Olga de Blanck facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Olga de Blanck
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Birth name | Olga de Blanck |
Born | Havana, Cuba |
March 11, 1916
Died | July 28, 1998 Havana, Cuba |
(aged 82)
Occupation(s) | Pianist, composer, guitarist |
Instruments | Piano, guitar |
Years active | 1935-1998 |
Olga de Blanck y Martín (born March 11, 1916, died July 28, 1998) was a talented Cuban musician. She was a skilled pianist, guitarist, and composer. Olga was born in Havana, Cuba. Her parents were Hubert de Blanck and Pilar Martín.
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Olga's Early Life and Education
Olga de Blanck started her music journey early. In 1924, she joined the Conservatorio Nacional de Música. This music school was very special to her family. Her father had founded it in 1885.
At the Conservatory, Olga studied many musical subjects. She learned to play the piano and studied solfeggio. Solfeggio is a way to learn music by singing notes. She also learned about music theory.
After finishing her studies there, Olga kept learning. She studied harmony in Havana. Her teachers were famous Cuban musicians. They included Amadeo Roldán, a composer and violinist. She also learned from Pedro Sanjuan, a music professor and conductor.
Olga traveled to learn even more. From 1935 to 1938, she lived in New York City. There, she studied fugue and counterpoint. These are advanced ways to write music. Her teacher was the Brazilian composer Walter Burle Marx. Later, from 1943 to 1944, she lived in Mexico. In Mexico, she studied with composers Julián Carrillo and Carlos Jiménez Mabarak.
Olga's Amazing Music Career
When Olga returned to Cuba, she started working at the National Conservatory of Music. She helped lead the school's technical side. She also worked with composer Gisela Hernández. Together, they created new ways to teach basic music.
Olga helped start Ediciones de Blanck. This was a publishing company. It focused on books about music history and teaching music. She also founded the Sala Teatro Hubert de Blanck. This was a theater space. She even created an opera department at the Conservatory. This helped both professional and student singers improve their skills.
In 1956, Olga created the Conservatory's Departamento de Actividades Culturales. This department had three parts: Music, Theater, and Cultural Activities. It helped connect the Conservatory with other music schools. They shared ideas and learned from each other.
Olga became a leader at the Conservatory. In 1945, she was named the deputy director. Then, in 1955, she became the director of the entire Conservatory.
Composing and Awards
Olga de Blanck was a talented composer. In 1943, her musical called Vivimos Hoy was performed for the first time. In 1948, she won a big award. It was the Premio Nacional de la Canción Cubana. She won it for her song "Mi Guitarra Guajira." This song was dedicated to the singer Esther Borja.
Olga also helped with important music projects. In 1957, she helped update "40 Dances for Piano." These were by the famous composer Ignacio Cervantes. Ediciones de Blanck published them in 1959. In 1965, she joined a team. Their job was to find and publish important works by Cuban composers.
A year later, Olga won all ten prizes in a competition. This competition was for the best children's songs. It was held by the Unión de Pioneros de Cuba. This was the first time the Cuban government tried to help children learn music.
Promoting Cuban Music
In 1961, Olga put together a collection of popular Cuban songs. It was for the Escuela de Instructores de Arte. The collection was called Música Popular Cubana. It included songs by famous artists like Eliseo Grenet and Ernesto Lecuona.
Starting in 1966, she worked with the Consejo Nacional de Cultura. She also worked with the Departamento de Música de la Biblioteca Nacional José Martí. They wanted to publish books about Cuban composers. But only one book, about Ignacio Cervantes, was published.
In 1968, Olga was part of a team for education. She also wrote for a magazine called Simientes. This magazine was for teachers and parents of young children. In 1971, she helped start the Museo de la Música in Havana. This is a music museum.
Music Education for Children
Olga de Blanck had a huge impact on music education in Cuba. She helped bring new teaching methods to schools. She is known for starting the Cuban musical kindergarten. With Gisela Hernández, she wrote many children's songs. They wrote about 110 songs. They also created musical games and story books. They wrote short piano pieces and books to help young children love music.
Many of her songs were inspired by Cuban folk music. She used Cuban rhythms and traditional instruments. The guitar was a special inspiration for her.
Later Life and Passing
Olga de Blanck passed away in Havana on July 28, 1998. She was 82 years old.
Olga de Blanck's Works
Here are some of the musical pieces Olga de Blanck created:
- Canciones: setenta y tres canciones; Songs; 1935-1954
- Vivimos hoy; Musical in 3 Acts, text by María Julia Casanova; 1943
- Hotel Tropical; Musical in 3 Acts, text by María Julia Casanova; 1944
- Así te quise; Text by María Collazo; 1954
- Guíame a Belén; Song; 1957
- Muy felices pascuas; Song; 1957
- Canto porque te quiero; Song; 1957
- Mi guitarra guajira; Song; 1957
- Recuerdas aquel diciembre; Song; 1957
- Se que volverás; Song; 1957
- La vida es el amor; Song; 1957
- Brujos; Song; 1957
- ¿Qué estaba pensando?; Song; 1957
- Hasta mañana mi amor; Song; 1957
- Por lejos que estés; Song; 1957
- Hasta luego mi amor; Song; 1957
- Embrujo de amor; Song; 1957
- Un cuento de Navidad; Musical in 3 Acts, text by María Julia Casanova; 1958
- 17 canciones cubanas; Songs; 1960-1970
- 6 traditional Cuban and Latin American Carols; Choral music; 1961-1962
- 24 traditional Cuban and Latin American Songs; Songs; 1961-1962
- El encuentro; Ballet; 1962
- Bohio; Ballet; 1964
- 109 canciones; Songs; 1966-1973
- El mago de Oz; Theater music in 1 Act (incidental music); 1967
- El caballito enano; Musical fairy-tale in 1 Act, text by Dora Alonso; 1967
- Saltarín; Musical fairy-tale, text by Dora Alonso; 1967
- Cantata guajira; Cantata for solo voice, mixed chorus, and orchestra; text by Emilio Ballagas; 1967
- Trío de Cecilia Arizti; Trio for violin, cello and piano; 1968-1969
- Trío de Hubert de Blanck; Trio for violin, cello and piano; 1968-1969
- Mi patria cubana; Children's Songs; 1969
- 26 sobre mi tierra; Lyrics by Mirta Aguirre; 1969
- Canciones infantiles: La guira; Children's Songs; 1970
- La tojosa; Lyrics by Dora Alonso; 1970
- Pentasílabo; Instrumental - for piano, güiro, quijada, and tumbadora; 1972
- Décima es; Lyrics by Mirta Aguirre; 1972
- Yo sé los nombres extraños; Lyrics by José Martí; 1972
- Aprende que hoy no es ayer; Lyrics by Mirta Aguirre; 1972
- Yo no me quejo no; Song; 1972
- Canciones de Misifú; Children's Songs; 1972
- Paso una paloma; Lyrics byNicolás Guillén; 1973
- Camino mujer sin sombra; Lyrics by Mirta Aguirre; 1973
- El agua lenta del río; Lyrics by Mirta Aguirre; 1973
- No quiero aprender tus bailes; Lyrics by Mirta Aguirre; 1973
- 5 canciones; Lyrics by Pepita Veritsky; 1973
- Decimas guerreras; Choral music after the opera Patria by Hubert de Blanck; 1979
- Portocromía; Piano; 1981
- Misa cubana; Mass for mixed voices and organ; 1987
- Mayombe-Bombe-mayombe; Instrumental; 1987
- Son; Lyrics by Rosario Antuña; 1988
- Plegaria Así dijo Santa Rosa Filipa; For solo voice and organ; 1989
- Caña dulce (Sugar Cane); Piano
- El guajirito (The Country Farm Worker); Piano
- Homenaje a la danza cubana (Homage to the Cuban Dance); Piano: I - Manuel Saumell; II - Ignacio Cervantes ; III - Ernesto Lecuona
- La jaquita criolla (The Native Jaquita); Piano
Olga also did more educational work, often with Gisela Hernández. She also transcribed and arranged music by other composers.
See also
In Spanish: Olga de Blanck para niños