Ramón Pagayon Santos (born 25 February 1941)[1] is a Filipino composer, ethnomusicologist, and educator[2] known for being the Philippines' foremost living exponent of contemporary Filipino classical music,[1][3] for work that expounds on "the aesthetic frameworks of Philippine and Southeast Asian artistic traditions,"[3] and for finding new uses of indigenous Philippine instruments.[3]
Ramon Pagayon Santos | |
|---|---|
 Santos in 2016 | |
| Born | Ramón Santos 25 February 1941 |
| Occupations | |
| Era | Contemporary |
| Known for | |
A University Professor Emeritus of the composition and theory department at the College of Music of the University of the Philippines Diliman,[4] he was proclaimed National Artist of the Philippines for music in 2014.[2][4]
Work as ethnomusicologist
In 1976, Santos began doing fieldwork among folk religious groups in Quezon, collecting and documenting their music.[1] He later also did similar fieldwork among the Ibaloi, Mansaka, Bontoc, Yakan and Boholano peoples.[3] The Philippines' National Commission on Culture and the Arts notes that as a result, Santos' compositions beginning in this period in his professional life were characterized by "the translation of indigenous musical systems into modern musical discourse."[1]
Compositions
Some of Santos' compositions include:
Recognition
Santos was made a Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et Lettres in 1987.[2][6]
He was one of six people added to the roster of National Artists of the Philippines in 2014.[7]