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George Canseco's timeless songs take center stage in tribute concert
Entertainment
Music and Concerts
George Canseco's timeless songs take center stage in tribute concert
George Canseco's timeless songs take center stage in tribute concert
Published Jun 10, 2026 11:22 am
There are songwriters who create hits, and then there are those whose work becomes woven into a nation’s cultural identity. George Canseco belongs to the latter. His songs have been part of Filipino life for generations, heard in school programs, family gatherings, films, radio broadcasts, and karaoke sessions. For many Filipinos, his music feels less discovered than inherited.
That enduring legacy is at the heart of “Ngayon at Kailanman: The Music of George Canseco,” a tribute concert set for June 13 at the Newport Performing Arts Theater.
The show brings together legendary interpreters of Canseco’s music and a younger generation of artists who grew up singing his songs.
Among them is Mark Bautista, whose connection to the composer’s work began long before his recording career.
Bautista regularly performed “Ako Ay Pilipino” during school celebrations, while Canseco’s “Ngayon at Kailanman” later became his breakthrough song during the finals of “Star for a Night.”
“I have never met him, but I have always felt connected to his music,” Bautista said.
That connection continues to resonate decades after Canseco’s passing.
For Rita Daniela, the songwriter’s mastery of language remains remarkable.
“Malalim ang mga words,” she said.
Kuh Ledesma, one of Canseco’s most celebrated interpreters, described him as a poet whose songs were “poetry set to music.” She recalled his attention to emotional authenticity, sharing how he once discouraged her from re-recording “Dito Ba” because the uncertainty in her performance reflected the uncertainty in the song itself.
That understanding of human emotion helps explain why Canseco’s music continues to endure. His songs capture love, longing, heartbreak, and hope in ways that remain relatable across generations.
Apart from Daniela, Bautista and Ledesma, the concert will also feature Basil Valdez, Dulce, Leah Navarro, Anthony Castelo and Jona.
Directed by Frank Mamaril with musical direction by Louie Ocampo, the production aims to celebrate Canseco’s classics while introducing them to new audiences.
More than a nostalgic evening of familiar hits, “Ngayon at Kailanman” is a tribute to one of OPM’s greatest architects whose music remains an essential part of the Filipino experience. (Ian Ureta)