The Board of Trustees, Officers, and Staff of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of Gilopez Kabayao, 1972 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee, who passed away on October 12, 2024, at the age of 94 in Iloilo City, Philippines.
A violin virtuoso, teacher, and advocate for the arts, Kabayao devoted his life to bringing classical music to Filipinos. From his debut at Carnegie Hall in 1950 at age 19 to his outreach performances across the Philippines—including in cockpits and town plazas—he made fine music accessible to all.
Recognized as the “Father of Outreach for Classical Music,” he championed the idea that great music should reach beyond concert halls, inspiring generations of young musicians. He also believed in music’s “soothing, elevating, humanizing, and divinifying power” to overcome indifference and foster deeper connections. In 1972, he received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service for “his leadership in the renaissance of the performing arts, giving a new cultural content to popular life.”
Marcela L. Kabayao, representing Gilopez Kabayo, received the medallion during the Ramon Magsaysay Awards Presentation Ceremonies held March 17, 1973. Handing the Ramon Magsaysay Award are Chief Justice Roberto Concepcion (center) and RMAF Chairman Manuel P. Manahan (right).
Even in his later years, Kabayao remained dedicated to teaching. After the pandemic, he mentored violin students and held master classes. In 2023, he and his family performed three concerts in Iloilo City, relaunched his album of Philippine folk song transcriptions, and led a master class at the Manila Symphony Orchestra Center. That same year, through the Gilopez Kabayao Foundation, Inc., he organized a rare performance of Mozart’s Requiem in Iloilo City, bringing together a 100-member choir in a remarkable cultural event.
For over 70 years, Kabayao’s music enriched Filipino culture and strengthened connections around the world. His legacy will live on through the musicians he taught and the many Filipinos he inspired.