Sergio Barroso


Sergio Fernández Barroso is a Cuban composer, performer and professor.

Academic Background

Sergio Barroso studied piano, theory and organ with Alfredo Levi, César Pérez Sentenat, Edgardo Martín, and Alfredo Díez Nieto at the Havana National “Amadeo Roldán” Conservatory, where he received an Honours Diploma in 1966.
At a later time he did post-graduate studies in composition and theory with Václav Dobiáš and Karel Jánacek at the Superior Academy of Music in Prague, and obtained a Post-Graduate Certificate at this institution in 1968. He took private classes with Alois Hába in the same city. Barroso also studied Orchestral Conducting with Manuel Duchesne Cuzán and Gonzalo Romeu at the Superior Institute of Arts, in Havana and computer music with John Chowning and Jean-Claude Risset at CCRMA, Stanford University.

Composer

As a composer, Sergio Barroso has received numerous commissions from organizations and individual performers; and has kept a busy international career, appearing frequently at ISCM events. He participated at the ISCM New Music Miami Festival as invited composer in 2004 and 2007.
Sergio Barroso's works have been performed at numerous concerts and events in the Americas, Europe and Asia; in venues such as the Lincoln Centre ; the Kennedy Centre ; the Monte Carlo Theatre ; IRCAM ; Smétana Hall ; Philharmonic Hall ; Elizabeth Hall ; Warsaw Autumn Festivals; Alicante and Manuel de Falla Festivals; Operas ; Manila National Theatre, and São Paulo State Symphony Hall.
His works have been also broadcast through national networks in Europe, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand and throughout South and North Americas.
Sergio Barroso's music appears on the labels Areíto, SNE, Centredisc, CBC Records, Bonk, Blue Note, and Empreintes Digitales.
His music has represented both Canada and Cuba at the UNESCO TRIMALCA, the UNESCO International Rostrum of Composers in Paris and the UNESCO International Rostrum of Electroacoustic Music.

Performer

As a keyboardist, Barroso has mainly performed his own music and has also specialized in baroque music. He has performed at the National Arts Centre, IRCAM and UNESCO, South Bank Centre, Pollack Hall, Chapelle historique du Bon-Pasteur and Glenn Gould Studio ; as well as in Cuba, Banff, Bourges, Brussels, Calgary, Kingston, Madrid, Mexico City, Miami, Oslo, Prague, Seattle, and Vancouver. Barroso has commissioned and premiered numerous works for keyboard controlled synthesizers by Canadian composers.

Professor

Sergio Barroso served as professor at the National Conservatory in Havana, Cuba from 1968 to 1973 and from 1978 to 1980. He taught at the National School of Music in Havana from 1968 to 1976, and at the University of Havana from 1976 to 1980. He was also appointed as Head of the music departments at the National Library of Havana and the Havana University; as Head of contemporary music for the Cuban Broadcasting Institute, from 1975 to 1977; and as head of music for the Ministry of Culture, Cuba from 1977 to 1980.
In 1980, Barroso established his permanent residence in Canada, and after a brief period teaching at Trent University, he moved to the West Coast to teach at the University of Victoria from 1981 to 1984, and at the Simon Fraser University in 1986. He has also taught electronic music and FM synthesis at the Mexico City National “Carlos Chávez” Conservatory.

Awards and recognitions

Sergio Barroso has received numerous recognitions in Cuba, Canada, Europe, Latin America, and the USA, including awards in the Concours International de Musique Électroacoustique de Bourges ; the Cintas/Arts International ; the International Music Council Rostrums of Composers ; the IMC Rostrums of Electroacoustic Music , ; IMC Rostrum of Latin American Music ; the Lynch-Staunton Award, and several national awards in Cuba.

Other professional activities

Barroso has been appointed as Director of the Music departments at the Havana National “José Martí” Library, the University of Havana, and the Cuban Ministry of Culture ; as music writer for the Havana daily paper Juventud Rebelde, and as broadcaster for the Cuban National Radio and Television Network , and the Vancouver Cooperative Radio. He also served as secretary-general of the Cuban section of the International Music Council ; as an associate of the Canadian Music Centre, as a member of the Canadian League of Composers and of SOCAN, and as a founding member of the Canadian Electroacoustic Community.

Works

Sergio Barroso's ample catalog include music for ballet ; for acoustic instruments or ensembles with tape or live electronics ; and purely electronic works.
Orchestra:
Chamber:
Vocal:
Piano:
Electroacoustic:
Stage:
Multimedia:
Rumbos, fixed media, slide projections, 1975

Discography