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Lauro Uranga was a Mexican composer and pianist who was born on August 18, 1904, in the city of Durango, Mexico. He was the son of a musician and grew up in a family that was deeply involved in music. His father, Francisco Uranga, was a violinist and conductor, and his mother, Maria de la Luz, was a pianist. Lauro Uranga showed an early interest in music and began playing the piano at a young age. Uranga's musical education began in Durango, where he studied with his mother. He later moved to Mexico City to continue his studies at the National Conservatory of Music. There, he studied piano with Carlos Chávez and composition with Manuel M. Ponce. He also studied harmony and counterpoint with José Rolón. Uranga's early compositions were influenced by the nationalist movement in Mexican music, which sought to incorporate indigenous and folk elements into classical music. His first major work, the Suite Mexicana, was composed in 1928 and premiered in Mexico City the following year. The suite consists of four movements, each based on a different Mexican folk dance. The work was well-received and helped establish Uranga as a leading figure in the nationalist movement. In 1930, Uranga traveled to Europe to continue his studies. He studied piano with Alfred Cortot in Paris and composition with Paul Hindemith in Berlin. While in Europe, he also attended concerts and became familiar with the works of contemporary composers such as Igor Stravinsky and Béla Bartók. Uranga returned to Mexico in 1932 and continued to compose and perform. He became a professor of composition at the National Conservatory of Music and also taught at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. He was a prolific composer, and his works include orchestral, chamber, and vocal music. One of Uranga's most famous works is the Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, which he composed in 1941. The concerto is in three movements and features virtuosic piano writing and colorful orchestration. The work was premiered by the Mexico City Symphony Orchestra with Uranga as the soloist. The concerto has since become a staple of the piano repertoire in Mexico and has been performed by many pianists. Uranga's music continued to evolve throughout his career. In the 1950s, he began to incorporate serialism and other modernist techniques into his compositions. His later works are characterized by complex rhythms, dissonant harmonies, and unconventional forms. Uranga died on December 22, 1979, in Mexico City. He left behind a legacy of innovative and influential music that continues to be performed and studied today. His contributions to Mexican music and his role in the nationalist movement have earned him a place in the pantheon of Mexican composers.

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