Role

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Composer  

Country

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Cuba

 

Ernán López-Nussa was a Cuban classical music composer, pianist, and conductor. He was born on December 13, 1928, in Havana, Cuba. López-Nussa was born into a family of musicians, and his father, Ernesto López, was a well-known composer and pianist in Cuba. López-Nussa began his musical education at a young age, studying piano with his father and later with the renowned Cuban pianist Joaquín Nin-Culmell. López-Nussa's early compositions were heavily influenced by Cuban folk music and the rhythms of the Caribbean. He was also influenced by the works of European composers such as Bach, Beethoven, and Chopin. López-Nussa's first major composition was his Piano Concerto No. 1, which he wrote in 1952. The concerto was well-received and helped establish López-Nussa as a major figure in Cuban classical music. In the 1950s, López-Nussa became involved in the Cuban avant-garde music scene. He was a member of the Grupo de Renovación Musical, a group of composers and musicians who sought to modernize Cuban classical music. López-Nussa's compositions during this period were experimental and often incorporated elements of serialism and atonality. López-Nussa's most famous work is his Suite Cubana, which he composed in 1960. The suite is a collection of six pieces for piano that incorporate elements of Cuban folk music and dance. The suite was an instant success and has since become a staple of the Cuban classical music repertoire. In addition to his work as a composer, López-Nussa was also a renowned pianist. He performed extensively throughout Cuba and internationally, and was known for his virtuosic technique and expressive playing. López-Nussa was also a respected conductor, and led many performances of his own works as well as those of other composers. López-Nussa's career was interrupted by the Cuban Revolution in 1959. He initially supported the revolution and was appointed as the director of the National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba. However, he soon became disillusioned with the government's policies towards the arts and left Cuba in 1961. López-Nussa settled in Mexico, where he continued to compose and perform. In 1965, López-Nussa moved to the United States and became a professor of music at the University of Miami. He continued to compose and perform throughout his career, and his works were performed by orchestras and ensembles around the world. López-Nussa was also a prolific writer, and published several books on music theory and composition. López-Nussa passed away on March 31, 1985, in Miami, Florida. He left behind a legacy as one of the most important composers and pianists in Cuban classical music. His works continue to be performed and recorded, and his influence can be heard in the works of many contemporary Cuban composers.

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