Role

:

Composer

Country

:

Argentina

Birth

:

March 7, 1895 in Avellaneda

Death

:

September 5, 1968 in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Period

:

Modern

Genre

:

Keyboard

 

Juan José Castro was a prominent Argentine composer and conductor who made significant contributions to the classical music scene in his country. Born on March 7, 1895, in Avellaneda, a suburb of Buenos Aires, Castro grew up in a family of musicians. His father, José María Castro, was a composer and conductor, and his mother, María Luisa Aramburu, was a pianist. Castro's parents recognized his musical talent at an early age and encouraged him to pursue a career in music. Castro began his formal music education at the age of six, studying piano with his mother. He later studied composition with his father and harmony with the renowned Argentine composer, Alberto Williams. In 1912, at the age of 17, Castro entered the National Conservatory of Music in Buenos Aires, where he studied composition with Carlos López Buchardo and conducting with José André. He graduated from the conservatory in 1918 with a degree in composition. After completing his studies, Castro began his career as a composer and conductor. He quickly gained recognition for his talent and was appointed conductor of the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires in 1924. He held this position for 20 years, during which time he conducted many premieres of works by Argentine composers, including Alberto Ginastera, Carlos Guastavino, and Astor Piazzolla. Castro's own compositions were heavily influenced by Argentine folk music and the European classical tradition. He was particularly interested in incorporating elements of Argentine tango into his works, and his music often featured complex rhythms and harmonies. Some of his most famous works include the ballets "El amor brujo" and "La leyenda de la llorona," the opera "La zapatera prodigiosa," and the orchestral suite "Suite Argentina." In addition to his work as a composer and conductor, Castro was also a respected music educator. He taught at the National Conservatory of Music in Buenos Aires and was a founding member of the Argentine Society of Composers. He was also a member of the Argentine Academy of Fine Arts and the National Academy of History. Castro's contributions to the classical music scene in Argentina were significant, and he is widely regarded as one of the country's most important composers. His music continues to be performed and recorded today, and his legacy lives on through the many musicians he influenced and inspired.

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