Maestro Agripino “Nonoy” Villamayor Diestro
Maestro Agripino “Nonoy” Villamayor Diestro is one of the Philippines’ most distinguished conductors, educators, and cultural leaders. He earned his degree in Music Theory and Composition from the University of the Philippines College of Music in 1990. Shortly after, he pursued advanced studies in Orchestral Direction at the Conservatoire National de Région de Reims in France under Jean-Sébastien Béreau and Ferdinand Koch, where he was awarded the Golden Medal of Excellence, the highest honor of the conservatory. At the same time, he further honed his craft as an auditeur at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris.
In 1997, Maestro Diestro represented the Philippines at the 45th International Competition for Young Orchestra Conductors in Besançon, France, emerging as one of the Top Ten finalists among 179 candidates from 43 countries—an achievement that remains the highest placement attained by a Filipino conductor in an international orchestra conducting competition. His artistry and leadership continued to flourish as he served as Music Director and Conductor of the U.P. Chamber Orchestra from 1995 to 2000 and conducted numerous festival and international ensembles across Europe.
From 2007 to 2009, he served as Resident Conductor of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, playing a vital role in the country’s premier symphonic institution. During his tenure at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, he was selected as the Philippine Judge for the ASEAN Anthem Competition held in Bangkok, Thailand in 2008. In 2010, he was one of only twelve international conductors accepted into the prestigious St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic International Master Class, where he conducted in the final concert and received a Prize Winners’ Certificate.
Beyond the concert stage, Maestro Diestro was deeply committed to music education and cultural development. He served as a Senior Lecturer at the University of the Philippines College of Music, Music Director and Conductor of the Angono National Symphonic Band, and founder of the Angono Chamber Orchestra (AnChOr) under the Angono Philharmonic Society Inc. His leadership extended to the arts community as President of the Angono Council for Tradition, Culture and the Arts (ACTCA) and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Alliance Française de Manille, leaving a lasting legacy in Philippine music and cultural life.