Joaquín Nin-Culmell facts for kids
Joaquín María Nin-Culmell (born September 5, 1908 – died January 14, 2004) was a talented Cuban-Spanish composer and a world-famous concert pianist. He was also a respected music professor at the University of California, Berkeley.
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Early Life and Musical Training
Joaquín Nin-Culmell was born in Berlin, Germany. He was the youngest child of Joaquín Nin, a Cuban pianist and composer, and Rosa Culmell, a Cuban singer.
When his parents separated, his mother moved Joaquín, his sister Anaïs, and his brother Thorvald to New York City. They lived there for nine years.
At age 15, Joaquín and his family moved to Europe. He studied music at the Schola Cantorum and the Paris Conservatoire. In 1934, he won a top prize in music composition there. He learned from famous composers like Paul Dukas and Manuel de Falla. Manuel de Falla was one of Spain's most important composers. Joaquín studied many musical skills, including how to create melodies and harmonies.
Teaching and Performing Career
In 1939, Nin-Culmell moved to the United States. He taught at Middlebury College in Vermont for two years. After that, he joined the music department at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. A famous student of his there was Stephen Sondheim. Joaquín taught at Williams for ten years.
In 1950, he became a professor at the University of California, Berkeley. While at Berkeley, he led the University of California Symphony Orchestra. He also performed as a pianist with many music groups in the San Francisco Bay Area.
In 1952, he played his own piano concerto, the Concerto in C major, with the San Francisco Symphony. The orchestra was led by Pierre Monteux. Joaquín also guest conducted the symphony in 1953.
Musical Compositions
Joaquín Nin-Culmell wrote many different kinds of music. Some of his works include:
- Cuban Folk Songs for a mixed choir.
- Catalonian Folk Songs for a soprano singer and piano.
- Eight Variations on a Theme by Gaspar Sanz for orchestra.
Over time, his music started to focus more on religious themes. He was asked by France to compose the Symphony of Mysteries for organ and choir. In 1971, he wrote a Mass for St. Mary's Cathedral in San Francisco.
Achievements and Later Years
Throughout his life, Nin-Culmell performed concerts in many countries. These included France, Italy, England, Switzerland, Cuba, Spain, and Denmark. He was also a member of several important music organizations. These included the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando in Madrid and the French Legion of Honor.
Besides his music, Joaquín also wrote introductions for his sister Anaïs Nin's early diaries.
In 1974, Nin-Culmell retired from UC Berkeley. He continued to compose music and perform. He also helped many young artists and writers.
Joaquín Nin-Culmell kept composing even when he was very old. In 2001, he wrote an opera. While working on it in Spain, he had a stroke. This affected his eyesight and made him reduce his composing and performing.
On Christmas night in 2003, he had a heart attack. He passed away twenty days later, on January 14, 2004, in Berkeley, California. He was 95 years old.
His family includes his niece, Gayle Nin Rosenkrantz, and his nephew, Charles Thorvald Nin. He also mentored many musicians and composers.
Joaquín Nin-Culmell's personal papers are kept in important libraries. These include the Biblioteca de Catalunya, the University of California Riverside, and the University of California (Berkeley).
See also
In Spanish: Joaquín Nin-Culmell para niños
