Loonanons in Music (Incomplete record. Everyone is encouraged to submit names of those who are worthy of mention in this list.)Justino "Ning" R. Romea – dean of Boholano songwriters; composer, "Bohol Hymn" (Awit sa Bohol), "Ako Kang Paabuton", "Dalaga sa Baybayon", "UB Hymn" (University of Bohol), "BSAT Song" (Bohol School of Arts and Trades), and other school anthems, church hymns and love songs; scriptwriter, director and musical arranger of the "drama" in Napo, his home barangay; Bohol's most respected journalist and newspaper columnist (Bohol Chronicle); visual artist (painting).
Michael "Luke" Mejares - former vocalist of South Border, and R & B (rhythm and blues) King of the Philippines; In 2004, he stepped into the spotlight with his debut solo album “Stop, Luke and Listen†under a major label. His singles “Paano Na†and “214†experienced commercial and critical triumph. This earned for him the Male R & B Artist of the Year during the 2005 Philippine Hip-hop Awards, and led industry insiders to tag him as the country’s King of R & B. Luke is the son of Leonides Sabaricos Mejares of Barangay Napo and Elvira Porticos of Barangay Catagbacan Norte.
Felipe G. Larido - choir trainer; grand prize winner, Golden Jubilee Songwriting Contest, Diocese of Tagbilaran ("Pagmaya Kristohanong Katilingban", interpreted by his daughter Marife); second placer, First ASEAN Jamboree Song Competition, 1993. Born to “Nong Fidelâ€, one of the pillars of music in Loon, Felipe was destined to continue his father’s vision of spreading love for music in his hometown. At age seven, he started joining his father in church services (the latter being a master at the harmonium), and in training future musicians. He was a working student throughout his high school and college years, and while in college, he organized the “Minstrelsâ€, an all-male singing group that became very popular in Tagbilaran and around Bohol in the ‘70s. While teaching at a public school in Loon, he organized in 1970 the “Polyphonicsâ€, a mixed group of young Loonanons that became a mainstay in many church services and cultural activities even up to the present. He also trained various choral groups, one of which was the Loon Children’s Choir that garnered second and third places in the National Competitions for Young Artists - Children’s Choir Category in 1981 and 1985, respectively. Several batches of this group of young Loonanon choristers represented Central Visayas in national music competitions. This master of arts in education, summa cum laude, received in School-Year 1981-1982 the Most Outstanding Performance in Teaching recognition from the then Ministry of Education and Culture. He also received several recognitions and citations for his exemplary performance as coordinator of scouting activities in the First District and in the Division of Bohol. He was one of the Ten Tubig-Loon awardees recognized during the first global homecoming of Loonanons (PaghiuSadya 2005). In tandem with his wife, the former Maria Asuncion Monreal Robles, and with the support of their equally talented daughter Marife, this Loonanon continues to share his passion for music to everyone.
Joan Ritchell Almedilla - Best Interpreter, Cebu Pop Music Festival; winner, Most Beautiful Voice contest of Yamaha Music Mate; essayed the roles of Kim in "Miss Saigon", Fantine in "Les Miserables", Imelda Marcos in "Here Lies Love" and other Broadway musicals. Born and raised in the Philippines, Joan, whose father, Agapito "Pepe" Almedilla, is from Cansubayon, Loon, Bohol, traveled to the United States in 1993 to pursue a college education. At that time, she was completely unaware that that decision will one day become the impetus for her theatrical stardom. She started her career in Harlem, New York and became a featured artist in a show called “Amateur Nights at the Apolloâ€, a competition where people in the audience judge and if they don’t like you they’re going to show it, like throwing paper at the performer. One intimidating factor of the show was that majority of the audience is African-American and she heard “unwelcoming remarks†as she stood onstage. However, all that changed when she sang and the once-hostile audience applauded her performance. It was so impressive that she was chosen to become part of “Best of the Apollo.†A Broadway producer watched the Apollo episode and saw and heard Almedilla sing. It took him a month to track her down. She was initially asked to audition for “Les Misérables†but she ended up with “Miss Saigonâ€. It was here that her career skyrocketed because she was chosen to portray the coveted role of Kim in 1995. She finally got her chance to be in Les Misérables initially in 1999 and then in October 2006 when the play came back to Broadway in celebration of becoming the longest-running musical ever. Almedilla clinched the role of Fantine and the play’s run was extended until the 2007 summer theater season in New York. Joan is married to Charles Uy, a Filipino-American filmmaker who won an Oscar when he was just 21 years old. The theater star also has a heart. She supports Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids and Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. In April 2007, Joan directed a lavish benefit show, “Once Upon A Time,†in Los Angeles, for the non-profit organization Places Please, the proceeds of which went to an orphanage in Rwanda.
Sonia Leornas Sanguenza-Ainsworth a.k.a. "Sonia Singson" - interpreter, "Isang Dakot" (composed by Venancio "Vehnee" Saturno), grand prize winner, Fifth Metro Manila Pop Music Festival; and singer, Las Vegas entertainment circuit. Sonia performed in a concert dubbed "From Las Vegas to Loon: Sonia Singson in a Homecoming Concert". She learned to play the guitar at a very young age. While a high school student at Sacred Heart Academy (SHA), she competed in the annual talent search of the Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA). At the University of Bohol, she was acknowledged as the local Joan Baez because of her dexterity with the guitar and her singing prowess. Noticing her potential as a mainstream singer, a fellow Loonanon, Alfred Dancel, brought Sonia to Manila, provided her rigorous training, and booked her at posh bars, clubs and restaurants until she was discovered by Saturno in the early 1980s. In the years that followed she was able to perform in Japan (Tokyo), Guam and other Asian countries. Today, Singson is one of the sought-after Filipino performers in Las Vegas, among them Martin Nievera and Lani Misalucha, who both professed in many interviews on national television that it is difficult for performers to penetrate the entertainment scene in the gambling capital of the world. Sheer talent was Singson's passport to performances abroad. While singing at a plush club cum restaurant in Guam, a member of the US Navy named Frank Ainsworth was enthralled by her dazzling personality and exceptional singing voice. The two eventually got married and moved to his native country. The Ainsworths presently reside at Henderson, Nevada with their grownup son, Ira David, who is himself a good singer.
Brownbuds Mendel's Legacy - Bohol's most popular reggae band, composed mostly of Loonanons. A hit in all of their gigs in Bohol and outside the province, Brownbuds used to play for a popular beer brand during promotional tours. The band entered the mainstream music industry in October 2007 via its self-titled debut album. “Byaheng Boholâ€, the collection's carrier song, has virtually become the unofficial theme song for promoting the local tourism industry with its frequent airplay on radio and television. The song was also part of the musical score for Howie Severino's “I Witness†and Miriam Quiambao's “100% Pinoyâ€, both on GMA 7, and for Katkat de Castro's “Trip Kita†on ABS-CBN. The song “Olah†was used in the MYX Channel Yearender for 2006. Other hit songs include “Wake Upâ€, “Karma†and “Iroâ€, the latter a vernacular novelty song that was able to conquer the airwaves of the Visayas and Mindanao. Most of the band’s members are young Loonanon musicians, namely, Milo Miranda (bass guitar), Richard Lagroma (guitar), Jason Piodos (keyboard), Amiel Jim Penecios (vocals), and Morris Sarabia (vocals and percussion, and band manager). The other members are El Cid Tirol (guitar) and Arlon Seno (drums).
Alfred Sevilla Dancel + - high-caliber instrumentalist, composer and musical arranger; discoverer and voice coach of Sonia L. Sanguenza a.k.a. Sonia Singson. Alfred learned to play the piano during his elementary days at Saint Joseph College, now Holy Spirit School, in Tagbilaran City. In high school at Sacred Heart Academy he was an unparalleled dancer. He was also an excellent choreographer of folk dances, winning awards for his works. Dancel later experimented with instruments other than the piano and became very good at playing the guitar, accordion, vibraphone, violin and all keyboard instruments. Before he was able to penetrate the mainstream entertainment scene in Manila he was the main pianist and accordionist of DYRC in Cebu City. One of his most memorable performances took place during the opening of the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) which was graced by then President Ferdinand E. Marcos and Mrs. Imelda R. Marcos. The former chief executive was so impressed by Dancel's performance that he gave him a token of ten thousand pesos. During the peak of his career, he was commissioned to provide the musical score of a movie starring Nestor de Villa and Nida Blanca. Some venues of his performances include the following: Aloha Hotel; Bulakeña Restaurant, with Darius Razon and Carmen Soriano; God the Father Restaurant, with Sonia Singson; Tigpaw Restaurant, with Sonia Singson; Italian Village, with Rhodora Silva; Aberdeen Court, where he played the space organ; Manila Garden (now Dusit) Hotel, with Marlene de la Peña; Manila Peninsula Hotel; Mandarin Hotel; and Hyatt Hotel.
Allan Sevilla Dancel + – as master keyboardist, he played for The Reycards, Pilita Corrales, Carmen Pateña and other noted Filipino performers during their local and US concerts. He was also a solo recording artist ("Music as You Like It", an album of instrumental renditions), musical director of Hilton Hotels worldwide, and official pianist of Manila Hotel until his death in 2003. Alan learned to play the piano from his elder brother Alfred. Like the latter, he was also an excellent dancer, with folk dances as his forte, while studying at Sacred Heart Academy. Before he made a name in Manila as a sought-after instrumentalist, he was a pianist and accordionist of DYBU in Cebu City. His other noteworthy accomplishments: performed abroad for about 20 years; musical director, "For Men Only", a TV show of Pilita Corrales; guest pianist at the concert of Kuh Ledesma at the Folk Arts Theater; and member, Philippine Musicians Guild; one of the Top Ten Musicians of the Philippines, according to the Philippine Musicians Guild whose president was Maestro Dominic Salustiano.
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Topic: Notable Loonanons: Music (Read 7030 times)