Maria Rosalina “Ria” Villena-Osorio is a sought-after composer, arranger, musical director, and keyboardist in the Philippine music scene.
A graduate of the UP College of Music, she has composed, arranged, directed, and played for some of the most prominent names in Philippine entertainment — Lea Salonga, Bamboo, Yeng Constantino, and Ice Seguerra, among others.
Ria has also arranged and performed for respected orchestras and ensembles worldwide, including the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra, The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, The Bangkok Symphony Orchestra, The Sydney Symphony Orchestra, The Singapore Symphony Orchestra, The Philippine Youth Symphonic Band, The Metro Manila Community Orchestra, The Manila Symphony Orchestra, The Orchestra of the Filipino Youth, Jeremy Monteiro’s All Star Jazz Band, and Mel Villena’s AMP Big Band.
The wide scope of her work displays an encompassing understanding of the different musical idioms, one that melds together influences from jazz, classical, theater, film, rock, and pop music. Solid training in the traditional art of orchestration meets an innovative spirit in a multi-genre approach that makes her the go-to collaborator of today’s top artists.
In 2020, Ria composed and orchestrated the theme song of the ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC). She also conducted the ABS-CBN Philharmonic in recording the said theme. In 2014, Ria composed the theme song of Cinema One (with words by Robert Labayen). It was arranged by Gerard Salonga, and performed by the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra.
Ria has also arranged and composed for numerous TV productions, including the opening theme song of the TV series, “Be Careful With My Heart,” and music for The Amazing Race Philippines. She was a resident arranger for The Voice of the Philippines, The Voice Kids, Philippine Idol, The Singing Bee, and We Love OPM.
Ria won the best musical score for RPG Metanoia, the country’s first 3D animated full-length movie, at the 2011 PASADO Awards (Pampelikulang Samahan ng Mga Dalubguro Film Educators Society) alongside Gerard Salonga. In 2015, she produced “All About Love”, Yeng Constantino’s album, alongside Jonathan Manalo and Yeng Constantino. The album went platinum the same year.
Ria arranged a number of songs in Ice Seguerra’s album, “Mga Awitin ni Maestro Ryan Cayabyab,” one of which was “Araw Gabi,” which won Best Ballad recording at the 2016 Awit Awards.
As a keyboardist, she frequently tours with Bamboo and Lea Salonga.
A long-time Korg user, Ria’s studio mainstays are an SV1-88, a Microkey 61, Microkey 25, and a NanoKontrol. At her performances, Ria uses only her Kronos2 88, a Triton LE, and a MicroKorg XL+. For family gatherings and personal rehearsal time, she has loads of fun with the PA-1000.