Vega, Aurello de la (1925–)

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Vega, Aurello de la (1925–)

Aurelio de la Vega (b. 28 November 1925). Born in Havana, Vega is one of Cuba's most prominent composers of the twentieth century. He received his bachelor's degree in humanities from De La Salle College in Havana in 1944, then went on to complete a doctorate in diplomacy at the University of Havana in 1947. His musical training began with private lessons from Frederick Kramer (1942–1946).

In 1947 Vega was appointed cultural attaché to the Cuban consulate in Los Angeles. There he studied composition with Ernest Toch. Upon his return to Cuba in 1949, Vega became editorial secretary of Conservatorio, the official publication of the Havana Municipal Conservatory. The following year he composed Legend of the Creole Ariel for piano and cello.

From 1953 to 1959 Vega was dean of the music department of the University of Oriente in Santiago. In the latter year he returned to Los Angeles. He became professor of music at San Fernando Valley State College (now California State University at Northridge), and has continued to produce a variety of musical works. In 1966 he received his American citizenship. In 1994 he retired from full time teaching and became a professor emeritus. Four years later, he won the prestigious FACE (Facts About Cuban Exiles) award. In 2001 the spring-summer issue of the Latin American Music Review was dedicated to him in honor of his seventy-fifth birthday. In 2004 he received the Herencia award for his accomplishments in teaching and composing.

See alsoMusic .

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Compositores de la América/Composers of the Americas 7 (1961): 98.

A. B. Ramsay, "Aurelio de la Vega: His Life and His Works" (Ph.D. diss., San Fernando Valley State College, 1963); New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (1980).