National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab. Photo by Paw Castillo/Portraits by PawMANILA -- Since he turned 40 in 1994, National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab has been marking his birthday successfully every decade.

In 1995, a year after his 40th, concert producers Celeste Legaspi and Girlie Rodis produced the birthday tribute for Cayabyab for Culturtain Musicat Productions at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).

When he turned 50, Cayabyab had a memorable concert celebration, “Music Man at 50,” in 2004 also at the CCP and produced by ABS-CBN.

That was followed by Cayabyab’s sexagenarian celebration, “Mr. C at 60,” again at the CCP and mounted by ABS-CBN anew.

Now that he turned 70 last May 4, Cayabyab is preparing for his two-night birthday concert, “Gen C,” at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater. The show is produced again by Legaspi and Rodis, this time with surgeon Melfred Hernandez and Aaron Veloso.

The title, “Gen C,” is a play on the first letter of Cayabyab’s last name and in reference to today’s youth.

So how does it feel to be 70, Cayabyab was asked. “It’s the same,” he acknowledged. “I don’t see anything really different. I still live by the day. Before, you dreamed that someday, there’ll be this and that.

“Today, that’s different. You just take anything given to you and then do something about it. I’m amazed, because there’s still work. I call it work if it’s income generating.

“Matanda na ang tingin sa amin, but hindi pa rin namin nararamdaman na matanda na kami. I’m very grateful to reach this age – 70.”

Cayabyab’s mom, opera singer Celerina Venson Pujante, died at 43. His dad, Alberto, died at 72.

“My brother and I were talking previously about the mien of our years, 50 something, around 56 to 58. Aba, lumampas kami. My brother died at 68 years old. Sabi ko, hmmm. There’s a side in our family na maagang mamatay.”

Cayabyab refuses to deal with any problems around him. “Mrs. C [Emmy Cayabyab] knows that,” he said. “I enjoy my life. I’m always happy.

“I want to be always happy kahit ‘yung ibang tao malungkot. I will tell them, ‘Okay lang ‘yan. Dadaan lang ‘yan.’ Every problem can be fixed in the end. There is no problem that can’t be fixed.”

Cayabyab is apparently busier now, more than ever. “It seems like,” he said. “During the pandemic, parang zero, flatline talaga. Buti may mga naipon, pero kung wala, oh my gosh.

“Maybe, others are going after me. Habang buhay pa ako. They are giving me all these musical projects. But I don’t think being a National Artist [in 2018] even added to my income.

“They were probably saying after I became a National Artist, ‘Ang mahal na nga niyan, ngayon lalo pang naging mahal. Doble na nga ‘yan, magiging triple pa.’ That was what I was thinking.”

However, that didn’t faze Cayabyab. “There are so many things to do,” he said. “If that’s not income-generating, there are a lot of other things to do.

“Then, I discovered going back to painting in 2022. I had my first exhibit. But there are so many things happening in the music scene these days. I hope, it will not ebb.

“There are so many theater musicals, concerts. Everybody is staging a concert and all the show make money. But we don’t know if it will plateau.”

The concerts staged by ABS-CBN in 2004 and 2014 referred to Cayabyab as “Maestro,” according to producer Celeste Legaspi.

“We wanted to feature how child-like Ryan is,” Legaspi explained. “That is one of the main characteristics of Ryan through the years. Ever since I met him, he’s like a child. Like a teddy bear. Mababaw ang kaligayahan niya.

“We wanted to stay away from his ‘Maestro’ title. So we wanted to emphasize his accessibility. We want people to enjoy Mr. C, that’s why this concert adapted that position.

“He’s 70 and that has to be celebrated. We worked very hard to help nominate him as National Artist in 2018. We were a group of women who researched high and low on his credentials.

“We wanted to make sure all of Ryan’s works would be presented to the NCCA [National Commission for Culture and the Arts], so he would become a National Artist. That’s an achievement for OPM [Original Pilipino Music] when Ryan became a National Artist.

“After the pandemic, we’re back. There’s music. There’s a lot of things to be happy about.”

While veteran artists led by Basil Valdes and Regine Velasquez will join Cayabyab onstage on May 11, Cayabyab will get to work for the first time with the likes of Stell of SB19, Ben&Ben, Juan Karlos Labajo and BINI.

“I became a fan of those young artists,” Cayabyab admitted. “Si Belle [Mariano], ang ganda pala ng batang ‘yun. Si Stell, ang taas ng boses. When I met JK Labajo, his voice was so mature. Hindi mababaw.

“They are the ones who work really hard. Especially when the challenge is great, they have to work harder so they will attain success.”

Also guesting in “Gen C” are Aicelle Santos, Arman Ferrer, Belle Mariano, Bituin Escalante, Jed Madela, John Arcilla, Karylle Tatlonghari, Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, Mikee Bradshaw Volante, Nonie Buencamino, Nyoy Volante, Phi Palmos, Shiela Valderrama Martinez and Gloc-9.

The singing groups who will perform are Ateneo Chamber Singers, Dilaw, The Company and The Ryan Cayabyab Singers.

For the May 12 concert, Vice Ganda, Julie Ann San Jose and Janella Salvador will perform. All the artists will be accompanied by the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO). The shows will be produced by Culturtain Musicat Productions.

Does Cayabyab see himself retiring? “We don’t retire in the music writing industry,” he said. “Our work stops when we die."

And there's no stopping Cayabyab. He is even writing an original ballet musical, “Florante at Laura,” for Ballet Manila this October.