Odilio Urfe Gonzalez

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Born in Madruga, province La Habana this musicologist, pianist, professor and conductor.

Son of the notable musician José Urfé, with whom he began his musical studies. He worked in the Madruga band of music, directed by his father. He also pursued musical studies with his mother, Leonor González, and with professor María Josefa Pardiñas, with whom he perfected his knowledge of piano. He was equally a student of the Municipal Conservatory of La Habana between 1938 and 1947, where he received classes from professor Luisa Maria Chartrand.

He worked as a pianist in popular music groups. In 1931 he established and directed the Orquesta Ideal.

Between 1942 and 1950 he was a flutist in the orchestra of Cheo Belén Puig. In 1945 he worked as pianist of the Chamber Orchestra of the Habanero Municipal Conservatory of Music.

By suggestions of Leopoldo Stokowski and other outstanding musicians and researchers, he created in 1949 the Institute of Folkloric Research, which had its headquarters in the old Paula Church, and had the collaboration of several of the most important musicians of that time.

He was General Coordinator of the Missions of the Direction of Culture of the Ministry of Education in 1951, a position he resigned from in March 1952 because of the coup d'état of Fulgencio Batista. In October 1959 he organized and directed the Cuban Folkloric Festival.

He was musical director of the film "Cuba canta", shot by Julio García Espinosa in 1960. In 1962 he prepared the I Festival of Cuban Popular Music, which was an overview of musical work on the island throughout its history, with samples of the principal genres, authors, singers and musical groups, which was repeated the following year.

He held the position of general director of music of the National Council of Culture. He was a Juror of the Song Festival of Sopot, Poland, in 1966. Delegate in 1969 to the I Pan-African Festival of Culture held in Algeria. Organizing Secretary of the Music Section of UNEAC in 1970; General Secretary of the Cuban Committee, International Council of Music (UNESCO); delegate of Cuba to the VII Assembly and Congress of the International Council of Music (CIM), in Moscow, 1971. He participated in the VIII Assembly of the International Council of Music (UNESCO) and in the World Music Week, held in Canada, as well as in the Conference of Arab Music (Iraq, 1975).

He was director of the National Concert Band, with notable work in concerts and dissemination of Cuban folkloric genres. He gave a great number of lectures on the Island and abroad. For many years he worked as director of the Seminar of Research of Cuban Music, which upon his death became known as Centro Odilio Urfé.

He published texts in national magazines and newspapers, which set standards in Cuban musical research. As part of his research and dissemination work, he produced several records, among them the one recorded for the Musart label in 1954, dedicated to the danzón and its evolution, later reissued in the 60s.

In 1955 he advised "Fiesta en La Habana", a record that featured, among others, Carlos Embale and Bienvenido León, and which included rumbas. As well as a record of the Montilla label in 1959, with danzones.