Role

:

Composer

Birth

:

January 18, 1919 in Santiago, Chile

Period

:

Contemporary

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Concerto

 

 

Vocal

 

Juan Orrego-Salas was a Chilean-American composer, conductor, and music educator who made significant contributions to the world of classical music. He was born on January 18, 1919, in Santiago, Chile, to a family of musicians. His father was a composer and conductor, and his mother was a pianist. Orrego-Salas grew up in a musical environment and began studying music at a young age. Orrego-Salas received his early education at the National Conservatory of Music in Santiago, where he studied composition with Pedro Humberto Allende and conducting with Erich Kleiber. He later continued his studies in the United States, where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. Orrego-Salas' early compositions were influenced by the music of his native Chile, as well as by the European classical tradition. He was particularly interested in the music of the Renaissance and Baroque periods, and he incorporated elements of these styles into his own compositions. His early works include the Suite Chilena for piano, which was inspired by Chilean folk music, and the String Quartet No. 1, which was influenced by the music of Bach and Mozart. In 1952, Orrego-Salas was appointed as the director of the newly established music department at the University of Chile in Santiago. He held this position for several years, during which time he worked to promote contemporary music in Chile and to establish the university as a center for musical education and research. In 1958, Orrego-Salas moved to the United States, where he became a professor of music at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. He remained at Indiana University for over 30 years, during which time he established himself as one of the leading composers and music educators in the United States. Orrego-Salas' compositions from this period reflect his interest in a wide range of musical styles and traditions. He continued to draw on the music of his native Chile, as well as on the European classical tradition, but he also incorporated elements of jazz, popular music, and other styles into his works. His compositions from this period include the Symphony No. 1, which was inspired by the music of the Andes, and the Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, which features elements of jazz and popular music. In addition to his work as a composer, Orrego-Salas was also an accomplished conductor and music educator. He conducted numerous orchestras and choirs throughout his career, including the Chilean National Symphony Orchestra, the Indiana University Symphony Orchestra, and the New York Philharmonic. He also served as a visiting professor at several universities, including the University of Michigan, the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Texas at Austin. Orrego-Salas' contributions to the world of classical music were recognized with numerous awards and honors throughout his career. He was awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship in 1959, the National Medal of Arts in 1993, and the Order of Merit from the government of Chile in 2001. He was also a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Juan Orrego-Salas passed away on January 13, 2019, at the age of 99. His legacy as a composer, conductor, and music educator continues to inspire musicians and music lovers around the world.

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