Alberto Ginastera

Full biography Alberto Ginastera

Alberto Ginastera was an Argentine composer and one of the most important musical figures in Latin America during the 20th century. He was born on April 11, 1916, in Buenos Aires, and he died on June 25, 1983, in Geneva, Switzerland.

Ginastera's music is often characterized by its incorporation of Argentine folk rhythms, harmonies, and melodies, while also drawing influences from European modernism. His music is considered to span multiple genres, including opera, ballet, chamber, and orchestral music.

Ginastera was a student of prominent Argentine composer and educator, Alberto Williams. He later traveled to the United States, where he studied with Aaron Copland at Tanglewood and at the Berkshire Music Center. During this time, Ginastera began to incorporate more modernist techniques in his compositions.

His early works, such as the ballet "Estancia" and the opera "Don Rodrigo," firmly established Ginastera's reputation as a composer. His later works, which include the "Piano Concerto No. 1" and "String Quartet No. 2," showcase a more complex, experimental style.

Throughout his career, Ginastera received numerous awards and honors, including the Rome Prize and the Guggenheim Fellowship. He was also a teacher at the National University of La Plata and the National Conservatory in Buenos Aires, where he influenced a generation of Argentine composers.

Ginastera's music continues to be performed worldwide, and his legacy as a leading figure in Latin American music endures.