Place of death — Quezon City, Philippines • Resting Place — Libingan ng mga Bayani, Taguig • Awards — Order of National Artists of the Philippines

Levi Celerio was born on April 30, 1910, in Tondo, Philippines to Cornelio Cruz and Juliana Celerio and was born to a poor family. Celerio's affinity for music was a result of influence from his mother who is a harpist and a member of a church choir. He was estranged from his father who was involved in real estate and jewelry business. His father was never married to his mother. His mother encouraged him to be involved in music as a distraction from the squalid conditions of their neighborhood. Despite this, Celerio became a close acquaintance of gang leader Asiong Salonga. At his mother's encouragement, Celerio started playing the violin at age 11 taking lessons from a member of the Philippine Constabulary Band. Celerio later performed with the band as its member while simultaneously attending Torres High School. It was during his high school years that Celerio learned about his father. He also attended the Academy of Music Manila Conservatory of Music to study violin for two semesters. Then director Alexander Lippay recommended him for a scholarship at the Academy of Music in Manila. He received a scholarship and became the youngest member of the Manila Symphony Orchestra.

Levi Celerio was a member of the Manila Symphony Orchestra but his stint with the musical troupe ended when he fell off a tree and broke his wrist. He temporarily worked as a comic illustrator and later decided to shift to songwriting. Prior to turning to songwriting, Celerio got involved in poetry and was a humorist in the orchestra of Premiere Productions. He held high regard to the poet, Jose Corazon de Jesus. However, his poems failed to gain positive reception and his works were regarded as "lacking in style". Later in his career, he had Filipino Palindromes and Take It From Levi, a collection of love poems he wrote published.

Levi Celerio is credited for writing more than 4,000 songs, many of which are dedicated to his wife and children. He wrote Filipino folk, Christmas, and love songs and some of his songs were used in feature films. Among Original Pilipino Music (OPM) songs he composed are "Ikaw", "Kahit Konting Pagtingin", "Saan Ka Man Naroroon? (1968)". He wrote the lyrics of the Filipino lullaby "Sa Ugoy ng Duyan". He also composed folk songs including "Ako ay May Singsing", "Ang Pipit", "Dungawin Mo Hirang", "Itik-Itik", "Pitong Gatang", and "Waray-Waray" "Sa Ugoy ng Duyan", in particular, was a collaboration with Lucio San Pedro, a fellow National Artist. "Ang Pasko ay Sumapit", officially titled "Maligayang Pasko at Masaganang Bagong Taon" is an example of a well-known Christmas song by Celerio, which was the Tagalog version from the original Cebuano song, Kasadya Ning Taknaa, by Vicente Rubi and Mariano Vestil. He also wrote the Christmas carols "Pasko Na Naman" and "Noche Buena" with composer Felipe Padilla de León in 1965.

Celerio was known for using the leaf as a musical instrument which resulted in the Guinness Book of World Records to recognize him as "the man who could play music with a leaf". According to his daughter, he first learned to play the leaf as an instrument during World War II. According to the account, he had to prove himself as a musician when he had an encounter with Japanese soldiers. He managed to pick a young leaf and play them a song and he was left unscathed.

In the 1950s and the 1960s, Celerio was involved in various Philippine film as a character actor. He portrayed a variety of roles which ranged from a beggar, a rapist, a liquor thief and pickpocket, and a palm-reader. His Guinness recognition led to his guest appearance in The Ed Sullivan Show He also guested in The Merv Griffin Show and That's Incredible! (1970s).

In his old age, Celerio occasionally appeared in public, usually at a concert at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. He also played violin at the Camelot Hotel bar and other small venues.

Levi Celerio was married to Lina Celerio and has 4 children. He had four failed relationships. Singer-comedian Veronica Palileo is a half-sister of his and director-actor Tony Cruz was a half-brother. He also played the piano as a past time but not in a professional capacity.

• Year — Title — Credited as — Role — Note(s) — Ref(s) Reference(s). • Composer — Actor • 1959 — Pitong Gatang • 1960 — Bigay Hilig • 1962 — Markang Rehas • 1963 — Ang Babaeng Isputnik • Istambay • Miting de Avance • 1966 — Franco Maderro • Mr. Humble Boy (Ang Dating Kampeon) • 1968 — The Son of Vera Cruz • 1973 — Hanggang sa Kabila ng Daigdig • 1977 — Wanakosey • 1992 — Mahirap Maging Pogi — A "lolo" • 1997 — Adarna: The Mythical Bird

• Portrayed by Ariel Rivera in an episode of Maalaala Mo Kaya titled Byulin.

On October 9, 1997, pursuant to Proclamation No. 1114, President Fidel V. Ramos proclaimed him a National Artist for Music and Literature. His citation read that his music "was a perfect embodiment of the heartfelt sentiments and valued traditions of the Filipino".