Alejandro García Caturla

With only sixteen years old, in 1922, he won a position as part of the section of the 2nd violins of the newly formed “Orquesta Sinfónica de La Habana”, where Amadeo Roldán was the concertmaster.

Together with composer Amadeo Roldán, Caturla became the leader of Afro-cubanismo, a nationalist musical trend, which mixed elements of white and black culture, incorporating Afro-Cuban songs, rhythms, and dances.

Later on he used advanced techniques and French Impressionist styles combined with primitive tunes; as a result, some of his works show surprising juxtapositions of chords and moods.

[2] After finishing his musical studies, Caturla returned to his home town, where he continued his composition career and started practicing law to provide for his growing family.

García Caturla left two legacies: One as an universal musician who combined classical and folkloric themes with modern musical ideas through his compositions and knowledge of at least seven different instruments.