Washington Castro
Washington Castro (born July 13, 1909 in Buenos Aires , † October 29, 2004 in Mar del Plata ) was an Argentine composer, conductor and cellist.
Life
The son of cellist Juan José Castro (1864–1942) studied composition with Honorio Siccardi and cello with his older brother José María and Alberto Schiuma . In Paris he continued his instrumental training with Maurice Maréchal ; studying with Pablo Casals was prevented by the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. He had two other brothers, Juan José and Luis Arnoldo.
In 1929 Castro began his career as a solo cellist. He performed with orchestras such as the Orquesta Filarmónica de Buenos Aires and the Orquesta Sinfónica de Radio el Mundo , founded two string quartets and was one of the founding members of the Agrupación de Violonchelistas de Buenos Aires in 1938 .
In 1944 Castro became head of the Orquesta de Cámara de la Asociación del Profesorado Orquestal . In 1956 he was commissioned to found the Sinfónica Provincial de Santa Fe , which he headed until 1963. From 1964 he conducted the Sinfónica de Córdoba , from 1971 to 1976 the Teodoro Fuchs youth chamber orchestra of the LRA Radio Nacional, then the Sinfónica de Mar del Plata until 1984 and its youth orchestra until 1988. As a guest conductor he has appeared with the Sinfónica de la Universidad Nacional de Cuyo , the Sinfónica de Tucumán , the Sinfónica Nacional and the Filarmónica de Buenos Aires , among others .
Castro taught in Buenos Aires at the municipal conservatories Manuel de Falla and Juan José Castro as well as at the universities of La Plata, Litoral and Córdoba, where he held the chairs for violoncello and chamber music.
Castro composed piano and cello pieces, songs and chamber music, instrumental concerts and other orchestral works. His siblings were also known as musicians: José María Castro (1892–1964) was also a composer, conductor and cellist, Juan José Castro (1895–1968) conductor, violinist, pianist and composer and Luis Arnoldo Castro (1902–1973) violinist and Musicologist.
Works
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personal data | |
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SURNAME | Castro, Washington |
BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Argentine composer, conductor and cellist |
DATE OF BIRTH | July 13, 1909 |
PLACE OF BIRTH | Buenos Aires |
DATE OF DEATH | October 29, 2004 |
Place of death | Mar del Plata |