After the nomination deadline for National Artists closed last June 30, 2024, several organizations revealed their nominees for National Artists in various categories.
The LGU of Calbiga, Samar has nominated danseur Nonoy Froilan for National Artist for Dance, the League of Filipino Actors led by Dingdong Dantes has named actor Vilma Santos as its nominee for National Artist for Film, the Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation, Inc.has endorsed violinist Gilopez Kabayao for National Artist for Music.
The Club Bulakeno through its chairman of the board Danny Jacinto has nominated pianist Cecile Licad as its choice for National Artist for Music.
On her mother side, Licad comes from the Buencamino musical clan of San Miguel, Bulacan, the hometown of composer Nicanor Abelardo and National Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario.
Club Bulakeno pointed out Licad has made music history by becoming the first Filipino to receive the Leventritt Gold Medal in New York, the same award that went to piano icons Van Cliburn and Gary Graffman.
The organization also noted Licad is the first Filipino pianist to work with distinguished orchestras and legendary conductors around the world namely the Philadelphia Orchestra under Eugene Ormandy, the New York Philharmonic under Zubin Mehta, Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Claudio Abbado
and Sir Georg Solti, the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the New Japan Philharmonic under Seiji Ozawa, the Russian State Academy Orchestra under People’s Artist of Russia Mark Gorenstein, London Symphony Orchestra under Kurt Masur, London Philharmonic Orchestra under Andre Previn. She played an unprecedented 18 concerts with the great composer Sir Peter Maxwell Davis conducting the Schottische Philharmonic throughout the United States, among others.
Distinguished New York-based music lecturer David Dubal in his radio show “The Piano Matters” referred to Licad as “the great Filipina piano artist who has perhaps the largest technical equipment and musical imagination of any living pianist.”
Club Bulakeno further noted Licad embodies the country’s highest ideals in the humanities when she became recipient of the Presidential Medal of Merit by President Corazon C. Aquino for excellence in the arts and the Pamana ng Lahi award from President Benigno Aquino III.
Club Bulakeno noted that Licad has shared her talents in well-received outreach concerts since age 14 in Zamboanga City, Dumaguete City, Iloilo City, Legazpi City, Naga City, Davao City. Nueva Ecija, Tuguegarao City, Baguio City, Paoay and Currimao in Ilocos Norte and Roxas City, among others.
In nominating Kabayao as National Artist for Music, the Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation, Inc. said the Ilonggo violinist “stands tall among them as virtuoso, advocate, educator, and musical diplomat.”
The Foundation cited the recognition given by UP President Dr. Emil Q. Javier when he conferred the honoris causa on Kabayao in 1996.
The citation signed by Javier went stated: “For his unquestionable virtuosity as violinist supreme and dedication to his art… For his inspiring courage and missionary zeal in having brought the music of the masters to the masses… For his unwavering faith in the Filipino people’s innate capacity for world class excellence in music.”
The Dinagyang Foundation added: “Given his excellent roster of performances and advocacies in music and music education, it is high time that we recognize him as National Artist for Music.”
In the past, Ballet Philippines premier danseur Nonoy Froilan was Siegfred in Swan Lake, Albrecht in Giselle, the voyager in Norman Walker’s Season of Flight. He has danced with the revered prima ballerinas of dance namely England’s Dame Margot Fonteyn, Japan’s Yoko Morishita and our very own Maniya Barredo.
Indeed, he had no less than Dame Margot Fonteyn as dancing partner in the early 70s.
Nonoy Froilan retired in 1993.
In more than 20 years of active dancing, his world revolved around the theater. There was this daily workout with or without performance, since he had to be in top shape for world premieres, He had to continue a performance even in the middle of an injury. He was in the theater during floods, typhoons, coup d’ etat, rallies, and yes, even during earthquakes and volcano eruptions.
After Froilan retired from the CCP stage, he was jobless. had no retirement benefits, no insurance and no monthly income. “After serving in the altar of dance for more than 20 years, I was on my own with my wife and children who learned how to survived outside the arts. I was penniless but the pressure of having to be in good shape for opening nights was finally gone. I felt so relieved. How I wished that in the future, the government should help performing artists retiring on the concert stage.”
After the screening of all nominees until December this year, the NCCA and CCP will start deliberations on the nominees from various categories January to April next year. The new set of National Artists will be submitted to the Office of the President for approval in May 2025.
Meanwhile, after her well-received PPO concert last March 19 at the Met, Cecile Licad resumes her solo recital program in Connecticut September 22 and at the Carnegie Hall December 5.
The September 22 recital is presented by the Danbury Concert Association as its opening season attraction at the Visual and Performing Arts Center on the Western Connecticut State University Campus.
