Puerto Rican musician
Musical artist
Jose Enrique Pedreira
(February 2, 1904 ? January 6, 1959) was a
Puerto Rican
composer
noted for
danzas
.
Early years
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Pedreira was one of four siblings born to Jose Maria Pedreira and Rosa Kehrham in
San Juan
,
Puerto Rico
.
His family, who was financially prosperous, sent him to the best private schools in the island. He began to take private music lessons at a young age. In 1922, he graduated from high school and was sent to
New York City
, by his parents, to continue his musical education.
[1]
He enrolled in the music school of
Zygmunt Stojowski
and learned
piano
and music composition. It was there that he met a fellow student who was to become his wife, Alicia Hutchinson.
[2]
During his student years he composed his first work, the waltz “Alicia”.
[3]
Musical career
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In 1932, Pedreira returned to Puerto Rico with his wife and established the Pedreira Academy of Music in San Juan. He gave piano lessons while she (a pianist in her own right) gave
piano
and violin lessons. During his spare time he composed music and danzas for piano, violin and
cello
.
[2]
The couple had one child, Jose Enrique “Quique” Pedreira Hutchinson.
[3]
Musical compositions
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Besides “Alicia”, his first composition, he composed "Cancion Criolla" in 1934, for which he was awarded the Elzaburu priz from the Ateneo Puertorriqueno. He also composed "Concierto en re menor para piano y orquestra" (Concert in R minor for Piano and Orquestra) and in 1942, “Ensueno de Marta” his first
danza
.
[3]
In October 1946. Pedreira's composition “Estudio de Concierto en Do Sostenido Menor” was included in Hilda Andino's concert at
Carnegie Hall
.
Pedreira also received many awards. He won a competition sponsored by the
Juilliard School of Music
in New York, with his composition "Tus Caricias" and a first prize for his danza "Siempre", during the celebration of
Juan Morel Campos
100th birthday in 1957.
[3]
Many of his compositions were used by other Puerto Rican artists, among them
Jesus Maria Sanroma
and
Graciela Rivera
. His compositions were not all piano related. He also composed various works to be played on the violin.
[3]
In 1953, Pedreira and Jose Raul Ramirez created the Duo Piano-Organo “Pedreira-Ramirez”. The duo performed in various weekly radio and television programs. They also performed in various cities in the United States.
[3]
Legacy
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Jose Enrique Pedreira died on January 6, 1959, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Jose Raul Ramirez was petitioned by his widow, Alicia Hutchinson, to become custodian of his works. During the years, Ramirez published many of the works by Pedreira.
[3]
In 1985, Pedreira was posthumously inducted into the Danza Composers Hall of Fame located in the town of
San German, Puerto Rico
.
[1]
Selected compositions
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- Cancion de cuna para un infante moribundo
(Lullaby for a Dying Child) for cello (or viola) and piano (1954)
- Caricias
(Your Tender Touch)
- Colibri
- Concerto in D minor for piano and orchestra
- Elegia India, Poema y Souvenir
- El Jardin de piedra
(Garden of Rock), Ballet; libretto by
Lotti Tischer
- Encanto
- Ensueno de Marta
(Martha's Dream), Danza for piano (1956)
- Nocturne melancholique
for piano (1950)
- No podras olvidarme
, Cancion Bolero for voice and piano (1947)
- Plenitude
, Nocturne for piano (1948)
- Ritmo
, Zapateado for piano (1956)
- Siempre
(Always), Danza for piano (1960); dedicated to
Juan Morel Campos
- Sonata in B
♭
minor for piano
- Suplica
, Danza for piano (1949)
- Tus caricias
, Danza for piano (1948)
- Vals en la major
(Waltz in A major) for piano (1949)
- Valses de Concierto
(Concert Waltzes)
Awards and recognitions
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Pedreira received many awards and recognitions during his lifetime. Some of the institutions that honored him were:
See also
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References
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External links
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