José Serebrier facts for kids
José Serebrier, born on December 3, 1938, is a famous conductor and composer from Uruguay. He has recorded more music than almost any other conductor of his time.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
José Serebrier was born in Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay. His parents were from Russia and Poland. He showed musical talent very early. At just eleven years old, he conducted an orchestra for the first time. This was with his school orchestra.
His school orchestra toured around Uruguay. This allowed young José to conduct over one hundred performances in only four years. He finished his studies at the Municipal School of Music in Montevideo when he was fifteen. There, he learned to play the violin, studied solfege (music theory), and learned about Latin American folk music. He also studied composition and conducting.
When he was fifteen, he won a composition contest. He wrote an overture called "Legend of Faust." However, he was too young to conduct his own winning piece. A famous conductor named Eleazar de Carvalho conducted it instead. Later that year, Eleazar de Carvalho became one of José's conducting teachers.
José Serebrier received a special scholarship to study music in the United States. He learned from many great musicians. These included Aaron Copland and Pierre Monteux. When he was seventeen, his first symphony was performed. A very famous conductor, Leopold Stokowski, conducted it.
A Career in Conducting
José Serebrier made his big New York conducting debut in 1965. This was at Carnegie Hall, a very famous concert venue. He conducted with the American Symphony Orchestra.
In 1965, he helped perform a very difficult piece of music. It was Ives' Fourth Symphony. This symphony was so hard that it needed three conductors at its first performance. Stokowski, Serebrier, and another conductor worked together. A few years later, Serebrier was able to conduct the entire symphony by himself. Critics praised his recording of this work.
He held many important conducting jobs. He was the main guest conductor for the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra in Australia. Leopold Stokowski also named him the Associate Conductor of the American Symphony Orchestra. He held this role for five years.
In 1969, José Serebrier married American soprano singer Carole Farley. They have worked together on several music recordings.
José Serebrier travels all over the world. He conducts many different orchestras. He has toured with the Russian National Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and many others. His first international tour was with the Juilliard Orchestra. They visited 17 countries in Latin America.
Composing Music
José Serebrier is also a talented composer. His music is known for being energetic, colorful, and melodic. Two of his most popular works are his Third Symphony and his "Fantasia for strings."
He has also written some unique pieces. One example is "Passacaglia and Perpetuum Mobile for accordion and chamber orchestra." His music is published by several well-known companies. All of his compositions have been recorded. In 2012, he wrote a "Flute Concerto with Tango." This piece was specially written for the flutist Sharon Bezaly.
Awards and Recognition
José Serebrier has received many awards for his musical work. He has been nominated for Grammy Awards 37 times. He has won 8 Grammys, which is a huge achievement.
In 1976, he won the Ditson Conductor's Award. This award recognized his dedication to American music. He also won a Latin Grammy Award in 2004. He won for Best Classical Album for his own work, the "Carmen Symphony." In 2005, he was nominated for another Latin Grammy.
Selected Compositions
- 1952 Elegy for strings
- 1955 Sonata for Viola Alone
- 1956 Symphony No. 1, in one movement
- 1957 Momento Psicológico for trumpet & orchestra
- 1960 Fantasia for strings
- 1963 Variations on a Theme from Childhood, for trombone (or bassoon) & strings
- 1963 Symphony for Percussion (5 players)
- 1966 Passacaglia and Perpetuum Mobile, for accordion & chamber orchestra
- 1998 Violin Concerto "Winter"
- 2003 Symphony No. 3 for string orchestra & soprano ("Symphonie mystique")
- 2009 Flute Concerto with Tango, for flute and string orchestra
See also
In Spanish: José Serebrier para niños
