Roberto Valera Chamizo (b. Havana, 1938) is a Cuban composer and pedagogue that has a made a substantial contribution to the development of music in Cuba.The living composers project. Roberto Valera. http://www.composers21.com/compdocs/valerar.htm

Academic formation

Roberto Valera initiates its music studies in 1948 with professors Waldina Cortina, Ñola Sahig,

José Ardévol José Ardévol (13 March 1911, in Barcelona – 7 January 1981, in Havana) was a Cuban composer and conductor of Spanish derivation. As a child, Ardévol studied under his father, Fernando, who was a musician and conductor. He emigrated to Cub ...

, Edgardo Martín and

Leo Brouwer Juan Leovigildo Brouwer Mezquida (born March 1, 1939) is a Cuban composer, conductor, and classical guitarist. He is a Member of Honour of the International Music Council. Family He is the grandson of Cuban composer Ernestina Lecuona y Casa ...

in the Municipal Conservatory of Havana, where he also received singing lessons from soprano Zoila Gálvez in 1956. By 1965 Valera studied in Poland with renowned composers Witold Rudzinski and

Andrzej Dobrowolski Andrzej Dobrowolski (September 9, 1921 – August 8, 1990) was a Polish composer and teacher. He studied at the Warsaw Conservatoire during the war and afterwards in the State High School of Music in Kraków Kraków (), or Cracow, is the sec ...

. He also received a degree in education from the Escuela Normal para Maestros in Havana, and a PhD in pedagogy from the

University of Havana The University of Havana or (UH, ''Universidad de La Habana'') is a university located in the Vedado district of Havana, the capital of the Republic of Cuba. Founded on January 5, 1728, the university is the oldest in Cuba, and one of the firs ...

Professional activity

At the request of composer

, Roberto Valera worked from 1961 to 1965 as a musical advisor at the Instituto Cubano del Arte y la Industria Cinematográficos (ICAIC), starting also a career as a film composer. After returning from Poland, Valera was appointed as director of The Alejandro García Caturla Conservatory in Marianao, Havana, and in 1968 he became Head of Harmony and Contemporary Techniques at the National School of Arts Music School.Orovio, Helio. Cuban music from A to Z. Tumi Music Ltd. Bath, UK. 2004. P.222. In 1976, Roberto Valera began a long term association with the

Instituto Superior de Arte The University of Arts of Cuba / Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA) was established on September 1, 1976, by the Cuban government as a school for the arts. Its original structure had three schools: Music, Visual Arts, and Performing Arts. History ...

(ISA), serving as Dean and professor of composition, orchestration and contemporary techniques. He also founded the school’s Electroacoustic Music Studio. Valera has also held different positions on the executive board of

Unión Nacional de Escritores y Artistas de Cuba The National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (Unión Nacional de Escritores y Artistas de Cuba, UNEAC) is a social, cultural and professional organization of writers, musicians, actors, painters, sculptors, and artist of different genres. It ...

(UNEAC), including a term as President of its Music Section from 1990 to 1992.

Work

Roberto Valera has composed an extensive catalog that includes music for soloists, chamber ensembles orchestra, and choir, as well as for numerous ballets, cartoons and films. Following a select list of Valeras works: The living composers project. * Orchestral: Devenir, 1969; Concierto por la Paz, saxophone, orchestra, 1985; Extraplan, 1990; Yugo y estrella, 1995; Concierto de Cojimar, guitar, orchestra, 1998; Non divisi, string orchestra, 1999 * Chamber music: String Quartet, 1967; Tres Impertinencias, ensemble, 1971; Tierra de sol, cielo y tierra, ensemble, 1993; Glosas del tiempo recobrado, violin, cello, piano, percussion, 1994 * Choral: Ire a Santiago, mixed chorus, 1969; Cuatro Poemas de Nicolás Guillén, soprano, mixed chorus, orchestra, 2001 * Vocal: Conjuro, soprano, orchestra, 1968 * Piano: Doce Estudios Caribeños, 2002; Van Gogh's Blues Ear, 2002; Cuento Sonoro, 2004 * Electroacoustic: Ajiaco, tape, 1990; Palmas, tape, 1992; Periodo espacial, tape, 1993; Loa del camino, tape, 1999; Las Sombras no Abandonan, tape, 2000

Awards

Among many recognitions, Roberto Valera has received the following: * First Prize, Competition of the Cuban Ministry of Culture, 1985 (for Concierto por la Paz) * National Award, UNEAC, 1989 (for his entire oeuvre) * The Alejo Carpentier Medal * The Félix Varela Medal * The National Culture Award of the Cuban Council of the State * The Ministry of Higher Education has also awarded him for his contribution to Cuban education

Other honors include

* The Basse Terre Medal in Guadeloupe * The José Maria Heredia Medal of the province of Santiago (Cuba) * The Karol Szymanowski Medal of the Polish Ministry of Art and Culture

References

External links

YouTube. Coralina: Iré a Santiago by Roberto Valera. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vASXqSS-LEA YouTube. La lenta noche en tus ojos by Roberto Valera. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k7FUAhysts {{DEFAULTSORT:Valera, Roberto Cuban composers Male composers 1938 births Living people Academic staff of the Instituto Superior de Arte Academic staff of the National Art Schools (Cuba) Cuban male musicians