George Canseco

Canseco studied and graduated with a Liberal Arts degree

at University of the East in the Philippines. After graduation,
he worked for the Philippines Herald and the Associated
Press as a journalist. He also free-lanced as a scriptwriter for
hire in Manila. Canseco was commissioned by former
Philippines First lady, Imelda Marcos, to compose the national
tribute hymn, "I Am a Filipino" (Ako Ay Pilipino).
Born George Masangkay Canseco on April 23, 1934, he studied at
the Naic Elementary School and Jose Abad Santos high school. He
then finished journalism at the University of the East and even worked
as one for the Philippines Herald and Associated Press where
he was an editor. While working, he still played his own music
until
film
producer
and Vicor
Music owner Vic
del
Rosario discovered him along with cousin Orly Ilacad. The composer
went on to work as vice president of Vicor Music in the 60s and 70s.
Aside from being a journalist, he also worked as a part time
scriptwriter for the Manila Broadcasting Co and news director at Eagle
Broadcasting. Canseco began devoting himself into writing music
when Martial Law broke out in 1972, seeing that press freedom was being contained in that time.

Writing Music
Meeting Del Rosario proved to be the event that would turn his life around as Canseco wrote for the
Megastar Sharon Cuneta the song "High School Life" and "Langis At Tubig" in the 1980s. The
producer's faith in Canseco's craft had never worn out as Canseco was even able to fill in lyrics for
other composers like Willy Cruz, Homer Flores and Ryan Cayabyab, thus he went further from his
own compositions and joined expert hands with other composers throughout his time.
Canseco's songs caused some of our most talented performers rise to fame. With songs hitting
where it really hurts or loving where there's already love, Canseco's songs defined a part in the lives
of Regine Velasquez, Zsazsa Padilla, Pilita Corrales, Dulce, Kuh Ledesma aside from Basil Valdez
and Sharon Cuneta. Canseco's last recorded love song made its way to Martin Nievera's 2002
album.

Composition Style
His manner of writing songs was as unusual as his gift as he can draw bittersweet emotion from
some imagined experience, play it over and over his head before he would form melodies on paper.
Unlike most masters of music, Canseco did not train in formal schools of music. Instead, he self
studied piano and learned to interpret, write and compose notes at a very early age. His parents
weren't into music as well. His father Jose Canseco was a doctor while mother Cerafina, a
mathematician. Canseco was the youngest of three children.

Legacy
Canseco became the president of the Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers or
FILSCAP in 1973. He won by a landslide in 1988 as a councilor in the fourth district of Quezon City.

His very first composition was "I'll Never Be Yours." He translated his second composition, "You're All
I Love" into Tagalog which became the theme song for the Eddie Rodriguez movie "Kapantay Ay
Langit," the song that brought Canseco to immense popularity.
From there, Canseco wrote "Rain," "Kailangan Kita," "Kung Ako'y Iiwan Mo," "Kastilyong Buhangin,"
"Dito Ba," and "Langis At Tubig."
From Canseco's pen came eternal Original Pilipino Music. Most of which interpreted by the country's
ace balladeer, Basil Valdez, whose career as a solo artist took fortunate turns when he recorded
"Ngayon at Kailanman" in 1978.
In movies, Canseco became musical director for films like "Burlesk Queen," "Pagputi ng Uwak,
Pagitim ng Tagak," "Atsay" and "Miss X;" and wrote the most unforgettable movie theme songs in
"Kapantay Ay Langit" (which was named best theme song in 1971).
The following compositions all won best theme songs for Canseco from the FAMAS awards:

"Imortal" (for the 1989 Metro Manila Film Fesrival)

"Langis At Tubig" (1980)
"Gaano Kadalas Ang Minsan" (1982)
"Paano Ba Ang Mangarap" (1983)
"Dapat Ka Bang Mahalin" (1984)
"Hihintayin Kita Sa Langit" (1991)

Other songs that earned him best theme trophies are "Hiram" and "Sinasamba Kita."
His english track "True Love Came Too Late" was named Awit Awards song of the year in 1984 while
Dulce's rendition of "Ako Ang Nagwagi, Ako Ang Nasawi" bagged the grand prize in 1979 at the
World Song Festival in Hong Kong. Afterwhich, "Ngayon," another song interpreted by Basil Valdez
earned the grand nod from Likha Awit Pambata Songwriting Contest and Artistic Achievement Award
at the Pacific Song Contests in Sydney, Australia.