Candelario Huízar facts for kids

Candelario Huízar García de la Cadena (born February 2, 1883, died May 3, 1970) was a famous Mexican composer, musician, and music teacher. He wrote four symphonies and many other pieces. He is especially known for his "tone poems," which are like musical stories. He also arranged music by other great composers like Vivaldi and Bach.

Early Life of Candelario Huízar

Candelario Huízar was born in Jerez, Zacatecas, Mexico. His family was not wealthy. When he was very young, he started working as a goldsmith's helper. Even as a child, he loved music and taught himself to play the guitar.

Huízar's Musical Journey

Huízar began his formal music studies with Narciso Arriaga, learning to play the saxophone. In 1892, he joined the Municipal Marching Band of Jerez. Later, he played the viola in a string quartet led by Enrique Herrera. He also studied music theory, called harmony, with Aurelio Elías.

He became a member of the Banda de Música del Primer Cuadro del Batallón de Zacatecas. During the Mexican Revolution, he even played in a brass band.

Moving to Mexico City

In 1917, Huízar moved to Mexico City. There, he joined the Marching Band of the North Division. The next year, he became part of the Presidential Guard Marching Band. This band was led by Melquíades Campos.

Studying at the Conservatory

Huízar enrolled in the National Conservatory of Music. He studied the horn with Arturo Rocha. He also learned harmony with Estanislao Mejía and Aurelio Barrios y Morales. For composition, he studied with Gustavo Campa and Rafael J. Tello.

In 1920, he started working at the National Conservatory as a copyist. Soon after, he became a librarian there.

Teacher and Composer

By 1924, Huízar had finished his studies as a horn player and composer. He played horn in theater orchestras and in the Symphonic Orchestra of the Conservatory. He also taught music analysis at the Conservatory until 1952. He taught harmony, composition, and how to arrange music for different instruments.

From 1928 to 1937, he was also a writer and librarian for the National Symphony Orchestra.

Huízar created many pieces for orchestras and choirs. He also took traditional Mexican songs and arranged them for instruments. He wrote four symphonies, which are still played by many Mexican orchestras today.

In 1951, he received the National Award of Science and Arts in Fine Arts. This was a very important award for his contributions to music.

Later Life and Legacy

Later in his life, Huízar became very ill and could not move much. He was working on his fifth symphony, but he could not finish it. He passed away on May 3, 1970, in Mexico City.

Since 2010, a music conference called "SURCO" is held every year in Jerez. It is named after one of Huízar's famous symphonic poems.

Main Musical Works

Candelario Huízar composed many different types of music. He wrote four symphonies, which are large musical pieces for an orchestra. He also wrote "symphonic poems," which are orchestral pieces that tell a story or describe a scene.

Here are some of his well-known works:

• Imágenes, 1919 - a symphonic poem
• A Una Onda, 1928 - a romance piece
• Sonata for clarinet and bassoon, 1931
• Pueblerinas, 1931 - a symphonic poem
• Surco, 1935 - a symphonic poem
• Ochpanixtli, 1936 - a symphony
• Concierto Grueso, 1937
• Symphony No. 4, 1942

He also arranged music by other composers like Bach, Vivaldi, and Juventino Rosas.

Discography

• Mi Alma Mexicana (My Mexican Soul)

See also

In Spanish: Candelario Huízar para niños