Ryan Cayabyab

Ryan Cayabyab (born Raymundo Cipriano Pujante Cayabyab on May 4, 1954 in Manila, Philippines but known as Mr. C) is a Filipino musician, composer and conductor; he was Executive and Artistic Director for several years of the defunct San Miguel Foundation for the Performing Arts.He was named a National Artist of the Philippines in 2018. His works range from commissioned full-length ballets, theater musicals, choral pieces, a Mass set to unaccompanied chorus, and orchestral pieces, to commercial recordings of popular music, film scores and television specials. Cayabyab's current project includes the Ryan Cayabyab Singers (RCS), a group of seven young adult singers comparable to his group Smokey Mountain in the early 1990s.After FreemantleMedia decided not to renew the Philippine Idol franchise, Cayabyab transferred to rival show Pinoy Dream Academy (season 2), replacing Jim Paredes as the show's headmaster.PDA 2 started on June 14, 2008.He also became the chairman of the board of judges for GMA Network's musical-reality show To The Top. He is the executive director of the Philpop MusicFest Foundation Inc., the organization behind the Philippine Popular Music Festival.This songwriting competition for amateurs and professionals puts the spotlight on songwriters and encourages Filipinos to preserve their unique musical identity.