Lorenzo Álvarez Florentín facts for kids

Lorenzo Álvarez Florentín (born August 10, 1926 – died July 9, 2014) was a famous musician from Paraguay. He was a talented composer and played the violin wonderfully.

Lorenzo Álvarez was known for many beautiful songs. Some of his most famous works include "Soul and Violin" and "Night Whistle". He also wrote "Go Albirroja Go", which became a very popular song for Paraguay's national football team. Besides music, he also studied journalism at the National University of Asunción. He played the violin professionally for about seventy years! His parents were Turiano Álvarez and Ramona Florentín.

Early Life and Musical Start

Lorenzo's love for music started very early. When he was just 8 years old, he made his own violin! He taught himself how to play it, showing how naturally gifted he was.

Young Lorenzo quickly decided he wanted to be a musician. Music was his biggest passion, and he knew he was good at the violin. At age 11, he moved to Encarnación. This city was a big cultural center. There, he could study music with teachers who helped him get even better.

The Molinas brothers were the first to really help him with his music studies. He even started his music career playing in their band.

Building a Music Career

Lorenzo stayed in his home region for over ten years. Then, in 1950, he moved to Asunción, the capital city. He wanted to find more success there. He offered his violin skills to any band that needed him. At the same time, he kept studying with the best music teachers.

In 1952, a musician named Leonardo Alarcón started a big band. He invited Lorenzo to join. Alarcón was a trumpeter and composer. Working with Alarcón's band gave young Lorenzo Álvarez the chance to play professionally with amazing artists.

After a year with Alarcón's group, Lorenzo took a big step forward. The famous composer and conductor Florentín Giménez asked him to be the first violin in his group, "Traditional and Modern." In the mid-1950s, this group was incredibly popular. It had 14 members, including well-known musicians. They performed at the most important events all over Paraguay.

Lorenzo always wanted to learn more. He worked to improve his violin playing. He also studied music theory and sight-reading. He learned from Alfredo Kamprad at the Normal School of Music. In 1955, he became a senior violin teacher there. He also studied harmony with Juan Carlos Moreno González. A year later, he finished his training by studying composition with Florentín Giménez. In 1959, he won first prize in a music contest in Asunción.

In the early 1960s, Álvarez started his own band called "International Rhythm Band." For more than ten years, his band played popular Paraguayan dance music and international hits.

New Musical Paths

For many years, Lorenzo focused on playing the violin. He joined famous bands and later led his own. In 1970, he decided to play less professionally. He wanted to spend more time studying the violin deeply. He also wanted to learn more about harmony and composing music.

He continued to play in the Symphony Orchestra of the City of Asunción (OSCA). He had been a member since it started in 1957. He stayed with the orchestra until he retired in 1992.

Famous Musical Works

Lorenzo Álvarez created many well-known pieces. "Soul and Violin" is a joyful song that needs great skill to play on the violin. Other famous works include "Night Whistle" and "Sweet Melody." He also wrote "Cirilo R. Zayas" and, most famously, the march "La Albirroja" with Ángel Peralta Arellano.

He also wrote songs dedicated to his children with Rudi Torga. These include "Madrecita Mía," "Che haitéma lo mitâ," "Purahéi," "Gustaví," "Mirtha Elizabeth," "Luisito," "Maria Victoria," and "Gladys Sunilda." He also composed symphonic poems like "Jasy Retâ," "Sailor on the High Seas," "Malecón del Puerto," and "Journey to the Horizon."

Even at 78 years old, Lorenzo was still very active in music. He led the José Asunción Flores folk orchestra at the National Conservatory of Music. He also taught violin there. He often performed with his son Luís, or with other famous musicians like Juan Cancio Barreto and Berta Rojas. Lorenzo Álvarez passed away from a heart attack on July 9, 2014.

See also

In Spanish: Lorenzo Álvarez Florentín para niños