Juan José Castro facts for kids
Juan José Castro (born March 7, 1895 – died September 3, 1968) was an important Argentine musician. He was famous for writing music (a composer) and for leading orchestras (a conductor).
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Early Life and Music Training
Juan José Castro was born in Avellaneda, a city in Argentina. He started learning music at a young age. He studied piano and violin with Manuel Posadas. He also learned how to compose music from Eduardo Fornarini in Buenos Aires.
In the 1920s, Juan José won the Europa Prize. This award helped him travel to Paris, France. There, he continued his music studies at the Schola Cantorum. His teachers in Paris included famous musicians like Vincent d'Indy and Édouard Risler.
A Career in Conducting
After finishing his studies, Castro returned to Buenos Aires in 1925. He quickly became a respected conductor. In 1928, he was chosen to lead the Renacimiento Chamber Orchestra. By 1930, he became a conductor at the famous Teatro Colón. This is one of the most important opera houses in the world.
From 1939 to 1943, he also taught music. He was a professor at the Buenos Aires Conservatory.
International Conducting Roles
Juan José Castro's talent was recognized around the world. In the 1940s, he began conducting orchestras in other countries. In 1947, he led the Havana Philharmonic in Cuba. Two years later, in 1949, he conducted the Sodre Orchestra in Uruguay.
From 1952 to 1953, he traveled to Australia. There, he was the conductor for the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. This orchestra was then known as the Victorian Symphony Orchestra. After his time in Australia, he returned to the Americas. He conducted the National Symphony in Buenos Aires from 1956 to 1960. From 1960 to 1964, he was the director of the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico.
Family Life
Music was a big part of the Castro family. Juan José had two brothers, José María and Washington. Both of them were also composers. Juan José Castro married the daughter of another composer, Julián Aguirre. He passed away in Buenos Aires in 1968, at the age of 73.
Musical Compositions
Juan José Castro wrote many different types of music. He composed pieces for various instruments and orchestras. Here are some of his notable works:
- Violin Sonata, 1914 (a piece for violin and piano)
- Cello Sonata, 1916 (a piece for cello and piano)
- Piano Sonata No. 1, 1917 (a piece for piano)
- A una madre, 1925
- Symphony No. 1, 1931 (a large piece for orchestra)
- Biblical Symphony, 1932
- Mekhano, ballet, 1934 (music for a dance performance)
- Sinfonia Argentina, 1934
- Symphony No. 3, 1936
- Symphony No. 4, 1939
- Piano Sonata No. 2, 1939
- Offenbachiana, ballet, 1940
- Piano Concerto, 1941 (a piece for piano and orchestra)
- String Quartet, 1942 (a piece for four string instruments)
- La zapatera prodigosa opera after Federico García Lorca, 1943 (a play set to music)
- Martin Fierro, cantata, 1944 (a vocal piece with instruments)
- El Llanto de las Sierras, 1947
- Corales Criollos No. 1 & 2, piano, 1947
- Proserpina y el extranjero (Proserpina and the Foreigner), opera after Omar del Carlo, 1951
- Bodas de sangre (Marriage of Blood), opera after Lorca, 1952
- Corales Criollos No. 3, orchestra, 1953
- Symphony No. 5, 1956
- Epitafio en ritmos y sonidos, chorus and orchestra, 1961
- Suite introspectiva, orchestra, 1962
See also
In Spanish: Juan José Castro para niños
