He was under the tutorship of Jesus Fiqueroa (1878–1971), an accomplished composer himself, who taught him how to play various musical instruments, among them the clarinet and the euphonium.
The position of Band director was considered a very important one and when Mislan left San Sebastian, he recommended that Acosta be his successor.
[1][2] Acosta's artistic talent was soon solicited in other parts of Puerto Rico and he found himself working and visiting other towns.
Among Acosta's many compositions are Asi es la Vida (That's Life); and "Glorias del Pasado" (Glories of the Past).
In the 1960s, the Institute made a recording of 12 of Acosta's greatest compositions, interpreted in piano by Elsa Rivera Salgado (1908–1998).