Emile Bagtas is a Filipino composer, music producer and independent consultant. At a young age, he was exposed to music through his mother who was his first piano teacher, and his great-grandfather, Levi Celerio, a National Artist for Music and Literature. ​Despite this, he only began formal music studies in 2013.

 

Before specializing in composition, he was an active pianist who took part in festivals and concerts organized by the Piano Teachers' Guild of the Philippines Foundation, Inc. (PTGPFI).

 

In 2018, he began working as an associate composer and music editor for popular films and primetime TV series produced by ABS-CBN Film Productions, GMA Pictures, Viva Films, etc. Aside from his work in the mainstream film, TV, and digital content industry, he collaborates with independent filmmakers and international organizations like The R&A and World Vision. In addition to his work as a composer and record producer, Emile also works as an audio post-production professional, with extensive experience editing and mastering audiobooks for top publishers such as Penguin Randomhouse LLC & Hachette Book Group.

 

In 2019, he became a member of the prestigious Asian Composers League–Philippines and was commissioned to compose the festival piece for the Manila Guitar Festival.

 

In 2023, he formally established Kalinaw Music — an independent and innovative music distribution service that caters to undiscovered artists whose music deserves global recognition. He also actively produces records rising local artists, two of which have been hailed as finalists in the Himig Handog Song Writing Competition and the Living Freedom Songwriting Competition respectively. ​

 

In the same year, Emile became a member of the Institute for Studies in Asian Church and Culture, an esteemed research and training organization committed to missiology, and cross-cultural studies aimed at social transformation. He is currently serving as one of ISACC's independent project managers and resource persons for artistic and cultural works.

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In 2024, he was invited to serve as an adjunct professor at St. Scholastica's College School of Music, his alma mater. He teaches courses such as Orchestration, Composition, Scoring for Film, TV, and Radio. Additionally, he serves on the panel for faculty auditions for graduating music performance majors and acts as a consultant for graduating music composition and music production majors. 

 

He also serves as a visiting faculty for Music at the Philippine High School for the Arts — the country's premiere art school for secondary education.