Role

:

Composer  

Country

:

Cuba

Birth

:

August 6, 1895 in Guanabacoa

Death

:

November 29, 1963 in St. Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands

Genre

:

Keyboard

 

Ernesto Lecuona was a Cuban composer and pianist who was born on August 6, 1895, in Guanabacoa, Havana, Cuba. He was the eldest of six children born to Ernesto Lecuona Ramos and Ernestina Lecuona Casado. His father was a journalist and his mother was a pianist. Lecuona showed an early interest in music and began playing the piano at the age of three. He received his first formal music lessons from his mother and later studied at the Peyrellade Conservatory in Havana. Lecuona's musical career began in the 1910s when he formed a band with his brothers, called the Lecuona Cuban Boys. The band became popular in Cuba and toured extensively throughout Latin America and the United States. Lecuona also began composing music during this time and his first published work, "La Comparsa," was a hit in Cuba and became a standard in the Latin American music repertoire. In 1924, Lecuona moved to New York City to pursue a career as a composer and pianist. He quickly became a sensation in the city's Latin music scene and his compositions were performed by some of the top orchestras and musicians of the time. He also began composing music for films and his work was featured in several Hollywood productions. Lecuona's music was a fusion of traditional Cuban rhythms and classical music. He was known for his use of the piano in his compositions and his virtuosic playing style. Some of his most famous works include "Malagueña," "Andalucía," and "Siboney." His music was popular not only in Latin America but also in Europe and the United States. In addition to his work as a composer, Lecuona was also a prolific pianist. He performed extensively throughout his career and was known for his electrifying live performances. He also recorded many of his own compositions and his recordings are still popular today. Lecuona continued to compose and perform music until his death on November 29, 1963, in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain. He was buried in the Colon Cemetery in Havana, Cuba. His legacy as one of the greatest composers of Latin American music lives on today and his music continues to be performed and enjoyed by audiences around the world.

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