Antonio Estévez
Encyclopedia
Antonio Estévez Aponte was a Venezuelan musician, composer, and conductor, and founder of the Central University of Venezuela
Chorus.
Estévez was born to Mariano Estévez and Carmen Aponte. He began his musical studies in Caracas in 1923, and returned to his native city of Calabozo in 1925, where from 1926 he played the flugelhorn in the town band. In 1930, he returned to Caracas, where he studied clarinet under Miguel Gallo, and, from 1934, composition under Vicente Emilio Sojo
at the Escuela de Música y Declamación (also called the Escuela de Santa Capilla or Escuela José Ángel Lamas). In 1932, he joined the Caracas Martial Band under the direction of Pedro Elías Gutiérrez
, and in 1934, the Venezuela Symphony Orchestra
as second oboe
. His first choral works, Rocío and El Jazminero estrellado, date from 1938. In 1942, he was married to Flor Roffé. In the following year, he founded the University Chorus of the Central University of Venezuela.
He graduated from the Escuela de Música y Declamación with degrees in oboe performance (1942) and composition (1944). In 1945, he obtained a scholarship from the Education Ministry to continue his studies of music in Europe
and the United States
.
He returned to Caracas in 1948, where he began developing a style of nationalistic music, working on his Concerto for Orchestra and his Cantata Criolla, which was finished in 1954. He traveled to London in 1961, with the purpose of updating his musical language, and later to Paris in 1963, where he worked at the Office de Radio-Télévision Française under Pierre Schaeffer
. In Paris he formed a friendship with the sculptor and painter Jesús Rafael Soto
and began experimenting with electronic music. In 1971 he returned to Venezuela and, with the support of the Simón Bolívar Center, founded the Instituto de Fonología Musical, which he directed until 1979.
He was awarded the Venezuelan National Music Prize in 1949 and again in 1987, and the Premio Anual de Sinfónicas in 1957. Also in 1987, he was awarded an Honoris Causa
degree by the Universidad de Los Andes, Venezuela.
in Ciudad Bolívar
, inaugurated in 1973.
Central University of Venezuela
The Central University of Venezuela is a premier public University of Venezuela located in Caracas...
Chorus.
Estévez was born to Mariano Estévez and Carmen Aponte. He began his musical studies in Caracas in 1923, and returned to his native city of Calabozo in 1925, where from 1926 he played the flugelhorn in the town band. In 1930, he returned to Caracas, where he studied clarinet under Miguel Gallo, and, from 1934, composition under Vicente Emilio Sojo
Vicente Emilio Sojo
Vicente Emilio Sojo was a Venezuelan musicologist, educator and composer, born in Guatire, Miranda.- Biography :...
at the Escuela de Música y Declamación (also called the Escuela de Santa Capilla or Escuela José Ángel Lamas). In 1932, he joined the Caracas Martial Band under the direction of Pedro Elías Gutiérrez
Pedro Elías Gutiérrez
Pedro Elías Gutiérrez was a Venezuelan musician who is mainly remembered by the joropo song Alma Llanera, whose music he composed.-Life and valoration:...
, and in 1934, the Venezuela Symphony Orchestra
Venezuela Symphony orchestra
The Orquesta Sinfónica Venezuela was founded by a group of 26 professional musicians met at the invitation of the maestro Vicente Emilio Sojo following the dissolution on January, 1929 of the Union Filarmónica Nacional.This meeting took place January 15, 1930 in the Caracas Musical Declamation...
as second oboe
Oboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
. His first choral works, Rocío and El Jazminero estrellado, date from 1938. In 1942, he was married to Flor Roffé. In the following year, he founded the University Chorus of the Central University of Venezuela.
He graduated from the Escuela de Música y Declamación with degrees in oboe performance (1942) and composition (1944). In 1945, he obtained a scholarship from the Education Ministry to continue his studies of music in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
He returned to Caracas in 1948, where he began developing a style of nationalistic music, working on his Concerto for Orchestra and his Cantata Criolla, which was finished in 1954. He traveled to London in 1961, with the purpose of updating his musical language, and later to Paris in 1963, where he worked at the Office de Radio-Télévision Française under Pierre Schaeffer
Pierre Schaeffer
Pierre Henri Marie Schaeffer was a French composer, writer, broadcaster, engineer, musicologist and acoustician of the 20th century. His innovative work in both the sciences —particularly communications and acoustics— and the various arts of music, literature and radio presentation after the end...
. In Paris he formed a friendship with the sculptor and painter Jesús Rafael Soto
Jesús Rafael Soto
Jesús Rafael Soto was a Venezuelan op and kinetic artist, a sculptor and a painter.He was born in Ciudad Bolívar, Venezuela. He began his artistic career as a boy painting cinema posters in his native city...
and began experimenting with electronic music. In 1971 he returned to Venezuela and, with the support of the Simón Bolívar Center, founded the Instituto de Fonología Musical, which he directed until 1979.
He was awarded the Venezuelan National Music Prize in 1949 and again in 1987, and the Premio Anual de Sinfónicas in 1957. Also in 1987, he was awarded an Honoris Causa
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
degree by the Universidad de Los Andes, Venezuela.
Legacy
Among his most important works are the Cantata criolla and Mediodía en el llano, Obertura sesquicentenaria. The Cantata criolla is perhaps the best-known nationalistic Venezuelan composition. Other well-known works include, Cromovibrafonía and Cromovibrafonía múltiple, which he composed as ambient music for the exposition of the works of de Soto en Montreal in 1967 and for the Jesús Soto Museum of Modern ArtJesús Soto Museum of Modern Art
The Jesús Soto Museum of Modern Art is a modern art museum in Ciudad Bolívar, Venezuela. It is named after the kinetic artist and sculptor Jesús Soto, who was born in Ciudad Bolívar. As well as showcasing a number of Soto's works, the museum includes art by international artists, particularly...
in Ciudad Bolívar
Ciudad Bolívar
Ciudad Bolívar is the capital of Venezuela's southeastern Bolivar State. It was founded with the name Angostura in 1764, renamed in 1846, and, as of 2010, had an estimated population of 350,691....
, inaugurated in 1973.