(b. 7 January 1954, Havana).
Cuban composer of mostly orchestral, chamber, choral, vocal, and piano works that have been performed in the Americas and Europe; he is also active as a jazz pianist.
Mr. Vitier is the son of the poets Cintio Vitier and Fina García Marruz. He studied piano privately with Cecilia Echevarría from 1962–65 and Margot Rojas from 1965–68 and with Cesar López at the Conservatorio Amadeo Roldán in Havana from 1968–75. He studied composition with José Loyola at the Instituto Superior de Arte in Havana from 1977–81.
Among his honours are Primer Premio in the competition La Edad de Oro (1977, for Suite de canciones infantiles No. 1; 1984, for Suite de canciones infantiles No. 2), the Premio UNEAC for best stage music (1980, for Valentín y Valentina and Guernica), the Distinción por la Cultura Nacional (1988), the Premio EGREM for best Cuban instrumental CD (1993, for El Siglo de las Luces; 1995, for Antologia de música para cine No. 1), the Gran Premio EGREM for best Cuban CD (1993, for El Siglo de las Luces), the Medalla Alejo Carpentier (1998), the Gran Premio Cubadisco for best Cuban CD (1998, for Misa Cubana), the Premio Cubadisco for best compilation (2002, for Canciones Compartidas), the Gran Premio Cubadisco for best Cuban CD, the Premio Cubadisco for best vocal CD and the Premio Cubadisco for best production of the year (all 2003, all for Canciones del Buen Amor). He was a finalist for the Premio Tomás Luis de Victoria from SGAE (2002). Among the honours that his film music has earned him are the Premio Ocella at the Venice International Film Festival (1988, for Un Señor muy viejo con unas alas enormes), the Premio Coral for best film score at the Festival Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano (1992, for Mascaró, el cazador americano; 1999, for Un Paraíso bajo las Estrellas), the award for best film score from the Asociación Cubana de Autores Musicales (1995, for Salón México; 1999, for Un Embrujo; 2000, for Un Paraíso bajo las Estrellas), and the Premio Panambí at the Festival de Cine de Asunción (1996, for Fresa y Chocolate).
As a jazz pianist, he has played in Canada, Cuba, France, Mexico, Spain, and the USA and has toured the Americas and Europe. He performed as pianist of the fusion ensemble Síntesis from 1977–79 and led the Grupo de José María Vitier from 1984–91.
He taught piano at the Escuela Provincial de Música in Matanzas from 1975–77 and chamber music and piano at the Escuela Nacional de Arte in Havana from 1977–81.
In addition to the works listed below, he has composed much didactic music and scores for dance, documentaries, radio, theatre, and TV productions.
He is married to the poet Silvia Rodríguez Rivero.
COMPLETE LIST OF WORKS (note that many jazz works have been rearranged as concert works without changing titles and that others have been absorbed into works with different titles)
STAGE:
Fresa y Chocolate (musical, libretto by Silvia Rodríguez Rivero, Senel Paz), 2003–04
ORCHESTRAL:
En Silencio ha tenido que ser, guitar, orchestra, 1979 (also version for piano)
Tema de la amistad, harpsichord, orchestra, 1979
Domingo, flute, piano, string orchestra, 1979
Evasión, 1979
Tema de Julito el pescador, lute, piano, orchestra, 1979
En las entrañas, 1980
Tema para Lidia, trumpet, orchestra, 1980
Tu verdadero rostro, 1980
El Regreso de David, guitar, orchestra, 1981
Por el mismo camino, 1982
El Fin de la Noche, guitar, orchestra, 1983
El Otro Mensaje, trumpet, piano, orchestra, 1986
Resplandor, 1986
Concierto Campestre, 1992
Tema de Carlos I–II, flute, orchestra, 1992
Sobre el Siglo de las Luces, string orchestra, 1994
Contradanza No. 1, 'Contradanza festiva', flute, piano, orchestra, 1995
Fresa y Chocolate, piano, orchestra, 1996 (also version for piano)
Ilusión de realidad, piano, orchestra, 1996 (version of vocal work)
Un Paraíso bajo las Estrellas, 1996 (version of vocal work)
Cosas que dejé en La Habana, flute, trumpet, piano, orchestra, 1997
Un Embrujo, cello, orchestra, 1998 (also version for girl's voice, soprano, mixed chorus, orchestra)
Lágrima, piano, orchestra, 1998
Balada del Amor adolescente, piano, orchestra, 2000 (version of chamber work)
Siete Piezas cubanas, piano, orchestra, 2003
CHAMBER MUSIC:
Trío, flute, cello, piano, 1977
Variaciones, violin, piano, 1978
Valentín y Valentina, soprano saxophone, piano, 1979
Despedida, oboe, 2 pianos, percussion, 1980
Intimidad, violin, piano, 1980 (also version for cello, piano, 1992)
La Soledad, flute, 4 cellos, double bass, synthesizer, drum kit, 1980
Exilio, flute, piano, 1982
Ellos heredarán la tierra, synthesizer, 2 percussion, string quartet, 1986
Balada del Amor adolescente, cello, piano, 1992 (also version for piano, orchestra)
Contradanza No. 4, 'Fuera del baile', flute, piano, string quartet, 1992 (version of work for piano)
Cortesanas I–II, violin, cello, harpsichord, 1992
Milagro de la flor, cello, piano, 1992
Miradas furtivas, alto saxophone, piano, 1992 (also version for violin, piano, 1992)
Adrián, alto flute, piano, 2003 (version of Tema para Silvia y José Adrián, piano)
CHORAL:
Sin-son (texts by Cintio Vitier, Fina García Marruz), mixed chorus, 1973
Serena (text by Juan Ramón Jiménez), mixed chorus, 1974
Retorna (text by Sindo Garay), mixed chorus, 1979
Esta germinal primavera (text by Pablo Neruda), mixed chorus, orchestra, 1983
Los Montes altos (text by José Martí), soprano, tenor, mixed chorus, orchestra, 1983
Acerca de una canción antigua (text by Mirta Aguirre), mezzo-soprano, mixed chorus, orchestra, 1984
Ay luna que reluces (text by Juan de la Encina), soprano, mixed chorus, 1986
Agnus Dei, mixed chorus, piano, 1992 (version of vocal work)
Te Deum, mixed chorus, orchestra, 1992
Kyrie eleison I–II, mixed chorus, orchestra, 1992
Hosanna, mixed chorus, orchestra, 1992
Nocturno (text by Mirta Aguirre), mixed chorus, 1994
Misa Cubana (texts from the Mass, Emilio Ballagas, Silvio Rodríguez Rivero), soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, mixed chorus, violin, cello, piano (+ harpsichord), organ ad libitum, 3 percussion from Cuba, string quartet, string orchestra, 1996
Salmo de las Américas (oratorio, texts from the Bible, anonymous pre-Columbian sources, The Books of Chilam Balam, Christopher Columbus, Silvia Rodríguez Rivero, St. John of the Cross, Pablo Neruda, anonymous sources, Walt Whitman, José Martí, Carlos Pellicer), soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, mixed chorus, 3 percussion from Cuba, large orchestra, 1997
Un Embrujo (text from The Books of Chilam Balam), girl's voice, soprano, mixed chorus, orchestra, 1998 (version of work for cello, orchestra)
Canciones del Buen Amor (texts by Silvia Rodríguez Rivero, Federico García Lorca, José Martí, the composer, José Jacinto Milanés, Cintio Vitier, Juan Ramón Jiménez, Juana Inés de la Cruz, Pedro Calderón de la Barca), soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, children's chorus, mixed chorus, flute, electric guitar (+ steel guitar), piano, 3 percussion, string quartet, orchestra, 1994–2002 (also version for soprano/tenor, piano)
VOCAL:
Abril sus alas abría (text by Nicolás Guillén), voice, 2 flutes, 2 guitars, 1974
La Mañana después de la tormenta (text by Nicolás Guillén), voice, 2 flutes, 2 guitars, 1974
Suite de canciones infantiles No. 1 (text by Mirta Aguirre), voice, piano, 1977
En las horas de riesgo y de combate (text by José Martí), soprano, 2 pianos, 1978
Pasionaria (text by Nicolás Guillén), voice, 2 guitars, piano, percussion, 1982
Suite de canciones infantiles No. 2 (text by Mirta Aguirre), voice, piano, 1983
Te seré fiel (text by the composer), 2 tenors, orchestra, 1987
Agnus Dei, soprano, piano, 1992 (also version for mixed chorus, piano)
Dueto (text from liturgical sources), soprano, baritone, piano, 1992
Romanza de los adolescentes (text by Juan Clemente Zenea), voice, piano, 1992
Se dice cubano (text by José Martí), voice, piano, 1993
Por un campo florido (text by José Martí), soprano/tenor, piano, orchestra, 1995
Ven (Cándida Tarde) (text by José Jacinto Milanés), soprano/tenor, piano, orchestra, 1995
Fantasía afro–cubana (text by the composer), voice, orchestra, 1996
Ilusión de realidad (text by Silvia Rodríguez Rivero), tenor, orchestra, 1996 (also version for piano, orchestra)
Un Paraíso bajo las Estrellas (text by Silvia Rodríguez Rivero), soprano, tenor, orchestra, 1996 (also version for orchestra)
Son de la muerta (text by Silvia Rodríguez Rivero), female voice, orchestra, 1996
Criatura afortunada (text by Juan Ramón Jiménez), soprano, flute, violin, cello, double bass, piano, 2000
Canción de Otoño (text by Rubén Darío), voice, piano, 2001 (also version for piano)
Soledad (text by Silvia Rodríguez Rivero), soprano, flute, violin, cello, double bass, piano, percussion, 2001
Te vas de mí (text by Silvia Rodríguez Rivero), soprano, flute, violin, cello, double bass, piano, percussion, 2001
Al Alba, el bosque (text by Silvia Rodríguez Rivero), soprano, flute, violin, cello, double bass, piano, percussion, 2001
Silvia (text by Amaury Pérez), voice, piano, 2002 (version of work for piano)
La Leyenda del Caballero y su Destino (concerto, text by Silvia Rodríguez Rivero), mezzo-soprano, tenor, bass guitar, piano, 5 percussion, orchestra, 2002–03
Canciones del Buen Amor, soprano/tenor, piano, 2003–04 (version of choral work)
PIANO:
Tema para Silvia y José Adrián, 1974 (also version as Adrián, alto flute, piano)
Mediopunto, 1977
Bolero de trova, 1978
En Silencio ha tenido que ser, 1985 (version of orchestral work)
Contradanza No. 1, 'Contradanza festiva', 1992
Contradanza No. 2, 'Tarde en La Habana', 1992
Contradanza No. 3, 'Danza de Fin de Siglo', 1992
Preludio de Sofía, 1992
Contradanza No. 4, 'Fuera del baile', 1992 (also version for flute, piano, string quartet)
Contradanza No. 5, 'Juego de muchacho', 1993
Poem of the Soul, 1993
Pequeña oración, 1995
Fugado y Son nocturno, 1997
Mercedes (on a theme by Manuel Corona), 1999
Silvia, 1999 (also version for voice, piano)
Berceuse y Fuga, 2000
Canción de Otoño, 2003 (version of vocal work)
Fresa y Chocolate, 2003 (version of work for piano, orchestra)
ARRANGEMENTS:
Son de la Loma (Miguel Matamoros), double bass, piano, drum kit, 1999
Every time I feel the spirit – City called Heaven – Give me Jesus – Witness (spirituals from the USA), soprano, piano, orchestra, 2001
FILM SCORES (DIRECTOR):
Polvo rojo, 1982 (Jesús Díaz)
Techo de vidrio, 1982 (Sergio Giral)
El Corazón sobre la Tierra, 1983 (Constante Diego)
En tres y dos, 1985 (Rolando Díaz)
Aborígenes, 1986 (animation; Modesto García)
Un Señor muy viejo con unas alas enormes, 1988 (Fernando Birri)
Río Negro, 1989 (Atahualpa Lichi)
Mascaró, el cazador americano, 1992 (Constante Diego)
Fresa y Chocolate, 1993 (Tomás Gutiérrez Alea, Juan Carlos Tabío)
El Elefante y la Bicicleta, 1994 (Juan Carlos Tabío)
Salón México, 1995 (José Luis García Agraz)
Cosas que dejé en La Habana, 1997 (Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón)
Un Embrujo, 1998 (Carlos Carrera)
Cuarteto de La Habana, 1999 (Fernando Colomo)
Un Paraíso bajo las Estrellas, 1999 (Gerardo Chijona)
Lista de espera, 2000 (Juan Carlos Tabío)
JAZZ COMPOSITIONS, INSTRUMENTAL:
Añoranza
Azar
Balada y Rito
Barrock
Caleidoscopio
Cine de barrio
Diálogos
Días y Noches
Dime sí
La Habana engañadora
Hot Sax
Isabel
Isla infinita
Ludwig
El Manisero se fue
Palabras en la calle
Pasatiempo
Prado y Colón
Rebeldía
Riesgo
Rondó
Rumba del Salón México
Samba al sur
Señales en la vía
Sexy Sax
Son desde lejos
Son dos
Tango con historia
Tango del nuevo pueblo viejo
Te
Tema musical del Festival Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano
Tesoro azul
Tres Encuentros
Varias formas de esperar
JAZZ COMPOSITIONS, VOCAL:
El Aire que te rodea (text by the composer)
Bastos y Espadas (text by Silvia Rodríguez Rivero)
Calabaza, Calabaza (text by Silvia Rodríguez Rivero)
La Habana sin tí (text by Silvia Rodríguez Rivero)
La Habana y tú (text by Silvia Rodríguez Rivero)
Llama de amor viva (text by St. John of the Cross)
La Mejor Noche (text by Silvia Rodríguez Rivero)
Ojos negros (text by Juan B. Ubago)
Para empezar a vivir (text by the composer)
Parejas equivocadas (text by Silvia Rodríguez Rivero)
Por un campo florido (text by José Martí)
Saludo y homenaje a Alicia Alonso (text by Eliseo Diego)
Tengo miedo de perder la maravilla (text by Federico García Lorca)
Tus ojos claros (text by the composer)
Ven (Cándida Tarde) (text by José Jacinto Milanés)