Evelio Agustín Tieles Ferrer

Outstanding Cuban violinist and pedagogue trained in the Russian school of violin who has promoted and organized in Cuba the teaching of bowed string instruments.

From an early age, he began studying violin with his father, also receiving advice from maestro Joaquín Molina.

Between 1952 and 1954, Tieles studied violin in Paris, France, with Jacques Thibaud and René Benedetti. In 1955 he returned to Paris and entered the National Superior Conservatory of Music of that city. In 1958 he went to study at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow, where he was a student of David Oistrakh and Igor Oistrakh. Tieles graduated in 1963 and upon recommendation of the Conservatory he went on to study the Master's degree, from 1963 to 1966, with the aforementioned professors. He also received advice from Henryk Szering and Eduardo Hernández Asiaín.

He holds a degree in Art History since 1981. He defended his Master's degree in 2010 at the Higher Institute of Art (ISA), now University of the Arts.

As a soloist, he has performed concerts in various countries in North America, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East. He has premiered works by several contemporary composers, some of which have been dedicated especially to him, among them, Harold Gramatges, Alfredo Diez Nieto, Roberto Valera, Gerhard Glöckner, Ramón Barce and Salvador Pueyo.

He founded the Chamber Orchestra of the National School of Art (ENA) in 1970, the Orchestra of the Higher Institute of Art (1981), the Chamber Orchestra of Vila Seca (1986), the Chamber Ensemble of Havana (1988) and the Chamber Orchestra of Camagüey (1994). He was artistic director of the Vila-Seca orchestra for 27 years. As a result of his pedagogical activity in the 90s, two chamber orchestras were born: the Manuel Saumell, now dissolved; and what is currently the Chamber Orchestra of Havana.

He was President of the Musicians Section of the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (UNEAC) from 1977 to 1984. He was also professor and Head of the Strings Department of the National School of Art (1966-1971) and (1975-1981); Head of the Strings Department of the Higher Institute of Art (1976-1984) and (1998-2004) and National Strings Advisor (1967-1981) and (1997-2004).

He was professor (1984-2010), Head of the Strings Department (1984 to 2006), Sub-director (1986-2000) at the Professional Music Conservatory of Vila Seca. At the Superior Conservatory of the Liceo of Barcelona (2000-2002), professor (1986-2007), Head of the Strings Department (1987 to 2002), Head of the Chamber Music Department (1991-1998) and Academic Director (2000-2002). He has been artistic director of the Vila-Seca orchestra for 25 years, 1986-2011. He is Professor Emeritus of the Professional Music Conservatory of Vila Seca.

In addition to his outstanding work as a concert performer and professor, Evelio Tieles has dedicated great energy, time and effort to promoting activities in favor of teaching and cultural development, both in his native Cuba and in Spain. During the Post-revolutionary period (after 1960), he promoted and organized in Cuba the teaching of bowed string instruments, and fundamentally violin.

Tieles worked for years as an organizer of Cuban Music Days and Contemporary Music Festivals of Socialist Countries. He also created the Contemporary Music Festival of Havana, and founded together with his brother Cecilio, the Tieles Duo, for which renowned composers have composed works such as Ramón Barce, Xavier Benguerel, Harold Gramatges, José Ardévol, Nilo Rodríguez, Salvador Pueyo and Gottfried Glöckner.

Distinctions and Recognition
In 1962, Tieles received a Diploma of Honor at the Wieniawsky International Competition in Poland; in 1964, Honorable Mention at the Paganini Competition, in Italy, and in 1966, Diploma of Honor at the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. He has also received national awards, among which stand out the distinctions for "National Culture" and "Artistic Teaching", the "Diploma for Artistic Merit" awarded by the Higher Institute of Art in 2002, the "50th Anniversary Medal of the FAR" in 2007 and the medal "Distinction for National Culture" in 2011.