Dieter Lehnhoff
Encyclopedia
Dieter Lehnhoff is a composer, conductor, and musicologist.
to German
settlers, 1955, Dieter Lehnhoff has been a pupil of Klaus Ager
, Gerhard Wimberger
, Josef Maria Horváth
, and Dr. Friedrich C. Heller in Salzburg
. His musique concréte work Requiem
was premiered in 1975 at the Austria
n Broadcasting (ORF).
He earned his master's (M.A.
) and doctoral (Ph.D.
) degrees with distinction at the Benjamin T. Rome School of Music of The Catholic University of America
in Washington, D.C.
, where he was a graduate student of Conrad Bernier and Helmut Braunlich
(composition), Donald Thulean (conducting), Cyrilla Barr, Ruth Steiner, and Robert M. Stevenson (musicology). http://lamc.cua.edu
, Spain
, in 2002, and has been performed by different professional choirs at festivals in Medellín
, Tokyo
, and New York City
. His Piano Concerto No. 1 (2005), dedicated to the Russian
pianist and teacher, Alexandr Sklioutovski, was premiered in June, 2006 at the National Theatre in Guatemala City
by José Pablo Quesada as soloist and the Millennium Orchestra, the composer conducting. In 2007, it was performed to critical acclaim and great enthusiasm at the National Theatre in San José, Costa Rica, again with pianist Quesada and the composer conducting the National University Symphony Orchestra. Quesada also performed it at the 15th Latin American Music Festival in Caracas, Venezuela in May, 2008, with the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Venezuela
. Lehnhoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 (2007) was very successfully premiered in August, 2008 in Guatemala City by concert pianist Sergio Sandí, with the combined Millennium Orchestra and Bachensemble Leipzig
, the composer conducting. The concertos are written in a personal, highly original post-modern style in which contemporary art-music idioms and techniques, but also blues
, tango
, and jazz
influences can be traced. His aphoristical twelve-tone Hai-kai for piano have attracted the attention of scholars such as the distinguished musicologist Dr. Tamara Sklioutovskaia, and have been performed by international pianists. His piano and chamber music has been performed at numerous festivals in Europe
, North- and South America
. His dyptich Escenas primigenias was published on CD and served as a model for cinematic development. His stage work in progress Satuyé, on an own multilingual libretto, is about the Afro-Caribbean Garinagu (or Garifuna) people and their arrival at Central America
n shores.
has revealed a previously unknown musical wealth, including the Maya, Renaissance
, baroque
, classical
, romantic
, 20th century, and current trends. From the early 1980s on, Dieter Lehnhoff had become interested in searching for music composed in Central America
and specifically Guatemala
during the Spanish rule (1524–1821). His research initiatives brought to light a number of compositions by Renaissance
masters Hernando Franco
, Pedro Bermúdez
, and Gaspar Fernández, as well as Guatemalan baroque
composers Manuel José de Quirós
, Rafael Antonio Castellanos
, Pedro Antonio Rojas, and José Eulalio Samayoa
. A first anthology was published in Antigua Guatemala
in 1984. The music was revived in a number of concerts conducted by Lehnhoff, thus surprising the musical world with a new repertoire of high quality. The first series of digital recordings (1992–99), which spanned from the late Maya
times to the end of the 20th century, was released as part of the monumental Historia General de Guatemala, an encyclopedic publication in six volumes written by over 150 specialists in every historical area. The series of seven CDs included premiere recordings of music from every historical period. The revival of the historic Music of Guatemala
through Lehnhoff's concerts, writings, and recordings had a significant effect on the strengthening of the cultural identity of Guatemalans in times of civil confrontation and turmoil. The dissemination of his musical and historical findings at more than 40 international festivals, concerts, congresses, and meetings also helped to restore the cultural image and prestige of the country.
As a conductor, he has founded and directed various instrumental groups, orchestra
s, and choral groups. He has been invited to perform as a conductor, composer, lecturer, or leader of his Millennium Ensemble at over forty international festivals and concerts in Argentina
, Austria
, Brazil
, Chile
, Colombia
, Costa Rica
, Cuba
, El Salvador
, Germany
, Guatemala
, Japan
, Mexico
, Nicaragua
, Paraguay
, Spain
, the United States
, and Venezuela
. He has produced a series of compact discs with premiere recordings of works by Guatemalan composers of all times.
at the Universidad Rafael Landívar http://www.url.edu.gt/PortalURL/Contenido.aspx?o=1676&s=55, which is under his direction, and which is primarily devoted to musicological research. He has taught numerous courses in musicology
, music theory, applied music, and composition. He has also been an invited professor at the doctoral programme of the National University of Costa Rica
. For his extensive writings he was made a corresponding member of the Royal Spanish Academy, being also invited to join the Academies of History of Argentina
, Guatemala
, Puerto Rico
, Spain
, Uruguay
, and Venezuela
.
He is founder and president of the Guatemalan Music Council, affiliated to the International Music Council
of Unesco
.
Stage: Streichquartett, music theatre (1974); Milarepa Superstar, musical
(1977, score lost); Satuyé, opera
(2007).
Vocal-choral: Cinco canciones criollas (1976); Cantos latinos de natividad (1988); Misa de San Isidro (2001); Chaaj: el juego de pelota Maya (2003).
Piano: Album para la juventud (1988); Hai-kai (2001).
Electro-acoustic: Requiem (1975); Memorias de un día remoto (1999), Rituales nocturnos (1999).
Life
Born in Guatemala CityGuatemala City
Guatemala City , is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Guatemala and Central America...
to German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
settlers, 1955, Dieter Lehnhoff has been a pupil of Klaus Ager
Klaus Ager
Klaus Ager is an Austrian composer and conductor.Ager studied at the Mozarteum in Salzburg. From 1975 to 1986 he directed the Österreichische Ensemble für Neue Musik . In 1977 he founded the ASPEKTE-FESTIVAL, which celebrated its thirtieth anniversary in 2006...
, Gerhard Wimberger
Gerhard Wimberger
Gerhard Wimberger is an Austrian composer and conductor.-Career:Wimberger studied at the Mozarteum in Salzburg...
, Josef Maria Horváth
Josef Maria Horváth
Josef Maria Horváth is a Hungarian composer, pianist, and conductor.-Life:At the Jesuit School of his hometown he learned to play the organ. After high school he studied Piano, Composition, and Conducting at the Liszt Academy in Budapest. In 1956 he was awarded his diploma with distinction, and...
, and Dr. Friedrich C. Heller in Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
. His musique concréte work Requiem
Requiem
A Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead or Mass of the dead , is a Mass celebrated for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, using a particular form of the Roman Missal...
was premiered in 1975 at the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n Broadcasting (ORF).
He earned his master's (M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
) and doctoral (Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
) degrees with distinction at the Benjamin T. Rome School of Music of The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, where he was a graduate student of Conrad Bernier and Helmut Braunlich
Helmut Braunlich
Helmut Braunlich is a German-American violinist, composer, and musicologist.-Education:He received his formal musical education at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria, where he studied violin with Christa Richter-Steiner, composition with Egon Kornauth, and music history with Eberhard Preussner...
(composition), Donald Thulean (conducting), Cyrilla Barr, Ruth Steiner, and Robert M. Stevenson (musicology). http://lamc.cua.edu
Recent works
His original compositions have been performed in Europe and the Americas. His Misa de San Isidro (2001) for a cappella chorus was premiered in Tenerife, the Canary IslandsCanary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, in 2002, and has been performed by different professional choirs at festivals in Medellín
Medellín
Medellín , officially the Municipio de Medellín or Municipality of Medellín, is the second largest city in Colombia. It is in the Aburrá Valley, one of the more northerly of the Andes in South America. It has a population of 2.3 million...
, Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. His Piano Concerto No. 1 (2005), dedicated to the Russian
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
pianist and teacher, Alexandr Sklioutovski, was premiered in June, 2006 at the National Theatre in Guatemala City
Guatemala City
Guatemala City , is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Guatemala and Central America...
by José Pablo Quesada as soloist and the Millennium Orchestra, the composer conducting. In 2007, it was performed to critical acclaim and great enthusiasm at the National Theatre in San José, Costa Rica, again with pianist Quesada and the composer conducting the National University Symphony Orchestra. Quesada also performed it at the 15th Latin American Music Festival in Caracas, Venezuela in May, 2008, with the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
. Lehnhoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 (2007) was very successfully premiered in August, 2008 in Guatemala City by concert pianist Sergio Sandí, with the combined Millennium Orchestra and Bachensemble Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
, the composer conducting. The concertos are written in a personal, highly original post-modern style in which contemporary art-music idioms and techniques, but also blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
, tango
Tango music
Tango is a style of ballroom dance music in 2/4 or 4/4 time that originated among European immigrant populations of Argentina and Uruguay . It is traditionally played by a sextet, known as the orquesta típica, which includes two violins, piano, double bass, and two bandoneons...
, and jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
influences can be traced. His aphoristical twelve-tone Hai-kai for piano have attracted the attention of scholars such as the distinguished musicologist Dr. Tamara Sklioutovskaia, and have been performed by international pianists. His piano and chamber music has been performed at numerous festivals in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, North- and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. His dyptich Escenas primigenias was published on CD and served as a model for cinematic development. His stage work in progress Satuyé, on an own multilingual libretto, is about the Afro-Caribbean Garinagu (or Garifuna) people and their arrival at Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
n shores.
Revival of historical music
His research of the Music of GuatemalaMusic of Guatemala
The music of Guatemala is diverse. Music is played all over the country, even in the remotest corners. Towns also have wind and percussion bands -week processions, as well as on other occasions. The Garifuna people of Afro-Caribbean descent, who are spread thinly on the northeastern Caribbean...
has revealed a previously unknown musical wealth, including the Maya, Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
, baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
, classical
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
, romantic
Romance (music)
The term romance has a centuries-long history. Applied to narrative ballads in Spain, it came to be used by the 18th century for simple lyrical pieces not only for voice, but also for instruments alone. During the 18th and 19th centuries Russian composers developed the French variety of the...
, 20th century, and current trends. From the early 1980s on, Dieter Lehnhoff had become interested in searching for music composed in Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and specifically Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
during the Spanish rule (1524–1821). His research initiatives brought to light a number of compositions by Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
masters Hernando Franco
Hernando Franco
Hernando Franco was a Spanish composer of the Renaissance, who was mainly active in Guatemala and Mexico.- Life :Franco was born in Galizuela in Extremadura, a source region for many people who came to the New World in the 16th century...
, Pedro Bermúdez
Pedro Bermúdez
Pedro Bermúdez was a Spanish composer and chapel master, who has been recognised as one of the most outstanding polyphonists in the New World, and who was active in Granada, Antequera, Cusco, Santiago de Guatemala , and Puebla.-Life:Pedro Bermúdez was born 1558 in Granada, Spain...
, and Gaspar Fernández, as well as Guatemalan baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
composers Manuel José de Quirós
Manuel José de Quirós
-Life:Born in Santiago de Guatemala, present day Antigua Guatemala, towards the end of the 17th century, Quirós had a religious education while pursuing his musical apprenticeship and reaching the level of a journeyman...
, Rafael Antonio Castellanos
Rafael Antonio Castellanos
Rafael Antonio Castellanos was a Guatemalan classical composer. His style is that of the late Spanish baroque, pre-classical, and classical periods, with frequent reference to Guatemalan folk music idioms.-Life:...
, Pedro Antonio Rojas, and José Eulalio Samayoa
José Eulalio Samayoa
-Biography:José Eulalio Samayoa was educated within the system of guilds, progressing from apprentice to journeyman before becoming a master. He founded the Philharmonic Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, with a series of musical and liturgical celebrations held on July 2, 1813...
. A first anthology was published in Antigua Guatemala
Antigua Guatemala
Antigua Guatemala is a city in the central highlands of Guatemala famous for its well-preserved Spanish Mudéjar-influenced Baroque architecture as well as a number of spectacular ruins of colonial churches...
in 1984. The music was revived in a number of concerts conducted by Lehnhoff, thus surprising the musical world with a new repertoire of high quality. The first series of digital recordings (1992–99), which spanned from the late Maya
Maya civilization
The Maya is a Mesoamerican civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the pre-Columbian Americas, as well as for its art, architecture, and mathematical and astronomical systems. Initially established during the Pre-Classic period The Maya is a Mesoamerican...
times to the end of the 20th century, was released as part of the monumental Historia General de Guatemala, an encyclopedic publication in six volumes written by over 150 specialists in every historical area. The series of seven CDs included premiere recordings of music from every historical period. The revival of the historic Music of Guatemala
Music of Guatemala
The music of Guatemala is diverse. Music is played all over the country, even in the remotest corners. Towns also have wind and percussion bands -week processions, as well as on other occasions. The Garifuna people of Afro-Caribbean descent, who are spread thinly on the northeastern Caribbean...
through Lehnhoff's concerts, writings, and recordings had a significant effect on the strengthening of the cultural identity of Guatemalans in times of civil confrontation and turmoil. The dissemination of his musical and historical findings at more than 40 international festivals, concerts, congresses, and meetings also helped to restore the cultural image and prestige of the country.
As a conductor, he has founded and directed various instrumental groups, orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
s, and choral groups. He has been invited to perform as a conductor, composer, lecturer, or leader of his Millennium Ensemble at over forty international festivals and concerts in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
, Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
. He has produced a series of compact discs with premiere recordings of works by Guatemalan composers of all times.
Academic programmes
In the academic field he also pioneered by establishing and directing several institutions and programmes devoted to the strengthening of musical culture in Guatemala. Thus, he proposed and carried out the design and establishment of the Music Department at the Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, which offered, for the first time in the country, a Bachelors degree and a teaching license in Music. He also established the Institute of MusicologyMusicology
Musicology is the scholarly study of music. The word is used in narrow, broad and intermediate senses. In the narrow sense, musicology is confined to the music history of Western culture...
at the Universidad Rafael Landívar http://www.url.edu.gt/PortalURL/Contenido.aspx?o=1676&s=55, which is under his direction, and which is primarily devoted to musicological research. He has taught numerous courses in musicology
Musicology
Musicology is the scholarly study of music. The word is used in narrow, broad and intermediate senses. In the narrow sense, musicology is confined to the music history of Western culture...
, music theory, applied music, and composition. He has also been an invited professor at the doctoral programme of the National University of Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
. For his extensive writings he was made a corresponding member of the Royal Spanish Academy, being also invited to join the Academies of History of Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
, and Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
.
He is founder and president of the Guatemalan Music Council, affiliated to the International Music Council
International Music Council
The International Music Council was created in 1949 as UNESCO's advisory body on matters of music. It is based at UNESCO's headquarters in Paris, France, where it functions as an independent international non-governmental organization...
of Unesco
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
.
Selected compositions
Orchestral: Kammersinfonie (1975, rev. 1989); Symphony No. 2 (1990); Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 1 (Dieter Lehnhoff) (2005); Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 (2007).Stage: Streichquartett, music theatre (1974); Milarepa Superstar, musical
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
(1977, score lost); Satuyé, opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
(2007).
Vocal-choral: Cinco canciones criollas (1976); Cantos latinos de natividad (1988); Misa de San Isidro (2001); Chaaj: el juego de pelota Maya (2003).
Piano: Album para la juventud (1988); Hai-kai (2001).
Electro-acoustic: Requiem (1975); Memorias de un día remoto (1999), Rituales nocturnos (1999).
Books
- Creación musical en Guatemala. Guatemala City: Editorial Galería Guatemalea, 2005. http://www.karnobooks.com/cgi-bin/karno/81112.html
- Huellas de la guerra en el arte musical Guatemala City: International Red Cross Committee, 1999.
- Música y músicos de Guatemala. Guatemala City: Universidad Rafael Landívar, Cultura de Guatemala, 1995.
- Rafael Antonio Castellanos: vida y obra de un músico guatemalteco. Guatemala City: Universidad Rafael Landívar, Instituto de Musicología, 1994.
- Espada y pentagrama: la música polifónica en la Guatemala del siglo XVI. Guatemala City: Universidad Rafael Landívar, 1984.