Ryan Cayabyab

In this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is Pujante and the surname or paternal family name is Cayabyab.

Ryan Cayabyab
Cayabyab in 2021
Born
Raymundo Cipriano Pujante Cayabyab

(1954-05-04) May 4, 1954 (age 70)
Santa Cruz, Manila, Philippines[1]
Other namesMr. C; Maestro
Occupation(s)Conductor, composer, arranger, pianist, singer
Awards Order of National Artists of the Philippines,
Ramon Magsaysay Award[2]
Musical career
GenresOPM, chorale, musical theater, classical, sacred
Instrumentpiano
Years active1970[3]–present

Raymundo Cipriano Pujante Cayabyab (born May 4, 1954), known professionally as Ryan Cayabyab (Tagalog: [ˈɾajɐn kɐjɐbˈjab]), is a Filipino musician, composer and conductor regarded as one of the pillars and icons of Original Pilipino Music (OPM). He was the Executive and Artistic Director for several years for the defunct San Miguel Foundation for the Performing Arts. He was named National Artist of the Philippines for Music in 2018.[4]

His works range from commissioned full-length ballets, theater musicals, choral pieces, a Mass set to the unaccompanied chorus, and orchestral pieces, to commercial recordings of popular music, film scores and television specials.

Famous for composing the Da Coconut Nut Song performed by his Smokey Mountain band,[5] Cayabyab's current project includes the Ryan Cayabyab Singers (RCS), a group of seven young adult singers comparable to Smokey Mountain in the early 1990s. After FreemantleMedia decided not to renew the Philippine Idol franchise, Cayabyab transferred to rival show Pinoy Dream Academy, replacing Jim Paredes as the show's headmaster. PDA 2 started on June 14, 2008. He also became the chairman of the board of judges for GMA Network's musical-reality show To The Top.

He is the executive director of the PhilPop MusicFest Foundation Inc., the organization behind the Philippine Popular Music Festival. This songwriting competition for amateurs and professionals puts the spotlight on songwriters and encourages Filipinos to preserve their unique musical identity.

  1. ^ "Philippines, Manila, Civil Registration, 1899-1984 Image Philippines, Manila, Civil Registration, 1899-1984; ark:/61903/3:1:939F-VRS2-JT — FamilySearch.org". FamilySearch. Retrieved August 23, 2015.
  2. ^ "Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation". Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation.
  3. ^ Olivares, Rick (August 30, 2020). "50 years of Ryan Cayabyab: 'It's the most exciting time for Filipino music'". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
  4. ^ Aguilar, Krissy. "Ryan Cayabyab is now National Artist for Music". Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  5. ^ "WATCH: Plane passengers go nuts over Ryan Cayabyab's 'Da Coconut Nut'". ABS-CBN News. July 22, 2017. Retrieved May 13, 2021.