Born in the Philippines.    Boyhood hometown:  Malabon, Rizal, Philippines.

Learns the solfeggio from his mother 

Death of his mother

Composes his first kundiman; studied the violin, ukulele, and the guitar 

Graduates from Torres High School in Tondo, Manila, Philippines  

Professional life begins as guitar player and arranger in a cabaret band in Malabon, Rizal

Outbreak of World War II 

Japanese Occupation of the Philippines 

U.S. Liberation Era;  arranges music for “big bands” in Manila for the next ten years 

Marries Josefina Lovinaria 

Awarded Honorable Mention, National Composition Contest for Boy Scout of the Philippines Hymn “Our Country Dear” 

Awarded First Prize for “Hymn to Pharmacy” National  Pharmaceutical Association, Philippines

Tokyo, Japan: jazz stint at Club Golden Gate, followed by the Latin Quarter 

Composes “Bagbagtulambing” for the Upsilon Sigma Phi Fraternity, University of the Philippines; the start of a musical collaboration with the “Upsilon Men of Jazz” annual concerts

March 5th, Awarded First Prize in the National Composition Contest, University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music  Alumni Association, for “Igorot Rhapsody” 

Band leader, Hilton Hotel, Eagle’s Nest
Prepares for the Royal Schools of Music Examinations in Theory, Harmony, Arranging, and Performance

Attends Bass clinic through the John D. Rockefeller III Fund Project, Manila Symphony Society. 

Lecture on jazz at Thomas Jefferson Library of the U.S. Embassy 

Jazz Trio Leader, Sheraton Hotel (Now Hyatt), Pasay (Manila) 

Conferred the Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music (LRSM)

Feb 9-11, Guest Soloist at his farewell performance playing his "Concerto for Double Bass & Orchestra” with the Manila Symphony Orchestra.

January 6th, his wife and daughter arrive in Honolulu 

Bassist Gary Hickling performs Pena’s “Sonata for Double Bass and Piano” at Lincoln Center, New York (1971) and at Amerika Haus in West Germany (1975). 

Peña becomes a Permanent Resident of the United States 

Becomes a U.S. Citizen 

Receives Certificate of Accreditation from the Hawaii Music Teacher’s Association 

An All-Peña-composition Concert at Orvis Auditorium, University of Hawaii at Manoa, through a grant from the State Foundation of Culture and the Arts and the Music Performance Trust Fund of the American Federation of Musicians 

December 29th, Guest Artist, Cultural Center of the Philippines Holiday Gift of Music Concert, Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra Oscar Yatco conductor 

December 16th, Outstanding Symphonic Work award from Knights of Rizal for “Homage to Jose Rizal.”  World premiere performance by the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra.  Live broadcast on Hawaii Public Radio. 

November 23rd, Performance of Arrangements of “Music Man” medley for the Aloha Chapter of the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America (SPEBSQSA)   

June 4th, “An Evening of Philippine Chamber Music”  by the Hawaii-Pacific String Quintet featuring Peña’s compositions and arrangements held at the Mamiya Theater for the Performing Arts.  

Peña retires as Bassist of the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra. 
April 23rd, HSO Retirement Party, Neal Blaisdell Concert Hall 

Summer.  Retires to Manila with his wife. 

Travels with his wife to Washington, D.C. and relocates back to Honolulu with his wife 

Manila’s Executives Band honors Peña with a Plaque of Appreciation and a trip to Manila for its 35th Anniversary Celebration, Philippine International Convention Center, Manila. 

World premiere of “Philippine Festival Overture“ at the Cultural Center of the Philippines 

A Concert “Tribute to Angel Peña” under the auspices of the Allegro Concert Orchestra, of Hawaii. 

House Resolution #29, State of Hawaii’s 19th State Legislature House of Representatives honor Peña “for contribution in the field of music as world renowned jazz musician, musical arranger, and Hawaii’s own living classical composer” 

Washington, D.C. – Tribute Concert at the Philippine Embassy 

Golden Wedding Anniversary celebration - Fairfield, California 

Sacramento, California  - Camelia Symphony Orchestra premieres  “Trinity”  - Eugene Castillo, conductor 

Summer.  Josefina and Angel return home to Manila. 

Adjunct faculty – University of the Philippines College of Music 

Collaboration with the University of the Philippines Jazz Ensemble (UPJE) begins. 

Public performances of recently composed pieces for jazz band and ensemble by the UPJE and UST Jazz Ensemble, etc. 

October 1st, Musikahan: A Tribute to Angel Peña by UST alumni: Agcaoili, Concepcion, Picardo; jazz ensemble led by renowned jazz pianist Boy Palacio; grandson Joseph Peña Gosalvez on drums.   Union City, CA   

October 3rd, Lecture-Presentation at City College of San Francisco “History of Jazz in the Philippines” celebrating Filipino-American History Month in the Bay Area. 

November 5th, “Ugnayan” CD release of mostly Pena works; performed by Global Studio Orchestra - Gerard Salonga, director and conductor 

June 13th, Book-launching of Peña’s autobiography “A Man and his Music” published by Ateneo de Manila University Press. 

Featured by Seniors Monthly magazine - A Man and His Music.

March 15th, Chamber Music Hawaii's Spring Wind Quintet premieres Pena's "Movements for Wind Quintet" at the Honolulu Academy of Arts