In 1936, at the age of fourteen, he began musical studies in Barcelona with the teacher Josep Font Sabaté. The Civil War and military service delayed its musical emergence. During military service, between 1944 and 1947 he held a teaching position at the Hispano-Moroccan Conservatory in Tetuán. On his return to Barcelona, ??he was appointed conductor of the Choir Club Excursionista de Terrassa and of the Institut Folklòric Montserrat, in Barcelona. In this period, he transcribed numerous popular Catalan ballets for cobla and other instrumental formations. He also taught at the Insitut Rítmic Joan Llongueras, was the musical director of the Esbart Montseny and collaborated intensely with the Orfeó Gracienc.
Between the years 1957-1958 he validated his music studies at the Conservatori Superior de Música de Barcelona by the teachers Eduard Toldrà, Joaquim Zamacois, Josep Ricart i Matas and Joan Gibert Camins, and immediately joined as a teacher at the center. He was teaching in the Conservatory until 1987. Ten years after his incorporation, he became professor of harmony, counterpoint, fugue and musical forms, and was subsequently deputy director between 1973 and 1981. His activity left an important mark on a large number of students.
He wrote a wide variety of music, covering practically all genres: harmonization of popular melodies, chamber music, symphony, cobla and numerous songs with lyrics by Pere Quart, Federico García Lorca or Rafael Alberti, among others. He stood out especially in choral music and music for cobla.
As a public recognition of his work, in 1994 he received the National Music as a composer, and he also obtained the National Prize for Popular and Traditional Culture in the category of traditional music. In 2006 he received the Agustí Borgunyó National Prize and in 2010 he was awarded with the Creu de San Jordi.
DO YOU WANT TO KNOW BETTER THE ARTIST?
Manuel Oltra Archive on Músics per la CoblaSheet music on Editorial BoileauSheet music on Editorial Clivis
PERFORMED WORKS
Tres estacions, for flute and piano
Nocturn, for voice and piano
La amante, for voice and piano
Sonatina, for flute and piano
