Xoán Viaño

Category: Musician
Birth Date: 11th December 1960 (†26th March 1991)
Birth Place: Ferrol (A Coruña)
 Curriculum

He studied Music in his native city and at the Conservatoire in A Coruña and Santiago de Compostela. He also took a degree in Geography and History (History of Modern and Contemporary Art) at Santiago de Compostela University in 1982. In 1985, he attended the second edition of the Course on Electronic Music with Horacio Vaggione at the Conservatoire in Cuenca. That same year he attended the First International Course on Composition in Villafranca del Bierzo (León) with Cristóbal Halffter and Carmelo Bernaola and a Course on Electroacoustic Music in Viana do Castelo (Portugal) with Daniel Teruggi. In 1986, he attended 'Manuel de Falla' summer course (Granada) with Professors Donatoni and Josep Soler and the seminar carried out in Santiago de Compostela with Luis de Pablo, Tomás Marco, Jorge Peixinho, Álvaro Salazar and José Luis Temes. In summer 1988, he participated in the composition course 'Internationales Jugendfestspieltreffen' in the charge of Franz Hummel in Bayreuth (Germany).

 Work & Activities

These are some of his most important works: Los cisnes del lago Ontario for magnetic tape (1985), Transparencias for two celloes (1985), Metamorfosis (homage to the painter Manuel Rivera) for organ (he was awarded 'Cristóbal Halffter' Composition Prize in 1985), Músicas Nocturnas for five instruments (1986), Preludio y postludio a Cabalum, a work selected in the 'VI Tribuna de Jóvenes Compositores' organised by 'Juan March' Foundation, In Memorian G. C. for a brass group, a work requested by the Centre of Contemporary Music (Alicante Festival, 1987), Canciones sobre el Cementerio Marino by Paul Valéry, Visiones for piano, Nubes brancas for string orchestra and Habbiamo fatto un bagno for symphonic orchestra.

 Other Interesting Aspects

In 1991, the University Choir of Santiago and the Orchestra of A Coruña, both of them conducted by Maximino Zumalave, offered the Mass Requiem of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart at 'San Julián' Church (Ferrol) as a posthumous homage to Viaño. Viaño's memory is still alive because his works continue to be performed. His music is preserved at the Music Conservatoire in Vigo. Bibliography: Xoán Viaño. Serious Visións (1989), Santiago de Compostela University, Vicerrectorado de Política Cultural, Barcelona, 1994.