May 4, 1954. Raymundo Cipriano Pujante Cayabyab was born in Sta. Cruz, Manila as the third child of Alberto Austria Cayabyab, a government auditor, and Celerina Venson Pujante, a renowned opera singer and professor at the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Music. The family lived inside the UP Campus with boarders studying music at UP.
1958. At the age of four, Ryan first played the piano with his mother with the piece, “Me Gustan Todas.”
1960. Professor Celerina Pujante Cayabyab passed away.
1963. The family transferred to a three-bedroom bungalow which the patriarch built on Mahinhin Street, UP Village. Using the piano pieces left by the boarders, Ryan taught himself how to read notes.
1968. He auditioned as radio announcer at ABS-CBN but was not accepted as his voice was still developing.
1970. At 15 (pretended to be 18 as advised by his uncle to get the job), he started work as pianist/accompanist of the Development Bank of the Philippines Chorale. Got paid P200 per month, but salary was raised to P400 by year’s end.
1972. He became musical director of popular singer Cocoy Laurel as was offered a music scholarship by Cocoy’s father, Sen. Salvador “Doy” Laurel, who believed he should be a musician and not an accountant as he trained with the Madrigal Singers as pit chorus.
1973. He entered the UP College of Music, taking Bachelor of Music Major in Theory. He was taught by music stalwarts Eliseo Pajaro, Lucio San Pedro, Ramon Santos and Francisco Feliciano, among others. He did the musical score for the movie “Ophelia at Paris,” starring Vilma Santos and Cocoy Laurel.
1974. Performed with artists Cynthia Patag, Tony Aguilar and Pol Enriquez in venues like Top of the Hilton. Arranged music for Pilita Corrales, Jose Mari Chan and Celeste Legaspi. Arranged “Good Old-Fashioned Romance” recorded by Chan.
1975. Toured with the Ambivalent Crowd in Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia. Arranged “Afraid For Love To Fade” and “ Love At 30,000 Feet,” recorded by Chan.
1976. Awarded Best Song for Television, Philippine Academy for Television Arts and Sciences (PATAS) for “Chewing Gum Charlie.” Did score for the movie “Magandang Gabi Sa Inyong Lahat” starring Nora Aunor and Tirso Cruz 3rd.
1977. Did score for “Masikip Maluwang Paraisong Parisukat” movie starring Christopher de Leon, Alma Moreno and Barbara Luna. Wrote and arranged “Paraisong Parisukat” and “Hanggang Kailan Kaya” by Basil Valdez for Blackgold. Arranged “Roots To Routes” featuring popular Filipino folk songs like “Itik-Itik,” “Ang Pipit” and “Pen Pen De Sarapen” for Jem Records. Arranged “May Minamahal” by Hajji Alejandro for Jem Records and Ambivalent Crowd cover songs for Sunshine Records. Arranged and conducted “Dahil Sa Isang Bulaklak,” recorded by Pilita Corrales.
1978. Won Famas Best Song for “Paraisong Parisukat.” Won Grand Prize, First Metro Manila Pop Music Festival for the song “Kay Ganda Ng Ating Musika,” interpreted by Hajji Alejandro. Alejandro later won Best Singer in the First Seoul (Korea) Song Festival for the same song, the first time the Philippines won in an international song festival. Wrote and arranged “Nais Ko,” “Tuwing Umuulan At Kapiling Ka,” “Kahit Ika’y Panaginip Lang” and “Dito Nagwawakas,” recorded by Basil Valdez for Blackgold.
1979. Did score for the movie, “Pag-ibig Na Walang Dangal” starring Charo Santos and Chanda Romero. Arranged and conducted “Kay Ganda Ng Ating Musika” with Spanish lyrics recorded by Pilita Corrales.
1980. Wrote music for Ballet Philippines’ “Rama Hari;” “Magbalik Ka Na, Mahal” recorded by Kuh Ledesma. Did score for the epic movie “Agila” starring Fernando Poe Jr., Amalia Fuentes and Christopher de Leon and its theme song, “Iduyan Mo,” sung by Basil Valdez.
1981. Started teaching at the UP College of Music as a full-time professor for the Department of Composition and Music Theory.
1982. Wrote “Sometime Somewhere,” recorded by Basil Valdez. Arranged and conducted “You,” “Lift Up Your Hands,” “Corner In The Sky” and “With You” among others for Basil Valdez’s record with Vicor Music Corporation.
1983. Earned his Bachelor of Music Major in Theory degree from the UP College of Music. Did the score for the movie, “Karnal,” directed by Marilou Diaz-Abaya.
1984. Won Famas and Gawad Urian Best Music for “Karnal.”
1985. Married Emmy Pusalan. Wrote “Araw-Gabi” and “Ikaw Ang Tunay Na Ligaya” for her.
1986. Established Music School of Ryan Cayabyab together with his wife.
1987. Wrote “Gloria For Chorus, Piano and Ethnic Instruments.” Did score for the movie, “Whiteforce,” directed by Eddie Romero.
1988. Wrote, arranged and conducted the two-act musical, “Katy,” starring Mitch Valdez and Celeste Legaspi. Did score for the movie “Misis Mo, Misis Ko” directed by Carlos Siguion-Reyna. Hosted “Ryan Ryan Musikahan” on ABS-CBN. Formed the Smokey Mountain singing group.
1989. Won Gawad Urian Best Music for “Misis Mo, Misis Ko,” PMPC Star Awards for Best TV Musical Host and Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA) for Best TV Musical Show.
1990. Won CMMA Best TV Musical Show. Won New York Film and TV Awards Best Jingle for “Bilib Sila Sa Pinoy.” Wrote, arranged and produced “Not All The World Is America,” “Mama,” “Street People,” “Kailan” and “Can This Be Love?” for Smokey Mountain. Wrote the musical “Pepe and Pilar” with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO).
1991. Did score for the movie, “Hihintayin Kita Sa Langit,” directed by Carlos Siguion-Reyna staring Richard Gomez and Dawn Zulueta. Won Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) Best Musical Score for Hihintayin, Awit Awards Song of the Year for Kailan and Album of the Year for “Smokey Mountain,” Star Awards as Best Musical Host and CMMA Best TV Musical Show, Advertising Industry Creative Guilds Jingle of the Year for “Bilib Sila Sa Pinoy,” Voice of Asia Grand Prize Best Song by Geneva Cruz for “Mama.” Wrote the music for the two-act musical “El Filibusterismo.” Wrote, arranged and produced “Paraiso” and “Da Coconut Nut” among others for Smokey Mountain.
1992. Won Grand Prize at the Tokyo Music Festival for “Paraiso,” Famas Best Musical Score for “Hihintayin Kita Sa Langit.” Awit Awards Best Novelty Song for “Da Coconut Nut,” among other awards. Did the score for “Ikaw Pa Lang Ang Minahal.”
1993. Won Famas and FAP Best Musical score for “Ikaw Pa Lang Ang Minahal” and Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) Best Musical Score for “Kung Mawawala Ka Pa.” Arranged “Tanging Yaman” among others for Basil Valdez under Viva Records.
1994. Won Famas Best Musical Score for “Kung Mawawala Ka Pa.” Awit Awards Lifetime Achievement Awards Dangal ng Musikang Pilipino. Wrote “Ikaw Ang Tunay Na Ligaya” for Basil Valdez recording with Vicor. Wrote, arranged and produced “Death Penalty” album of Smokey Mountain for BMG Pilipinas.
1995. Wrote music for “Magnificat,” “Noli Me Tangere,” “Alamat Ng Dilis” and “Alikabok.” Did score for “Inagaw Mo Ang Lahat Sa Akin” directed by Carlos Siguion-Reyna, starring Maricel Soriano and Snooky Serna and “Closer To Home.”
1996. Bestowed with the Antonio C. Barreiro Award and Awit Awards Lifetime Achievement Award. Wrote music for “Ilustrado: Ang Buhay Ni Rizal” and Ballet Philippines’ “La Revolucion Filipina.”
1997. “Recorded Ryan Cayabyab Silver Album,” featuring Lea Salonga, Grace Nono, Cocoy Laurel, Ariel Rivera, Celeste Legaspi, Eraserheads and Francis M., among others. Wrote music for “Larawan The Musical” and did score for the movie “Ligaya Ang Itawag Mo Sa Akin” directed by Carlos Siguion-Reyna, starring Rosanna Roces as well as “Ang Lalaki Sa Buhay Ni Selya.” Published “The Songs of Ryan Cayabyab Volume 2.” Wrote “Ngayon Pa Lang Tagumpay Ka Na” for Cris Villongco and the music for “Vulcan (Anak Ng Bulkan),” directed by Cirio H. Santiago.
1998. Won FAP and Star Awards Best Musical Score for Ligaya Ang Itawag Mo Sa Akin. Conferred the Professional Award in Music by the UP Alumni Association. Did score for “Tatlo… Magkasalo,” directed by Carlos Siguion-Reyna, starring Ara Mina, Tonton Gutierrez and Rita Avila. Wrote, produced and arranged “Sa May Bintana” performed by Jeffrey Hidalgo.
1999. Bestowed one of the 100 awardees of CCP Centennial Honors for the Arts.
2000. Became executive and artistic director of the San Miguel Foundation of Performing Arts and conductor of the San Miguel Philharmonic Orchestra (SMPO).
2001. Only Asian winner of the Onassis International Cultural Competitions for Original Music Composition for “Misa 2000.” Did Christmas albums for SMPO. Wrote and arranged “The Same Sad Song,” recorded by Sharon Cuneta.
2004. Conferred the Gawad CCP Para Sa Sining. Produced, arranged and conducted Filipino love song albums for SMPO.
2005. Wrote, arranged and conducted an array of pieces for SMPO.
2006. Became judge of “Philippine Idol” along with Pilita Corrales and Francis Magalona. Wrote, arranged and produced albums for SMPO.
2007. Wrote, arranged and produced album for the Ryan Cayabyab Singers.
2008. Joined ABS-CBN’s “Dream Academy 2.” Wrote, arranged and produced songs and album, “Pinoy Dream Academy Scholars 2 Sing Cayabyab” under Star Records.
2009. Wrote “Kwento Nating Dalawa” for Paolo Santos.
2011. Wrote, arranged and produced album for Ryan Cayabyab Singers under Sony Music Corporation. Wrote “I Feel What You Feel,” performed by Smokey Mountain. Wrote and arranged music for Jose Rizal’s “Mi Ultimo Adios” sung by a 1,000-member choir in celebration of the National Hero’s 150th birth anniversary by the CCP.
2013. Became executive director of the Philippine Pop Music Festival (PhilPop), started the workshop, “Songwriting With The Maestro.” Awarded the MYX Magna Award. Honored by Pope Francis and the Vatican with the Cross of Honor for his religious-themed compositions.
2014. Conducted Akapela Open, a competition for acapella singing, spearheaded by the Music School of Ryan Cayabyab. Wrote “Just Believe” for the benefit concert, “Voices For Visayas” and “I Am You” for the victims of Typhoon Yolanda, both with lyrics by Jose Javier Reyes.
2015. “Ryan Ryan Musikahan” returned on Jeepney TV as “Ryan Ryan Musikahan: Home For Christmas,” directed by Johnny Manahan.
2016. Wrote, arranged and produced album for the Ryan Cayabyab Singers under Curve Entertainment Inc.
2017. Won FAP Awards Best Musical Score for “Ignacio de Loyola.” Arranged and conducted the pieces for the “Ang Larawan” soundtrack and won the MMFF Best Musical Score for it.
2018. Proclaimed National Artist for Music for his contribution to Filipino music. The NCCA cites, “Cayabyab’s compositions reflect a perspective of music that extols the exuberance of life and human happiness.” Arranged and produced Lea Salonga’s “Bahaghari” album under Curve Entertainment.
2019. Wrote, “Sana Tawag Mo Lang,” performed by The Company. Coached PhilPop Songwriting Bootcamp. Bestowed with the Ramon Magsaysay Award for “his compositions and performances that have defined and inspired Filipino popular music across generations; his indomitable undeterred confidence to selflessly seek, mentor and promote young Filipino musical genius for the global stage; and his showing us all that music can indeed instill pride and joy, and unify people across the many barriers that divide them.” Composed the theme song of the 30th edition of Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, “We Win As One,” lyrics by Floy Quintos and sung by Lea Salonga. Orchestrated “Pagdiwang Sa Ginintuang Pagsilang” for the light-and-sound show, “Sinag: Festival of Radiance,” marking the 50th anniversary of CCP.