Pila Pipe Organ Project

Pila Rediscovery: Our search for identity that is reshaping Philippine history.

The project aims to return the Pila pipe organ and Center for Church Music in the Diocesan Shrine of St. Anthony of Padua. The Pila organ will be the core of new liturgy centered musical activities: training of children's voices, education of young organists and choirmasters, solo organ performances and choir and organ performances. All these activities will become part of our collection of Sacred Music for the future of our Church music heritage.

Several important documents and artifacts recently discovered here and abroad point to Pila as one of the oldest and important town of the Philippines. Another document was discovered by William Henry Scott in the Franciscan Archives in Spain and was given to Pila historian Dr. Luciano Santiago. It is a letter written by Juan de Jesus O.F.M in 1703. The letter of Juan de Jesus O.F.M. described the choir and pipe organ of Pila and the first known Filipino pipe organ builders. The musical tradition described by Father Juan de Jesus started in 1606 when the Franciscans established Philippines' first music school in Laguna. Unfortunately today, not a single pipe organ or tertiary school of music is present in Laguna. The letter inspired the people of Pila to embark on this historic project.

Join us in our new journey of rediscovery. Please email us for details.