Levi Celerio’s 108th Birthday

Today's Doodle celebrates prolific Filipino musical phenom, Levi Celerio. The composer and lyricist wrote over 4,000 songs, many still popular today. With his unique talent of playing music with a leaf, Celerio received international attention as the “only leaf player in the world” by the Guinness Book of World Records.

Levi Celerio was born in Manila in 1910. With a scholarship to the Academy of Music in Manila, he became the youngest member of the Manila Symphony Orchestra.

His folk, Christmas, and love songs embodied Filipino life and traditions. Any Filipino born in 1947 and beyond was probably lulled to sleep to the beloved lullaby Sa Ugoy ng Duyan(English: “In the cradle's rocking”). Fifty years later, Celerio was named National Artist for Music and Literature, the highest national honor recognizing significant contributions to Philippine arts and cultural identity. Many of his songs written for local movies, some becoming the films’ titles, earned him a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Film Academy of the Philippines.

In later years, Celerio became a cultural icon after appearing on The Merv Griffin Show and That’s Incredible! television shows. He continued to play public concerts at the Cultural Center of the Philippines and at a local Quezon City bar. On his 100th birthday, the Philippines honored him with a stamp.

Happy 108th birthday, Levi Celerio!

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