the life of levi celerio

(Levi Celerio Cruz) National Artist in Music and Literature. He is the son of Cornelio Cruz, a native of Baliuag, Bulacan, and Juliana Celerio of San Pablo, Laguna. He grew up in the slums of Tondo, and went to the public elementary school there. At age 11, he started taking violin lessons from a Philippine Constabulary (PC) musician and became a member of the PC Band while attending classes at Torres High School. He finished two semesters of violin at the University of the Philippines (UP) Conservatory of Music. Alexander Lippay, then director of the Conservatory, recommended him for a scholarship at the Academy of Music of Manila and also made it possible for him to become the youngest member of the Manila Symphony Orchestra. However, a fall from a tree, which resulted in a broken wrist, ended Celerio's dream of becoming a violinist. He worked for some time as a komiks illustrator.
In the mid-1930s, Celerio was asked to write the theme song Filippine Films' Dalagang (Country Ma...