Ángel Reyes (February 14, 1919 – November 17, 1988),
(archive from 1 October 2017, accessed 22 July 2018). originally from

Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

, was an American

violin The violin, sometimes referred to as a fiddle, is a wooden chordophone, and is the smallest, and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in regular use in the violin family. Smaller violin-type instruments exist, including the violino picc ...

ist. A son of , Ángel Reyes was a Premier Prix graduate from the

Paris Conservatory The Conservatoire de Paris (), or the Paris Conservatory, is a college of music and dance founded in 1795. Officially known as the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (; CNSMDP), it is situated in the avenue Jean Ja ...

at the age of sixteen, and a prize-winner of the Ysaye International Violin Competition in Brussels. He was conductor of the Thirteenth Sound Group of Havana, music director of the Cuban Military Police Band and a composer of Cuban traditional instrumental and vocal works. Camejo recorded

Julián Carrillo Julián Carrillo Trujillo (January 28, 1875 – September 9, 1965) was a Mexican composer,Camp, Roderic Ai (1995). "Carrillo (Flores), Nabor" on ''Mexican Political Biographies, 1935–1993: Third Edition'', p. 121. . conductor, violin ...

's ''

Preludio a Colón A prelude ( or '; ; ; ) is a short piece of music, the form of which may vary from piece to piece. While, during the Baroque era, for example, it may have served as an introduction to succeeding movements of a work that were usually longer and ...

'' (Prelude to Christopher Columbus) on the Columbia Records label. As a concert soloist, he appeared with the

Philadelphia Orchestra The Philadelphia Orchestra is an American symphony orchestra, based in Philadelphia. One of the " Big Five" American orchestras, the orchestra is based at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, where it performs its subscription concerts, n ...

and

New York Philharmonic The New York Philharmonic is an American symphony orchestra based in New York City. Known officially as the ''Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, Inc.'', and globally known as the ''New York Philharmonic Orchestra'' (NYPO) or the ''New Yo ...

throughout the United States, Europe, Canada and Latin America. A Professor of Music at the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

and

Northwestern University Northwestern University (NU) is a Private university, private research university in Evanston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1851 to serve the historic Northwest Territory, it is the oldest University charter, chartered university in ...

, he performed with the Northwestern Piano Trio (formed in 1959) with pianist Gui Mombaerts and cellist Dudley Powers. He was married to Jill Bailiff, former harpist with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Professor of harp at Northwestern University and Eastern Michigan University. At one time he owned the famous

Lipinski Stradivarius The ''Lipinski Stradivarius'' is an antique violin constructed in 1715 by the Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari of Cremona, during Stradivari's "golden period" between 1700 and 1725. There are fewer than 650 extant Stradivarius violins in the wo ...

violin, on which he played

Glazunov Glazunov (masculine, ) or Glazunova (feminine, ) is a Russian surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Alexander Glazunov (1865–1936), Russian composer ** Glazunov Glacier in Antarctica named after Alexander * Andrei Glazunov, 19th-cent ...

Violin Concerto A violin concerto is a concerto for solo violin (occasionally, two or more violins) and instrumental ensemble (customarily orchestra). Such works have been written since the Baroque period, when the solo concerto form was first developed, up thro ...

in November 1942 with the Havana Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by

Massimo Freccia Massimo Filippo Antongiulio Maria Freccia (19 September 1906 – 16 November 2004) was an Italian American conductor. He had an international reputation but never held a post as music director of a major orchestra or opera house. Unusually for an ...

, as well as with the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Eugene Ormandy. He also owned a violin by Carlo Bergonzi, known as the "

Kreisler Bergonzi The ''Kreisler Bergonzi'' is an antique violin made by the Italian luthier Carlo Bergonzi (1683–1747) from Cremona in 1740. The violin is named after violinist Fritz Kreisler. After being forced to donate his Guarnerius to the Library of Cong ...

", previously owned by Fritz Kreisler and later by Itzhak Perlman. Ángel Reyes presented many master classes and adjudicated string and chamber music competitions in the U.S., Canada and France. From 1968-1983 he spent summers on the faculty of the University Division of the National Music Camp at Interlochen. Retiring as Professor Emeritus from the University of Michigan School of Music in June 1985, Reyes then established residency in

Sarasota Sarasota () is a city in and the county seat of Sarasota County, Florida, United States. It is located in Southwest Florida, the southern end of the Tampa Bay area, and north of Fort Myers and Punta Gorda. Its official limits include Sarasota Ba ...

, Florida. Ángel Reyes was survived by his wife Jill Bailiff, his son David, his daughter Lisa, and three grandsons Braiden, Ángelo, and Ivan.

References

Cuban violinists Male violinists 1919 births 1988 deaths University of Michigan faculty Northwestern University faculty 20th-century violinists 20th-century male musicians Cuban emigrants to the United States {{violinist-stub