Efrain Loyola
Encyclopedia
Efrain Loyola was a Cuban
flautist
from Cienfuegos
, who had the distinction of being one of the oldest active flautists in the world, had a career that spanned over 7 decades and for a period, was a captain in the Cuban militia
and fought in the War against the Bandits
.
boy and a baker to make a living while learning and playing flute. Some of his earliest work was with the hundred-year-old Banda Municipal de Conciertos of Cienfuegos (Municipal Concert Band of Cienfuigos), which he started playing with in 1937.
and his own band, The Efrain Loyola Orchestra.
, granted by the Cuban Workers' Organization.
Loyola was often seen in elegant suits and with a walking stick, on the main streets of Cienfuegos, with his hair straightened in the 50s style. He was also a Danzón
fan and admirer of Miguelito Cuní and was considered an authority on Cuban musical history.
Loyola was leading his band regularly up until his death. He was buried in the local cemetery of his home town of Cienfuegos by friends, family and admirers.
“Celestino Dias Flores”, who maintained and standardized the wooden 5 key type needed to play charanga
s with the proper color after the Böehm
system appeared and most manufacturers stopped making the 5 and 6 key wooden flutes.
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...
flautist
Flautist
A flautist or flutist is a musician who plays an instrument in the flute family. See List of flautists.The choice of "flautist" versus "flutist" is the source of dispute among players of the instrument...
from Cienfuegos
Cienfuegos
Cienfuegos is a city on the southern coast of Cuba, capital of Cienfuegos Province. It is located about from Havana, and has a population of 150,000. The city is dubbed La Perla del Sur...
, who had the distinction of being one of the oldest active flautists in the world, had a career that spanned over 7 decades and for a period, was a captain in the Cuban militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
and fought in the War against the Bandits
War Against the Bandits
The War Against the Bandits was a six-year rebellion in the Escambray Mountains by a group of Cuban insurgents who opposed the new Communist government led by Fidel Castro...
.
Early life
Loyola worked as a shoeshineShoeshine
Shoeshine is a 1946 film and the first major work directed by Vittorio De Sica. In it, two shoeshine boys get into trouble with the police after trying to find the money to buy a horse.-Plot:...
boy and a baker to make a living while learning and playing flute. Some of his earliest work was with the hundred-year-old Banda Municipal de Conciertos of Cienfuegos (Municipal Concert Band of Cienfuigos), which he started playing with in 1937.
Career
Among the groups with which Loyola worked were the Conjunto Tradicional de Sones Los Naranjos, the Ritmica 39Orquesta Aragón
Orquesta Aragón was formed on 30 September 1939, by Orestes Aragón Cantero in Cienfuegos, Cuba. The band originally had the name Ritmica 39, then Ritmica Aragón before settling on its final form. Though they did not create the Cha-cha-cha, they were arguably the best charanga in Cuba during 1950s...
and his own band, The Efrain Loyola Orchestra.
Awards and merits
Loyola was given almost 150 acknowledgments and awards in his lifetime, including: "Worthy Member of the Writers and Artists Association of Cuba (UNEAC)", "Distinguished Son of Cienfuegos City", "The Jagua Award" and the order of Jesús MenéndezJesús Menéndez, Cuba
-Demographics:In 2004, the municipality of Jesús Menéndez had a population of 51,002. With a total area of , it has a population density of ....
, granted by the Cuban Workers' Organization.
Loyola was often seen in elegant suits and with a walking stick, on the main streets of Cienfuegos, with his hair straightened in the 50s style. He was also a Danzón
Danzón
Danzón is the official dance of Cuba. It is also an active musical form in Mexico and is still beloved in Puerto Rico where Verdeluz, a modern danzón by Puerto Rican composer Antonio Cabán Vale is considered the unofficial national anthem...
fan and admirer of Miguelito Cuní and was considered an authority on Cuban musical history.
Loyola was leading his band regularly up until his death. He was buried in the local cemetery of his home town of Cienfuegos by friends, family and admirers.
Instrument
Loyola played a “Celeste” flute, named after the Cuban flautist and luthierLuthier
A luthier is someone who makes or repairs lutes and other string instruments. In the United States, the term is used interchangeably with a term for the specialty of each maker, such as violinmaker, guitar maker, lute maker, etc...
“Celestino Dias Flores”, who maintained and standardized the wooden 5 key type needed to play charanga
Charanga
Charanga is a term given to traditional ensembles of Cuban dance music. They made Cuban dance music popular in the 1940s and their music consisted of heavily son-influenced material, performed on European instruments such as violin and flute by a Charanga orchestra....
s with the proper color after the Böehm
Boehm System
The Boehm system is a system of keywork for the flute, created by inventor and flautist Theobald Boehm between 1831 and 1847.Prior to the development of the Boehm system, flutes were most commonly made of wood, with an inverse conical bore, eight keys, and tone holes that were small in size, and...
system appeared and most manufacturers stopped making the 5 and 6 key wooden flutes.