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Valera, Roberto (b. December 21, 1938, Havana). Cuban composer of mostly orchestral, chamber and electroacoustic works that have been performed throughout the Americas and elsewhere.
Mr. Valera studied music at the Conservatorio Amadeo Roldán in Havana and later had post-graduate studies in composition with Andrzej Dobrolowski and Witold Rudzinski at the Frédéric Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw. He has a degree in education from the Escuela Normal para Maestros in Havana and a PhD in pedagogy from the University of Havana.
Among his honors are First Prize in a competition of the Cuban Ministry of Culture (1985, for Concierto por la Paz) and the National Award from UNEAC (1989, for his entire oeuvre). In addition, he has received the Alejo Carpentier Medal, the Félix Varela Medal and the National Culture Award of the Council of the State. The Ministry of Higher Education has also awarded him for his contribution to Cuban education. Other honors include the Basse Terre Medal in Guadeloupe, the José Maria Heredia Medal of the province of Santiago (Cuba), the Karol Szymanowski Medal of the Polish Ministry of Art and Culture, and many others.
He has held different positions on the executive board of UNEAC (Unión Nacional de Escritores y Artistas de Cuba), including a term as president of its music section from 1990-92.
In addition to the works listed below, Mr. Valera has composed music for numerous ballets, cartoons and films.
CONTACT INFORMATION
E-mail address: rvalera@cubarte.cult.cu
SELECT LIST OF WORKS
ORCHESTRAL: Devenir, 1969; Concierto por la Paz, saxophone, orchestra, 1985; Extraplan, 1990; Yugo y estrella, 1995; Concierto de Cojimar, guitar, orchestra, 1998; Non divisi, string orchestra, 1999
CHAMBER MUSIC: String Quartet, 1967; Tres Impertinencias, ensemble, 1971; Tierra de sol, cielo y tierra, ensemble, 1993; Glosas del tiempo recobrado, violin, cello, piano, percussion, 1994
CHORAL: Ire a Santiago, mixed chorus, 1969; Cuatro Poemas de Nicolás Guillén, soprano, mixed chorus, orchestra, 2001
VOCAL: Conjuro, soprano, orchestra, 1968
PIANO: Doce Estudios Caribeños, 2002; Van Gogh's Blues Ear, 2002; Cuento Sonoro, 2004
ELECTROACOUSTIC: Ajiaco, tape, 1990; Palmas, tape, 1992; Periodo espacial, tape, 1993; Loa del camino, tape, 1999; Las Sombras no Abandonan, tape, 2000
(Last updated on June 16, 2004)
