Col. Antonino Ramirez Buenaventura was born on May 4, 1904 in Baliuag, Bulacan. He passed away on January 25, 1996. He was born in a family of musicians; his father Lucino Buenaventura was a musician at the Spanish Artillery Band in Intramuros. He became the music director of the UST Conservatory of Music in 1961 and the UE School of Music and Arts in 1964. He married the violinist Rizalina Exconde and produced 4 children. Buenaventura's music was influenced by different ethnic Philippine folksongs. In 1935, he joined Francisca Reyes-Aquino in researching Philippine folksongs and dances. In 1936 he composed the accompaniment to the folk dance "Pandanggo sa Ilaw" and incorporated ethnic melodies and instruments to some of his compositions.

He studied under the College of Nicanor Abelardo at the University of the Philippines Diliman Conservatory of Music and graduated in 1932 with a Teacher’s Diploma in Music, major in Science and Composition and became an assistant instructor at the Conservatory. He also studied composition for a post-graduate degree under Jenő Takács. After the war he became conductor of the devastated Philippine Constabulary Band for 16 years and he brought it back to its former glory.