Vega, Aurelio de la, 1925-2022

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Aurelio de la Vega was born in La Habana, Cuba, November 28, 1925, educated at De La Salle College, Havana, 1940-1944 (B.A. in Humanities); University of Havana, 1944-1946 (M.A. in Diplomacy); Ada Iglesias Music Institute, Havana, 1951-1958 (M.A. in Musicology, 1956; Ph.D. in Composition, 1958) and studied composition privately with Fritz Kramer in Havana (1943-1946) and Ernst Toch in California (1947-1948). After occupying important positions in his native land (Editorial Secretary of Conservatorio, official review of the Havana Municipal Conservatory, 1950-1953; music critic of newspapers Alerta (1952-1957) and Diario de la Marina (1957), Havana; President, Cuban Section of the International Society for Contemporary Music, 1952-1954; President, Cuban National Music Council (Cuban branch of the International Council of Music of UNESCO), 1953-1957; Professor of Music and Chairman, Music Department, University of Oriente, Santiago de Cuba, 1953-1959; Treasurer, Cuban Section of the Inter-American Music Association (Caracas), 1955-1958; Vice-President, Havana Philharmonic Orchestra, 1956-1957), he toured the United States as lecturer (1952-1954) and settled in Los Angeles in 1959, becoming an American citizen in 1966.

After being a Guest Professor of Music at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles (summer 1959) he became Distinguished Professor of Music, Director of the Electronic Music Studio and Composer-in-residence at California State University, Northridge (1959-1992) and in 1971 he received the Outstanding Professor Award of the entire California State University system. He has most recently held the appointment of California State University, Northridge Distinguished Professor Emeritus.

In 1978 he received the Friedheim Award of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C. for his orchestral work "Adios" which was commissioned and premiered by Zubin Mehta and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He has been nominated four times for a Latin Grammy Award. Three of these nominations were for Best Classical Contemporary Composition: in 2009 for Variación del Recuerdo ("Variation of the Remembrance") for string orchestra, in 2012 for Prelude No. 1 for Piano[7] and in 2017 for Recordatio for soprano, woodwind quintet and string quintet. His fourth nomination was in 2019 for Best Classical Album "Cuba: The Legacy."

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Aaron Copland Collection, 1841-1991, (bulk 1911-1990) Library of Congress. Music Division
creatorOf Vega, Aurelio de la, 1925-. Correspondence with Eugene Ormandy, 1979. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
creatorOf Vega, Aurelio de la, 1925-. Obertura a una farsa seria = Overture to a serious farce / Aurelio de la Vega. Free Library of Philadelphia, Parkway Central Library
referencedIn The Moldenhauer Archives at Harvard University: Manuscript music compositions, 1880-1985. Houghton Library
creatorOf Moldenhauer, Hans,. The Moldenhauer Archives at Harvard University: Manuscript music compositions, 1880-1985. Houghton Library
referencedIn The Moldenhauer Archives at Harvard University: Correspondence, literary manuscripts, sound recordings, and other material, 1873-2001. Houghton Library
creatorOf Vega, Aurelio de la, 1925-. Para-tangents : for trumpet and pre-recorded sounds / Aurelio de la Vega. Peabody Conservatory, Arthur Friedheim Library
referencedIn Moldenhauer, Hans,. Aurelio de la Vega papers, 2001-2005. Houghton Library
creatorOf Vega, Aurelio de la, 1925-. Cantata para dos sopranos, contralto y orquesta de cámara = Cantata for two sopranos, alto and chamber orchestra / Aurelio de la Vega ; textos de = (poems by) Roberto Fernández Retamar. Free Library of Philadelphia, Parkway Central Library
referencedIn Koussevitzky, Serge, 1874-1951. Serge Koussevitzky Archive, 1920-1976 (bulk: 1924-1951) Library of Congress. Music Division
creatorOf Vega, Aurelio de la, 1925-. Tangents : for violin and pre-recorded sounds / Aurelio de laVega. Peabody Conservatory, Arthur Friedheim Library
referencedIn National Orchestral Association collection of rehearsal and concert recordings [sound recording], 1938-1968 The New York Public Library. Rodgers and Hammerstein Archives of Recorded Sound.
creatorOf Vega, Aurelio de la, 1925-. Homenagem : for piano / Aurelio de la Vega. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Moldenhauer, Hans,. The Moldenhauer Archives at Harvard University: Correspondence, literary manuscripts, and other material, 1873-2001. Houghton Library
creatorOf Vega, Aurelio de la, 1925-. Symphony in four parts / Aurelio de la Vega. Free Library of Philadelphia, Parkway Central Library
creatorOf Vega, Aurelio de la, 1925-. Divertimiento para violin, cello, piano y orquesta de cuerdas = Divertimento for violin, cello, piano and string orchestra / Aurelio de la Vega. Free Library of Philadelphia, Parkway Central Library
referencedIn Nicolas Slonimsky Collection, 1873-1997, (bulk 1920-1990) Library of Congress. Music Division
referencedIn Moldenhauer Archives at the Library of Congress, circa 1000-circa 1990 Library of Congress. Music Division
creatorOf Vega, Aurelio de la. Variants for piano (1964). excerpt (manuscript). National Library of Israel, Jewish National Library
referencedIn The Moldenhauer Archives at Harvard University: Correspondence, literary manuscripts, sound recordings, and other material, 1873-2001. Houghton Library
creatorOf Vega, Aurelio de la, 1925-. Olep ed arudamot (1974), versión IX (1987) / Aurelio de la Vega. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Moldenhauer, Hans. Hans Moldenhauer compilation of Aurelio de la Vega papers, 2001-2005 Houghton Library
creatorOf Vega, Aurelio de la, 1925-. Inflorescenia = Inflorescence : for soprano, bass clarinet and pre-recorded sounds : on a poem by the composer / Aurelio de la Vega. Peabody Conservatory, Arthur Friedheim Library
creatorOf Vega, Aurelio de la, 1925-. Antinomies : for piano / Aurelio de la Vega. University of California, Los Angeles
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
correspondedWith Copland, Aaron, 1900-1990 person
associatedWith Copland, Aaron, 1900-1990 person
associatedWith Fernández Retamar, Roberto. person
correspondedWith Koussevitzky, Serge, 1874-1951 person
associatedWith Moldenhauer, Hans person
associatedWith Moldenhauer, Hans, person
associatedWith Moldenhauer, Hans. person
correspondedWith Moldenhauer, Hans, collector. person
associatedWith Moldenhauer, Hans, collector. person
associatedWith National Orchestral Association (U.S.) corporateBody
correspondedWith Slonimsky, Nicolas, 1894-1995 person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Cuba NM US
California CA US
Subject
Aleatory music
Cantatas
Chamber orchestra music
Electronic music
Music
Overtures
Piano music
Piano trio with string orchestra
Songs (High voice) with bass clarinet
Symphonies
Trumpet music
Violin music
Occupation
Composers
Activity

Person

Birth 1925-11-28

Death 2022-02-12

Spanish; Castilian,

English

Information

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Ark ID: w6bd4q6z

SNAC ID: 85781949