Luis Polanco, the musical journalist, died last Tuesday

Posted by Marcel Soleda on May 11, 2006  |  Leave a comment

Luis Polanco, musical journalist from El Periódico de Catalunya and subdirector of the Festival Castell de Peralada, died in Barcelona last Tuesday May 9th.   Born in Las Arenas (Basque Country), studied Politic Science and his professional career was devoted to culture and specially music and theatre.  Polanco had been working for years in El Periódico de Catalunya as a musical journalist, specialized in classical music.

He collaborated with the most important institutions in Spain, and was the Artistic Subdirector of the Festival Internacional de Música Castell de Peralada since 1995. Polanco always had an excellent relationship with Tritó and Cadaqués Orchestra.

Sevillan composer Manuel Castillo dies

Posted by Marcel Soleda on November 1, 2005  |  Leave a comment

November begins for us with sad news: Manuel Castillo, one of Andalucia’s most interesting and personal 20th-century composers, has died. Born in Seville in 1930, he studied music in his home town, Madrid and Paris, under Conrado del Campo and Nadia Boulanger, among others.

A highly accomplished piano player, he also wrote outstanding compositions for the organ and voice. It is, however, his three symphonies, together with the three concertos for piano and orchestra, that are the essential works in an oeuvre totalling 150 compositions. Both the symphonies and the concertos are part of the Manuel Castillo’s catalogue published by Tritó Edicions.

He taught for forty years at the Seville Music Conservatory, also holding the post of director. Today, this institution bears the composer’s name. Winner of numerous awards, his highest recognition was the Spanish National Music Prize, which he won on two occasions, 1959 and 1990.