The internationally acclaimed Toti Fuentes is a pianist, composer, arranger & conductor. He was born and
raised in Cagayan de Oro City, a small town in northern Mindanao. Coming from a family of eight brothers
and sisters, Toti’s parents wanted the best for their little ‘Musical Prodigy.’ So, at a tender age of six, they put
him up for piano lessons with two prominent pianists in town, Sammy Casino and Mary Lee Willikom. In
1969, Toti moved to Manila to study at the University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music.
A piano major, he was under the tutelage of Professor Bernardino Custodio. He was discovered by a
famous Spanish singer from Barcelona, Spain, Don Juan Pedro, who hired him to play in his band that was
playing at the Las Cuevas Lounge—a situation that made him work at night and go to school during the day.
As a musician, Toti wanted to be unique and different from all his colleagues. So he decided to enhance his
style of performing by doing more physical expression: “I have always been a frustrated dancer, and a
desperate string player. So when I am on stage, I do a lot of body and foot movements—sort of like dancing.
And I do a lot of hand gestures—sort of like playing cello or violin.”
Later, he met with a newcomer in entertainment business by the name of Rico J. Puno. The two artists
collaborate and decided to put up a duo act performing Spindle Lounge in Quezon City. It did not take long
before they started packing the house and the rest is history. Toti played and directed famous artists such
as: Pilita Corrales, Basil Valdez, Hajji Alejandro, Nonoy Zuniga, Dulce, Sharon Cuneta, Apo Hiking Society,
just to name a few.
In March 1978, Toti migrated to the United States. Since his migration to the U.S., his resume includes
performances with famous Hollywood celebrities such as: Andy Williams, Airto Moreira, Tony Orlando and
Dawn, La Toya Jackson, Natalie Cole, Four Tops, Kevyn Lettau, Aretha Franklin, Anita Baker, Billy Preston,
The Platters, Aretha Franklin, Bill Cosby, Maureen McGovern, John Goodman, Billy Preston Rita Moreno,
Andy Williams, The Lettermen, Sergio Mendes & Brasil ‘88, Captain and Tenille, Peabo Bryson, Jeffrey
Osborne, Tanya Tucker & Jerry Lewis, and much more. He also had the pleasure of playing with great
musicians such as: Dave Koz, TomScott, Justo Almario, Abe Laboriel, Alex Acuna, Ron Powell, Greg
Bisanette, Timothy Pope, Joe Heredia, Luis Conte & Michael Shapiro.
Toti conducted the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and Los Angeles Symphony Orchestra during two
separate fundraiser event. He was a musical director, conductor, keyboardist for Tony Orlando and Dawn in
their various U.S. performances. Toti’s daunting life story and struggles as an acclaimed Filipino musician
was shown in the very popular episode of “Maalaala Mo Kaya?” hosted by Charo Santos of ABS-CBN last
year.
As Toti is presently very ill with a rare form of stomach cancer and has been undergoing an experimental
kind of treatment for the last three years or so, he doesn’t let all of these hard blows get him down.
Remaining courageous, self-less and humble through all the life’s challenges, it seems that he gets
renewed energy and stamina for playing his music and, of course, his faith, his will to live and desire to help
others.
Toti currently lives in Des Plaines, Illinois with his devoted wife Joni and two sons. He and Joni met in
Chicago and got married in the early 70’s. He says about Joni: “If I have to live another life, I would still go out
there and find her. Actually, I dreamed about her since I was very young, maybe around eight years old. I
envisioned a “Caucasian” girl with glasses, living somewhere cold like in Chicago. She was about five years
of age at that time, I imagined her with a smiling face, but with the front teeth missing. So, one day, I left the
Philippines and looked for her. I found her in Chicago.”
raised in Cagayan de Oro City, a small town in northern Mindanao. Coming from a family of eight brothers
and sisters, Toti’s parents wanted the best for their little ‘Musical Prodigy.’ So, at a tender age of six, they put
him up for piano lessons with two prominent pianists in town, Sammy Casino and Mary Lee Willikom. In
1969, Toti moved to Manila to study at the University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music.
A piano major, he was under the tutelage of Professor Bernardino Custodio. He was discovered by a
famous Spanish singer from Barcelona, Spain, Don Juan Pedro, who hired him to play in his band that was
playing at the Las Cuevas Lounge—a situation that made him work at night and go to school during the day.
As a musician, Toti wanted to be unique and different from all his colleagues. So he decided to enhance his
style of performing by doing more physical expression: “I have always been a frustrated dancer, and a
desperate string player. So when I am on stage, I do a lot of body and foot movements—sort of like dancing.
And I do a lot of hand gestures—sort of like playing cello or violin.”
Later, he met with a newcomer in entertainment business by the name of Rico J. Puno. The two artists
collaborate and decided to put up a duo act performing Spindle Lounge in Quezon City. It did not take long
before they started packing the house and the rest is history. Toti played and directed famous artists such
as: Pilita Corrales, Basil Valdez, Hajji Alejandro, Nonoy Zuniga, Dulce, Sharon Cuneta, Apo Hiking Society,
just to name a few.
In March 1978, Toti migrated to the United States. Since his migration to the U.S., his resume includes
performances with famous Hollywood celebrities such as: Andy Williams, Airto Moreira, Tony Orlando and
Dawn, La Toya Jackson, Natalie Cole, Four Tops, Kevyn Lettau, Aretha Franklin, Anita Baker, Billy Preston,
The Platters, Aretha Franklin, Bill Cosby, Maureen McGovern, John Goodman, Billy Preston Rita Moreno,
Andy Williams, The Lettermen, Sergio Mendes & Brasil ‘88, Captain and Tenille, Peabo Bryson, Jeffrey
Osborne, Tanya Tucker & Jerry Lewis, and much more. He also had the pleasure of playing with great
musicians such as: Dave Koz, TomScott, Justo Almario, Abe Laboriel, Alex Acuna, Ron Powell, Greg
Bisanette, Timothy Pope, Joe Heredia, Luis Conte & Michael Shapiro.
Toti conducted the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and Los Angeles Symphony Orchestra during two
separate fundraiser event. He was a musical director, conductor, keyboardist for Tony Orlando and Dawn in
their various U.S. performances. Toti’s daunting life story and struggles as an acclaimed Filipino musician
was shown in the very popular episode of “Maalaala Mo Kaya?” hosted by Charo Santos of ABS-CBN last
year.
As Toti is presently very ill with a rare form of stomach cancer and has been undergoing an experimental
kind of treatment for the last three years or so, he doesn’t let all of these hard blows get him down.
Remaining courageous, self-less and humble through all the life’s challenges, it seems that he gets
renewed energy and stamina for playing his music and, of course, his faith, his will to live and desire to help
others.
Toti currently lives in Des Plaines, Illinois with his devoted wife Joni and two sons. He and Joni met in
Chicago and got married in the early 70’s. He says about Joni: “If I have to live another life, I would still go out
there and find her. Actually, I dreamed about her since I was very young, maybe around eight years old. I
envisioned a “Caucasian” girl with glasses, living somewhere cold like in Chicago. She was about five years
of age at that time, I imagined her with a smiling face, but with the front teeth missing. So, one day, I left the
Philippines and looked for her. I found her in Chicago.”
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