TT he Living Composers Project  

Vitier, José María (b. January 7, 1954, Havana). Esteemed Cuban composer of orchestral, chamber, choral, vocal, and piano works that have been performed in the Americas and Europe; he is also active as a jazz composer and pianist.

Mr. Vitier is the son of the poets Cintio Vitier and Fina García Marruz. He studied piano privately with Cecilia Echevarría from 1962-65 and Margot Rojas from 1965-68 and with Cesar López at the Conservatorio Amadeo Roldán in Havana from 1968-75. He studied composition with José Loyola at the Instituto Superior de Arte in Havana 1977-81.

He has earned many awards, including First Prize in the national competition La Edad de Oro (1977, for Suite de canciones infantiles No. 1; 1984, for Suite de canciones infantiles No. 2) and the Premio UNEAC for best stage music (1980, for Valentín y Valentina and Guernica). He has also received the Distinción por la Cultura Nacional (1988) and the Medalla Alejo Carpentier (1998) and was a finalist for the Premio Tomás Luis de Victoria (2002).

Among the awards for recordings of his music are the Premio EGREM for best Cuban instrumental CD (1993, for El siglo de las luces; 1995, for Antologia de música para cine No. 1) and the Gran Premio EGREM for best Cuban CD (1993, for El siglo de las luces). He has also received the Gran Premio Cubadisco for best Cuban CD (1998, for Misa Cubana) and the Premio Cubadisco for best compilation (2002, for Canciones Compartidas). Most recently, he received the Gran Premio Cubadisco for best Cuban CD, the Premio Cubadisco for best vocal CD and the Premio Cubadisco for best production of the year (all 2003, for Canciones del Buen Amor). In addition, he has received Latin Grammy (2000, for Salmo de las Américas) and Premio Cubadisco (2001, for Melodías para Cine) nominations.

Among his many prizes for film music is the Premio Ocella at the Festival Internazionale de Film in Venice (1988, for Un señor muy viejo con unas alas enormes). In addition, he has twice received the Premio Coral for best film score at the Festival Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano (1992, for Mascaró, el cazador americano; 1999, for Un paraíso bajo las estrellas). He also received the award for best film score from the Asociación Cubana de Autores Musicales three times (1995, for Salón México; 1999, for Un embrujo; 2000, for Un paraíso bajo las estrellas) and the Premio Panambí at the Festival de Cine de Asunción (1996, for Fresa y Chocolate).

As a jazz pianist, he has played at leading festivals in Canada, Cuba, France, Mexico, Spain, and the USA and has also toured the Americas and Europe. He was the pianist of the fusion ensemble Síntesis from 1977-79 and led the Grupo de José María Vitier from 1984-91.

He taught piano at the Escuela Provincial de Música in Matanzas from 1975-77 and chamber music and piano at the Escuela Nacional de Arte in Havana from 1977-81.

In addition to the works listed below, Mr. Vitier has composed much didactic music and incidental music for dance, documentary, radio, theatre, and TV productions.

He is married to the poet Silvia Rodríguez Rivero.

CONTACT INFORMATION

E-mail address: jmvitier@cubarte.cult.cu or jmv@infomed.sld.cu

Street address: Mr. José M. Vitier, Calle 17 #55 entre M y N, Edificio FOCSA, Apto. 17-G, El Vedado, Havana CP 10400, Cuba

Telephone: 537 209 9546

Fax: 537 204 3235

Website: http://www.josemariavitier.com/ (Spanish only)

COMPLETE LIST OF WORKS (note that many jazz works have been rearranged as concert pieces without changing titles and others have been absorbed into pieces with different titles; such arrangements and adaptations are not noted)

STAGE: Fresa y Chocolate (musical, libretto by Silvia Rodríguez Rivero, Senel Paz), 2003-04

ORCHESTRAL: En silencio ha tenido que ser, guitar, orchestra, 1979 (also piano version); Tema de la amistad, harpsichord, orchestra, 1979; Domingo, flute, piano, string orchestra, 1979; Evasión, 1979; Tema de Julito el pescador, lute, piano, orchestra, 1979; En las entrañas, 1980; Tema para Lidia, trumpet, orchestra, 1980; Tu verdadero rostro, 1980; El regreso de David, guitar, orchestra, 1981; Por el mismo camino, 1982; El fin de la noche, guitar, orchestra, 1983; El otro mensaje, trumpet, piano, orchestra, 1986; Resplandor, 1986; Concierto Campestre, 1992; Tema de Carlos I-II, flute, orchestra, 1992; Sobre el Siglo de las Luces, string orchestra, 1994; Contradanza No. 1, 'Contradanza festiva', flute, piano, orchestra, 1995; Fresa y Chocolate, piano, orchestra, 1996 (also version for piano); Ilusión de realidad, piano, orchestra, 1996 (version of vocal work); Un paraíso bajo las estrellas, 1996 (version of vocal work); Cosas que dejé en La Habana, flute, trumpet, piano, orchestra, 1997; Un embrujo, cello, orchestra, 1998 (also version for girl's voice, soprano, mixed chorus, orchestra); Lágrima, piano, orchestra, 1998; Balada del Amor adolescente, piano, orchestra, 2000 (version of chamber work); Siete Piezas Cubanas, piano, orchestra, 2003

CHAMBER MUSIC: Trío, flute, cello, piano, 1977; Variaciones, violin, piano, 1978; Despedida, oboe, 2 pianos, percussion, 1980; Valentín y Valentina, soprano saxophone, piano, 1979; Intimidad, violin, piano, 1980 (also version for cello, piano, 1992); La soledad, flute, 4 celli, double bass, synthesizer, drumkit, 1980; Exilio, flute, piano, 1982; Ellos heredarán la tierra, string quartet, synthesizer, 2 percussion, 1986; Balada del Amor adolescente, cello, piano, 1992 (also version for piano, orchestra); Contradanza No. 4, 'Fuera del baile', flute, string quartet, piano, 1992 (version of piano work); Cortesanas I-II, violin, cello, harpsichord, 1992; Milagro de la flor, cello, piano, 1992; Miradas furtivas, alto saxophone, piano, 1992 (also version for violin, piano, 1992); Adrián, alto flute, piano, 2003 (version of piano work Tema para Silvia y José Adrián)

CHORAL: Sin-son (texts by Cintio Vitier, Fina García Marruz), mixed chorus, 1973; Serena (text by Juan Ramón Jiménez), mixed chorus, 1974; Retorna (text by Sindo Garay), mixed chorus, 1979; Esta germinal primavera (text by Pablo Neruda), mixed chorus, orchestra, 1983; Los montes altos (text by José Martí), soprano, tenor, mixed chorus, orchestra, 1983; Acerca de una canción antigua (text by Mirta Aguirre), mezzo-soprano, mixed chorus, orchestra, 1984; Ay luna que reluces (text by Juan de la Encina), soprano, mixed chorus, 1986; Agnus Dei, mixed chorus, piano, 1992 (version of vocal work); Te Deum, mixed chorus, orchestra, 1992; Kyrie eleison I-II, mixed chorus, orchestra, 1992; Hosanna, mixed chorus, orchestra, 1992; Nocturno (text by Mirta Aguirre), mixed chorus, 1994; Misa Cubana (texts from the Mass, Emilio Ballagas, Silvio Rodríguez Rivero), soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, mixed chorus, violin, cello, string quartet, piano (+ harpsichord), organ ad libitum, 3 Cuban percussion, string orchestra, 1996

CHORAL: Salmo de las Américas (oratorio, texts from the Bible, anonymous pre-Columbian sources, The Books of Chilam Balam, Christopher Columbus, Silvia Rodríguez Rivero, St. John of the Cross, Pablo Neruda, anonymous sources, Walt Whitman, José Martí, Carlos Pellicer), soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, mixed chorus, 3 Cuban percussion, large orchestra, 1997; Un embrujo (text from The Books of Chilam Balam), girl's voice, soprano, mixed chorus, orchestra, 1998 (version of orchestral work); Canciones del Buen Amor (texts by Silvia Rodríguez Rivero, Federico García Lorca, José Martí, the composer, José Jacinto Milanés, Cintio Vitier, Juan Ramón Jiménez, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, Pedro Calderón de la Barca), soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, children's chorus, mixed chorus, flute, electric guitar (+ steel-string guitar), string quartet, piano, 3 percussion, orchestra, 1994-2002 (also version for soprano/tenor, piano)

VOCAL: Abril sus alas abría (text by Nicolás Guillén), voice, 2 flutes, 2 guitars, 1974; La mañana después de la tormenta (text by Nicolás Guillén), voice, 2 flutes, 2 guitars, 1974; Suite de canciones infantiles No. 1 (text by Mirta Aguirre), voice, piano, 1977; En las horas de riesgo y de combate (text by José Martí), soprano, 2 pianos, 1978; Pasionaria (text by Nicolás Guillén), voice, 2 guitars, piano, percussion, 1982; Suite de canciones infantiles No. 2 (text by Mirta Aguirre), voice, piano, 1983; Te seré fiel (text by the composer), 2 tenors, orchestra, 1987; Agnus Dei, soprano, piano, 1992 (also choral version); Dueto (text from liturgical sources), soprano, baritone, piano, 1992; Romanza de los adolescentes (text by Juan Clemente Zenea), voice, piano, 1992; Se dice cubano (text by José Martí), voice, piano, 1993; Por un campo florido (text by José Martí), soprano/tenor, piano, orchestra, 1995; Ven (Cándida Tarde) (text by José Jacinto Milanés), soprano/tenor, piano, orchestra, 1995; Fantasía afro-cubana (text by the composer), voice, orchestra, 1996; Ilusión de realidad (text by Silvia Rodríguez Rivero), tenor, orchestra, 1996 (also version for orchestra); Un paraíso bajo las estrellas (text by Silvia Rodríguez Rivero), soprano, tenor, orchestra, 1996 (also version for orchestra); Son de la muerta (text by Silvia Rodríguez Rivero), female voice, orchestra, 1996

VOCAL: Criatura afortunada (text by Juan Ramón Jiménez), soprano, flute, violin, cello, double bass, piano, 2000; Canción de Otoño (text by Rubén Darío), voice, piano, 2001 (also version for piano); Soledad (text by Silvia Rodríguez Rivero), soprano, flute, violin, cello, double bass, piano, percussion, 2001; Te vas de mí (text by Silvia Rodríguez Rivero), soprano, flute, violin, cello, double bass, piano, percussion, 2001; Al alba, el bosque (text by Silvia Rodríguez Rivero), soprano, flute, violin, cello, double bass, piano, percussion, 2001; Silvia (text by Amaury Pérez), voice, piano, 2002 (version of piano work); La leyenda del Caballero y su destino (concerto, text by Silvia Rodríguez Rivero), mezzo-soprano, tenor, bass guitar, piano, 5 percussion, orchestra, 2002-03; Canciones del Buen Amor, soprano/tenor, piano, 2003-04 (version of choral work)

PIANO: Tema para Silvia y José Adrián, 1974 (also version as Adrián, alto flute, piano); Mediopunto, 1977; Bolero de trova, 1978; En silencio ha tenido que ser, 1985 (version of orchestral work); Contradanza No. 1, 'Contradanza festiva', 1992; Contradanza No. 2, 'Tarde en La Habana', 1992; Contradanza No. 3, 'Danza de Fin de Siglo', 1992; Preludio de Sofía, 1992; Contradanza No. 4, 'Fuera del baile', 1992 (also version for flute, string quartet, piano); Contradanza No. 5, 'Juego de muchacho', 1993; Poem of the Soul, 1993; Pequeña oración, 1995; Fugado y son nocturno, 1997; Mercedes (on a theme by Manuel Corona), 1999; Silvia, 1999 (also version for voice, piano); Berceuse y fuga, 2000; Canción de Otoño, 2003 (version of vocal work); Fresa y Chocolate, 2003 (version of orchestral work)

ARRANGEMENTS: Son de la Loma (Miguel Matamoros), double bass, piano, drumkit, 1999; Every time I feel the spirit – City called Heaven – Give me Jesus – Witness (Negro spirituals), soprano, piano, orchestra, 2001

FILM SCORES (DIRECTOR): Polvo rojo, 1982 (Jesús Díaz); Techo de vidrio, 1982 (Sergio Giral); El corazón sobre la tierra, 1983 (Constante Diego); En tres y dos, 1985 (Rolando Díaz); Aborígenes, 1986 (animation, Modesto García); Un señor muy viejo con unas alas enormes, 1988 (Fernando Birri); Río Negro, 1989 (Atahualpa Lichi); Mascaró, el cazador americano, 1992 (Constante Diego); Fresa y Chocolate, 1993 (Tomas Gutiérrez Alea, Juan Carlos Tabío); El elefante y la bicicleta, 1994 (Juan Carlos Tabío); Salón México, 1995 (José Luís García Agráz); Cosas que dejé en La Habana, 1997 (Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón); Un embrujo, 1998 (Carlos Carrera); Cuarteto de La Habana, 1999 (Fernando Colomo); Un paraíso bajo las estrellas, 1999 (Gerardo Chijona); Lista de espera, 2000 (Juan Carlos Tabío)

INSTRUMENTAL JAZZ COMPOSITIONS: Añoranza; Azar; Balada y rito; Barrock; Caleidoscopio; Cine de barrio; Diálogos; Días y Noches; Dime sí; La Habana engañadora; Hot Sax; Isabel; Isla infinita; Ludwig; El manisero se fue; Palabras en la calle; Pasatiempo; Prado y Colón; Rebeldía; Riesgo; Rondó; Rumba del Salón México; Samba al sur; Señales en la vía; Sexy Sax; Son desde lejos; Son dos; Tango con historia; Tango del nuevo pueblo viejo; Te; Tema musical del Festival Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano; Tesoro azul; Tres encuentros; Varias formas de esperar

VOCAL JAZZ COMPOSITIONS: El aire que te rodea (text by the composer); Bastos y espadas (text by Silvia Rodríguez Rivero); Calabaza, Calabaza (text by Silvia Rodríguez Rivero); La Habana sin tí (text by Silvia Rodríguez Rivero); La Habana y tú (text by Silvia Rodríguez Rivero); Llama de amor viva (text by St. John of the Cross); La mejor noche (text by Silvia Rodríguez Rivero); Ojos negros (text by Juan B. Ubago); Para empezar a vivir (text by the composer); Parejas equivocadas (text by Silvia Rodríguez Rivero); Por un campo florido (text by José Martí); Saludo y homenaje a Alicia Alonso (text by Eliseo Diego); Tengo miedo de perder la maravilla (text by Federico García Lorca); Tus ojos claros (text by the composer); Ven (Cándida Tarde) (text by José Jacinto Milanés)

(Last updated on August 23, 2003)
Jose Maria Vitier Jose Vitier