Ernani Cuenco

Cuenco was born on May 10, 1936. His grandaunt, fully aware of his musical talent, decided to hire tutors in order for him to learn violin. He earned his Bachelor of Music majoring in Piano from the University of the Philippines Conservatory of Music. He took postgraduate studies with the late Ben Tupas. And then, with a scholarship grant, he studied cello also at UST. Cuenco was a member of the manila Symphony Orchestra, peforming as a cellist under the baton of Dr. Herbert Zipper. In 1963 he was chosen as one of the delegates to the International Music Conference in Tokyo, Japan. His immortal hit, “Gaano Ko Ikaw Kamahal”, had been played and sung time and again by singers Conching Rosal, Evelyn Mandac, Ric Manrique, or later on, by Celeste Legaspi.