AGRIPINO V. DIESTRO
Senior Lecturer
Conducting Choral Ensemble Department
College of Music, University of the Philippines
Diliman, Quezon City 1101

E-mail: maestrod@info.com.ph
Telefax: College of Music, (+63-2) 929-6963 / 651-0528
Mobile Phone: 0918-9030432


Education

Music Theory & Composition, University of the Philippines
Orchestra Conducting (Auditeur), Conservatoire National Superieur
de Musique de Paris (France), 1990-1991
Orchestra Conducting, Conservatoire National de Region de Reims (France), 1990-1991


Achievements and Group Affiliations:

Music Director, Conductor, Angono National Symphonic Band
Conductor, Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, 1989-2002
Conductor, Manila Symphonic Orchestra, 1985

College Scholar, UP College of Music (1982)
Premier Prix (Gold Medal), Conservatoire National de Region de Reims, France
COYA, Philippine Jaycees Ince., 1993
Most Outstanding Alumni Award, Angono Private High School Alumni Association, 2003

 

Agripino “Nonoy” V. Diestro obtained his degree, major in Music Theory and Composition at the University of the Philippines Conservatory of Music in 1990. Soon after graduation, under a scholarship grant given by the French government, he took up Orchestral Direction with Jean Sebastien Bereau and Ferdinand Koch at the Conservatoire National de Region de Reims where he earned a Gold Medal of Excellence (the highest award being given by the Conservatory) in 1991. Simultaneously, he studied Orchestral Direction (Auditeur) at the Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique de Paris.
While still a student at the U.P., he already began to make a name as an arranger, musical director and conductor. He also taught and conducted various professional and company choirs. Among the shows he has directed and arranged for were “Cats” (1985), “The Great White Way II” (1988), “Tanging Yaman: Himig at Pananalig” featuring the music of Fr. Manoling Francisco as performed by the Philipine Philharmonic Orchestra(PPO), Basil Valdez and Dulce (1993), “Kundiman Fiesta” (1993), the U.P. College of Music production of Offenbach’s “Tales of Hoffmann” (1995). He was one of the arrangers for the film “JOSE RIZAL” (1998). He composed the theme song of the movie “DROGA” (1999) entitled “Anino Sa Liwanag”. Most recently, he did the orchestration of “Something To Crow About”, a musical based on short stories by National Artist for Literature, Dr. Alejandro Roces.
In 1995, he was commissioned to compose a song for the beatification of Maria Domenica Brun Barbantini, Mother Foundress of the Camillian Sisters.The song entitled” Lode A Dio Per Maria Domenica”, with Italian lyrics by Sis. Lauretta Gianesin, C.S., was sung under his direction in Rome and Lucca, Italy by the Camillian Sisters from Albania, Brazil, Chile, Italy, Kenya, Taiwan, Thailand and the Philippines.
In 1997, he represented the Philippines in the 45th International Competitions for Young Conductors held in Besancon, France, where he emerged as one of the top ten out of 179 candidates representing 43 countries around the world. (To date, the highest place attained by a Filipino conductor in an International Orchestra Conducting Competition.)
Nonoy was the Music Director and Conductor of the U.P. Chamber Orchestra from 1995-2000. Since 1995, he has been conducting the Festival Orchestra of the International Bamboo Organ Festival in Las Pinas accompanying artists, such as Otoniel Gonzaga, Nolyn Cabahug, Andion Fernandez, Camille Lopez, Jose Mari Chan, Judith Engels, Maria Lluisa Muntada, Linda Maguire, Jan Caals, and Franz van Eetvelt.
Last May 2000, he was invited by H.E. Delfin Colome, then Spanish Ambassador to the Philippines, to a series of concerts in Spain. He conducted the Orquesta De Camera Ciudad De La Linea. Last year, he was invited by “Les Ensembles Polyphoniques en Provence” at the “8eme Printemps des Choeurs Regionaux”. He conducted the four french choirs namely’; Maitrise de Gabriel Faure (Marseille), Chorale de la Mer (La Seyne), Eclats de Voix (Brignoles) and Ensemble Vocal de Meounes in the rendition of his mass and Ave Maria at the Basilique de Saint-Maximin, France on June 12, 2006. After that concert, Maitrise de Gabriel Faure and chorale de la Mer who were scheduled to perform in Italy invited him to join their Italian Tour. He then conducted the two french choirs plus the host Italian Choir in Parma and Brescia on July 1 & 2, 2006 and on July 3, 2006 they sung his mass(composition) during the mass at the dome(an old church in Brescia).
Nonoy has won awards for his many works. His composition “ Purihin Si Yahweh” won third place at the National Music Competition for Young Aritsts (NAMCYA) in 1983. In 1990, he bagged first prize in Unilab Employees Council Contest for the song “Kapit-bisig, Kapit-kamay”. His entry to the National Shrine of the Sacred Heart Hymn Contest (2000) won the top prize. His composition “Aleluya” for mixed choir has been chosen as “the favorite piece of the month” for January 2001 by Musica International (a project of the International Federation for Choral Music). The piece is featured on the Internet and can be found on the Musica website <www.musicanet.org >. The music is published by Carus-Verlag in Stuttgart, Germany and is being performed by choirs around the world.
He is also a recipient of the Community Outstanding Young Achievers (COYA), awarded by the Philippine Jaycees, Inc. in 1993 and the “Most Outstanding Alumni Award” by the Angono Private High School Alumni Association during the celebration of its 50th Foundation Anniversary.
At present, he is a Senior Lecturer at the U.P. College of Music, the Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Angono National Symphonic Band (the band of the late National Artist for Music, Maestro Lucio D. San Pedro). He is also the Director for Music of the Foundation for Culture and Arts of Angono, Inc.
He is the only filipino member of the Conductors Guild (an organization with 1850 members representing all the 50 United States and more than 40 countries) since 2001. He was guest conductor of the PPO in many projects such as the Gawad CCP, Concert at the Park, Concert at the Pen, International Bamboo Organ Festival and other outreach concerts. Now he the is Acting Resident Conductor of the PPO.