Julia Alonso Marquez (1890–1977) was a Mexican composer, organist, pianist, and teacher. Born in

Oaxaca, Oaxaca Oaxaca de Juárez (), or simply Oaxaca (Valley Zapotec: ''Ndua''), is the capital and largest city of the eponymous Mexican state of Oaxaca. It is the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of Oaxaca, the most populous municipality in O ...

, Alonso studied at the Conservatorio Nacional de Música, and had achieved success as a composer by the age of twenty-five. After graduation she taught organ, piano, and composition at her alma mater. Her compositions include two symphonies, two suites for

chamber orchestra Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of Musical instrument, instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a Great chamber, palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music ...

, and two

string quartet The term string quartet refers to either a type of musical composition or a group of four people who play them. Many composers from the mid-18th century onwards wrote string quartets. The associated musical ensemble consists of two Violin, violini ...

s. She wrote a two-act opera, ''Tonantzin'', on a subject from Mexican mythology; it was not performed during her lifetime. Alonso died in

Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...

. The wife of then Mexican president Luis Echeverria Alvares, Ms. Maria Esther Zuno, came to her house to celebrate her birthday. On that day Julia wore her "China Poblana" dress, typical from Oaxaca, and gave a beautiful piano concert. A few days later. the Mexican newspaper EXELSIOR, published an article about Julia, praising her long life. Julia's husband was Alfonso Carrillo Redondo. Julia and Alfonso had three children: Juliano Carrillo Alonso, Blanca Rosa Carrillo Alonso and Emilio Carrillo Alonso. Julia Alonso spoke several languages and her husband 11 languages. They had a house in Prado Churubusco, Mexico City, were they opened a school. They taught piano lessons and several languages, using the languages books written by Alfonso Carrillo. Her husband Alfonso Carrillo Redondo was originally from Tucson Arizona and came to Mexico City looking for Julia's ex husband of Russian origin. Her previous husband had died, but this led to their friendship and later on they stayed together for the rest of their lives. Her father was Manuel Alonso. He was of Spanish origin and fought in the "5 de Mayo" war. Her mother was Porfiria Marquez. She was also from Oaxaca, Oaxaca. Julia Alonso died March 5, 1977, at her home in Mexico City at the age of 87. Her remains are in "Panteon San Nicolas Tolentino". Julia posed for the Mexican painter

Diego Rivera Diego Rivera (; December 8, 1886 – November 24, 1957) was a Mexican painter. His large frescoes helped establish the Mexican muralism, mural movement in Mexican art, Mexican and international art. Between 1922 and 1953, Rivera painted mural ...

. She is in a mural painted by Diego Rivera, above the stage of the

Colegio de San Ildefonso Colegio de San Ildefonso, currently is a museum and cultural center in Mexico City, considered to be the birthplace of the Mexican muralism movement. San Ildefonso began as a prestigious Jesuit boarding school, and after the Reform War it gaine ...

in downtown Mexico City.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alonso, Julia 1889 births 1977 deaths Mexican women classical composers 20th-century Mexican classical composers Mexican opera composers Women opera composers Musicians from Oaxaca People from Oaxaca City 20th-century Mexican women composers