Armando Santiago
Encyclopedia
Armando Santiago is a Canadian composer
, conductor
, music educator, and university administrator of Portuguese
birth. A member of the Canadian League of Composers
, his compositional output includes a considerable amount of orchestra
l works and chamber work
s. Some of his more well known compositions are Suite for bassoon and piano (1960), Soneto de Camões for baritone and string orchestra (1966), Sinfonia (1966, written for the Jeunesses musicales du Canada), Sonata (1968, commissioned by the University of Lisbon), Simetrias (1970), Prismes (1970), Heterogenia-Movimento per 32 solisti (1971, commissioned by the Gulbenkian Foundation of Lisbon), Requies for male choir and 25 instruments (1979–83), Undecassônia (1975) and Trame (1985-9) for orchestra, and Musique pour quatre (1988). In 1962 he composed the film score
for Ernesto de Sousa's Dom Roberto. From 1974-1978 he was the director of the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Trois-Rivières
and from 1978–1985 he was the director of the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Québec
.
, Santiago became a naturalized Canadian citizen in 1972. He studied singing and piano privately in his native city before entering the Lisbon Conservatory where he earned a premier prixs in music history (1954) and music composition (1960). He then studied the techniques of musique concrète
with Pierre Schaeffer
through the research service of the Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision Française
in Paris in 1960. From 1962-1964 he studied in Rome with Boris Porena
privately and with Goffredo Petrassi
at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia
through grants awarded to him by the governments of Portugal and Italy. He obtained an advanced studies diploma in music composition from the Accademis in 1964. He also pursued studies in conducting with Hans Münch
in Lisbon and Franco Ferrara
in Siena.
After teaching classes in music theory, composition, and conducting in Lisbon during the 1960s, Santiago emigrated to Canada in 1968 to join the music faculty at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Trois-Rivières
. He became the director of that school in 1974, a position he held until 1978 when he was appointed director of the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Québec
. Among his notable pupils are Pierre-Michel Bédard and Gilles Bellemare
.
In 1977-1978 Santiago conducted performances of his compositions played by the CBC Quebec Chamber Orchestra. He has also worked as a guest conductor with orchestras in Portugal, Germany, and Canada during the 1970s and 1980s.
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
, music educator, and university administrator of Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
birth. A member of the Canadian League of Composers
Canadian League of Composers
The Canadian League of Composers is an organization formed in 1951 of Canadian composers primarily interested in raising awareness and acceptance of Canadian music. The activities of the League are overseen and directed by an executive and a National Council...
, his compositional output includes a considerable amount of orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
l works and chamber work
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
s. Some of his more well known compositions are Suite for bassoon and piano (1960), Soneto de Camões for baritone and string orchestra (1966), Sinfonia (1966, written for the Jeunesses musicales du Canada), Sonata (1968, commissioned by the University of Lisbon), Simetrias (1970), Prismes (1970), Heterogenia-Movimento per 32 solisti (1971, commissioned by the Gulbenkian Foundation of Lisbon), Requies for male choir and 25 instruments (1979–83), Undecassônia (1975) and Trame (1985-9) for orchestra, and Musique pour quatre (1988). In 1962 he composed the film score
Film score
A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film, forming part of the film's soundtrack, which also usually includes dialogue and sound effects...
for Ernesto de Sousa's Dom Roberto. From 1974-1978 he was the director of the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Trois-Rivières
Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Trois-Rivières
The Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Trois-Rivières is a music conservatory located in Trois-Rivières, Quebec.Most of the school's students come from the Saint-Maurice region of Quebec; many of them from the conservatoire preparatory programs at the school of St-Gabriel du Cap-de-la-Madeleine...
and from 1978–1985 he was the director of the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Québec
Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Québec
The Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Québec is a music conservatory located in Quebec City, Quebec. Founded by the Quebec government in 1944, it became the second North American music institution of higher learning to be entirely state-subsidized...
.
Life and career
Born in LisbonLisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, Santiago became a naturalized Canadian citizen in 1972. He studied singing and piano privately in his native city before entering the Lisbon Conservatory where he earned a premier prixs in music history (1954) and music composition (1960). He then studied the techniques of musique concrète
Musique concrète
Musique concrète is a form of electroacoustic music that utilises acousmatic sound as a compositional resource. The compositional material is not restricted to the inclusion of sounds derived from musical instruments or voices, nor to elements traditionally thought of as "musical"...
with Pierre Schaeffer
Pierre Schaeffer
Pierre Henri Marie Schaeffer was a French composer, writer, broadcaster, engineer, musicologist and acoustician of the 20th century. His innovative work in both the sciences —particularly communications and acoustics— and the various arts of music, literature and radio presentation after the end...
through the research service of the Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision Française
Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision Française
The Office de Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française was the national agency charged, between 1964 and 1974, with providing public radio and television in France.-Post World War II:...
in Paris in 1960. From 1962-1964 he studied in Rome with Boris Porena
Boris Porena
Boris Porena is an Italian thinker, music composer and didactical expert. He is married to Paola Bučan, a famous Croatian cellist and teacher, who is a tenured professor at the Perugia Conservatory....
privately and with Goffredo Petrassi
Goffredo Petrassi
Goffredo Petrassi was an Italian composer of modern classical music, conductor, and teacher. He is considered one of the most influential Italian composers of the twentieth century.-Life:...
at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia
Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia
The Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia is one of the oldest musical institutions in the world, based in Italy.It is based at the Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome, and was founded by the papal bull, Ratione congruit, issued by Sixtus V in 1585, which invoked two saints prominent in Western...
through grants awarded to him by the governments of Portugal and Italy. He obtained an advanced studies diploma in music composition from the Accademis in 1964. He also pursued studies in conducting with Hans Münch
Hans Münch (conductor)
Hans Münch was a Swiss conductor, composer, cellist, pianist, organist, and music educator of Alsatian birth. His compositional output includes one symphony , a Sympbonische Improvisationen , and a number of cantatas.-Life and career:Born into a family of musicians in Mulhouse, France, Münch was...
in Lisbon and Franco Ferrara
Franco Ferrara
Franco Ferrara was an Italian conductor.After obtaining diplomas in piano, violin, organ and musical composition at the Conservatory of Bologna, Ferrara began his career as violin player in Bologna, in Rome and in Florence, with the Orchestra of Maggio Musicale Fiorentino...
in Siena.
After teaching classes in music theory, composition, and conducting in Lisbon during the 1960s, Santiago emigrated to Canada in 1968 to join the music faculty at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Trois-Rivières
Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Trois-Rivières
The Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Trois-Rivières is a music conservatory located in Trois-Rivières, Quebec.Most of the school's students come from the Saint-Maurice region of Quebec; many of them from the conservatoire preparatory programs at the school of St-Gabriel du Cap-de-la-Madeleine...
. He became the director of that school in 1974, a position he held until 1978 when he was appointed director of the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Québec
Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Québec
The Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Québec is a music conservatory located in Quebec City, Quebec. Founded by the Quebec government in 1944, it became the second North American music institution of higher learning to be entirely state-subsidized...
. Among his notable pupils are Pierre-Michel Bédard and Gilles Bellemare
Gilles Bellemare
Gilles Bellemare was a Canadian politician from Quebec. He ran as a Liberal candidate in 1973 for the district of Rosemont and won with 51% of the vote. He was defeated in 1976 with 33% of the vote. He was succeeded by Parti Québécois candidate Gilbert Paquette.-Footnotes:...
.
In 1977-1978 Santiago conducted performances of his compositions played by the CBC Quebec Chamber Orchestra. He has also worked as a guest conductor with orchestras in Portugal, Germany, and Canada during the 1970s and 1980s.