Antonio Jesus Naguiat Molina

Antonio Jesus Naguiat Molina was born on the 26th of December, 1894, in Quiapo, Manila. He is the son of Juan Molina, a customs inspector during the final years of the Spanish regime, and Simeona Naguiat. Antonio Molina was married to Pilar Siauingco with whom he had six children - among them are: Rostia, a pianist; Exequiel (Lito), a jazz artist and journalist; and, Antonio Maria, Jr., a US-based conductor and composer.

Antonio Sr.'s father founded the 22-piece Orquestra Molina, whose members lived and rehearsed in the family residence. At 12, Antonio Sr. could play the violin. The bandurria, mandolin, guitar, laud, bajo de unas and octavina, and the cello all followed later. 

He received his Bachelor's degree in 1909 at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran. Prior to that, he also went to the Escuela de Catolica de Quiapo, where he began his first formal schooling. In 1919, he enrolled at the University of the Philippines (UP) Conservatory of Music. His teachers included Nicanor Abelardo and the Conservatory Director, Robert Schofield. He obtained his teacher's diploma in 1923. From 1922 to 1924, he concertised extensively in Hanoi and other parts of Indo-China. He also taught at the UP Conservatory of Music and then at the Centro Escolar University. He functioned both as organizer and conductor of Philippine choral and rondalla music groups wherein he was also actively involved. He conducted the premiere of the Bach's Christmas Oratorio on the 14th of December, 1947, the first performance of Mozart's opera, Don Giovanni, and the first television choral concert to be presented in the Philippines. 

Molina's first composition, "Matinal" (1912), is preserved in an unpublished volume called Miniaturas, Vol. I. According to the composer, they are called Miniaturas because they do not seem to have arrived at a category of serious musical works. They are merely combinations of melody and harmony conceived during a moment of enthusiasm, passion, or humour, and later written down. They are products of inspiration and instinct, and not of technical studies in music. He then wrote a set of waltzes, Lamentos de mi Patria (Laments of my Fatherland) in 1913, and "Hatinggabi", his most famous violin piece (1915).

His hundreds of compositions include a sarswela entitled "Ana Maria", done while he was still in school. His most important orchestral works are Misa Antoniana Grand Festival Mass (1964) and Ang Batingaw (1972). Among his chamber music compositions are Prelude and Romanz for cello and piano (1928) and Bontok Rhapsody. Some of his piano works are Malikmata (1939) and We Were Moonlight (1941). His major works are composed of chamber music, choral, piano, violin, theatre, voice and violoncello music. Many of his works still have not been published.

Antonio Molina received numerous awards such as the Conductor of the Year Award (1953) from the Music Lovers' Society, the UP Conservatory Alumni Award and the Phi Kappa Beta Award (1972), among others. He was the first musician to be conferred the National Artist Award (12th June, 1972).

Antonio Molina, Sr. died on the 29th of January, 1980.