Sergio Leovaldo Vitier García-Marruz

A great composer and concert performer, as well as one of the most important guitarists in Cuba. His abilities for the execution of this instrument were, without a doubt, very extensive: formidable left hand, proper concept of interpretation and a powerful sound, being one of the most important guitarists in Cuba. His parents, Cintio Vitier and Fina García-Marruz, are recognized poets and essayists.

He conducted his musical studies at the Amadeo Roldán Conservatory (Rastro No. 1 and Espada. Centro Habana. La Habana). He received guitar lessons from Elías Barreiro and completed them with Isaac Nicola. He learned harmony and composition with Federico Smith and composition with José Ardévol and Leo Brouwer.

At the Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA) (Calle 120 No. 1110 between 9na and 13. Cubanacán. Playa. La Habana) he was a student of José Loyola and Roberto Valera. He also carried out parallel studies in Orchestration, Harmony, Counterpoint and Composition.

He began his artistic career with Los Armónicos de Felipe Dulzaides, from 1964 until 1966. Later he became part of the Orquesta Cubana de Música Moderna (1967-1969), he belonged to the Grupo de Experimentación Sonora del ICAIC from its inception in 1969 until 1978.

Sergio Vitier in 1968 founded the ORU group, composed of Jesús Pérez, Merceditas Valdés, Guillermo Barreto, Orlando López (Cachaíto), Gema Corredera, Javier Zalva, Genaro García Caturla, among others. This group has brought together musicians belonging to great musical lineages of Cuba, carrying out research work on elements of folklore with African and Spanish roots, which is combined with original authorial creation and that of other contemporary composers.

Among his songs we can mention: Amor y sacrificio; Efecto; Ángeles; Destiempos; El duende cantor; Hablé con mi soledad; Los niños II; Mentira; Pedrosa; Por el sol y la sed and Puedo echarme a morir.

One of the strongest tendencies of his work as a composer has been the creation of film music. In his film works we can appreciate: Apuntes para la historia del movimiento obrero", (Documentary); Capablanca; Cincuenta y cinco hermanos; Che; De cierta manera; Deportivamente; Derecho de asilo; El brigadista; El espectro de la guerra; El octubre de todos; El programa del Moncada; Girón; Guardafronteras; "Hombres del ring", (Documentary); Homenaje a Benny Moré; Jefe de la Columna 4; La tierra y el cielo; Maluala; Opening; Plácido; Quiéreme y verás; Roble de olor; Tatu: Che en el Congo; Un verano feliz and Una mujer un hombre.

In his various instrumental combinations are: Acerca de un tema yorubá, for flute, oboe and guitar; Danzarias, for chamber group, Cuban percussion and two voices; Desprendimientos, for symphonic orchestra and Cuban percussion; La utopía, Líricas, rítmicas and final, for wind quintet; Pequeña sesión de ritmo, for Cuban percussion; Réquiem por Ernesto Guevara (in collaboration with Rogelio Martínez Furé), text: Tomás González, for prepared piano, guitar, flugelhorn, bongó, male voice and batá drums; Raíces, for prepared piano, electric guitar, xylophone, magnetic tape and two solo male voices and Tres trenos, for flute, prepared piano, guitar and magnetic tape.

Sergio Vitier has in his compositions for dance music: Ad Limitum; Amanda; Canto para matar la culebra; Del barracón a la trinchera; Dúo de siempre; Fausto; Flora; Freíd; La caza; Mariana; Michelangelo; Palenque; Rito de la danza and Yerma. In his music for theater are: El carillón del Kremlin; Divinas palabras; Epur si mueve; Dúo de amor; Rock con batá; La abanderada; La risible y trágica ascención de Rubén Zaldívar; Manteca; Mariana Pineda; Obertura y final; Son de las locas and Tema en re. Finally, in his works for television series we can appreciate: El eco de las piedras; El hombre que había que matar; En silencio ha tenido que ser (in collaboration with José María Vitier); Frente Sur; Julián Guerrero; Julito el pescador (in collaboration with José María Vitier); Luis y John en Morazán; Rumbo a la salida del sol and Transparencias.

In his discography are works such as: Cuerdas Cubanas (album for the XXth Anniversary of his scenic debut); Homenajes (EGREM Prize 1997); Visiones Grupo de Experimentación Sonora del ICAIC (Five Volumes); CD Pictures 350 Postales sobre Cuba; Travesía (CUBADISCO Prize 2000); Sergio Vitier/Martha Valdés: Nuestra Canción; Sergio Vitier: Concierto Habanero (Symphonic Music).

Sergio Vitier received the Cubadisco Prize on several occasions: Travesía (2000), Instrumental Music Category; Cancionística Gran Premio (2001); Roble de olor (2004), Film Score Category and Oru, ritual y fiesta a lo cubano (2008), in Folk Music.

As a soloist and also with his group, he performed on international stages: Canada, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Poland, Italy, Russia, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Spain, France and the United States. He conducted lectures and master classes at universities, research centers and other cultural institutions in several countries.

As expressed in his official curriculum, Vitier "is a great researcher of the roots and traditions of the components of Cuban culture, in his music you can appreciate the presence of cells of Yoruba and Congo-Bantu origin, in organic fusion with basic elements of Spanish sonority, essentially regarding the guitar. To this must be added his profound knowledge of the island's popular traditions, as well as his great mastery of contemporary techniques of composition and orchestration. All these factors are related and fused in his work to make it one of the most original, prolific and innovative works in the world of Cuban music of the last thirty years".

The abilities of Sergio Vitier for the practice of the guitar are, without a doubt, very vast: formidable left hand, complete concept of interpretation and a powerful sound, make this composer one of the greatest guitarists in Cuba.

Works

Song
Amor y sacrificio
Ángeles
Destiempos
Efecto
El duende cantor
Hablé con mi soledad
Los niños II
Mentira
Pedrosa
Por el sol y la sed
Puedo echarme a morir

Film
"Apuntes para la historia del movimiento obrero". (Documentary)
Capablanca
Cincuenta y cinco hermanos
Che
De cierta manera
Deportivamente
Derecho de asilo
El brigadista
El espectro de la guerra
El octubre de todos
El programa del Moncada
Girón
Guardafronteras
"Hombres del ring". (Documentary)
Homenaje a Benny Moré
Jefe de la Columna 4
La tierra y el cielo
Maluala
Opening
Plácido
Quiéreme y verás
Roble de olor
Tatu: Che en el Congo
Un verano feliz
Una mujer un hombre
Danzón
Encuentro
Marianela
Y continua 1
Y continua 2

Various instrumental combinations
Acerca de un tema yorubá, for flute, oboe and guitar.
Danzarias, for chamber group, Cuban percussion and two voices.
Desprendimientos, for symphonic orchestra and Cuban percussion.
La utopía, Líricas, rítmicas and final, for wind quintet.
Pequeña sesión de ritmo, for Cuban percussion.
Réquiem por Ernesto Guevara (in collaboration with Rogelio Martínez Furé), text: Tomás González, for prepared piano, guitar, flugelhorn, bongó, male voice and batá drums.
Raíces, for prepared piano, electric guitar, xylophone, magnetic tape and two solo male voices.
Tres trenos, for flute, prepared piano, guitar and magnetic tape.

Music for dance
Ad Libitum
Amanda
Canto para matar la culebra
Del barracón a la trinchera
Dúo de siempre
Fausto
Flora
Freud
La caza
Mariana
Michelangelo
Palenque
Rito de la danza
Yerma

Music for theater
El carillón del Kremlin
Divinas palabras
Epur si muove
Dúo de amor
Rock con batá
La abanderada
La risible y trágica ascención de Rubén Zaldívar
Manteca
Mariana Pineda
Obertura y final
Son de las locas
Tema en re

Television series
El eco de las piedras
El hombre que había que matar
En silencio ha tenido que ser (in collaboration with José María Vitier)
Frente Sur
Julián Guerrero
Julito el pescador (in collaboration with José María Vitier)
Luis y John en Morazán
Rumbo a la salida del sol
Transparencias.

Awards and Recognition
National Music Prize 2014 in recognition of his contributions in that field and the richness of his works

He passed away on May 1, 2016 in La Habana, Cuba, at 68 years of age, victim of a cerebrovascular accident