The director emeritus of the National Symphony Orchestra has died at the age of 67.
“The National Symphony Orchestra of Ecuador (OSNE) deeply regrets communicate that our director emeritus passed away this morning, the illustrious Master Alvaro Manzano”, says a statement, sent this February 18, 2022.
“The country has lost a benchmark not only in the musical sphere, but also as a tireless fighter for excellence. Our duty is to carry his impeccable legacy and work for art and culture as hard as he taught us, “says the institution.
Trajectory
Manzano has a Master’s in Fine Arts, specializing in Conducting Symphony Orchestra and Opera, with a degree obtained with honors at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow (Russia), where he studied with Gennady Rozhdestvensky.
During the time he worked at the OSNE, thousands of works were premiered, many of them by most demanding universal repertoire, where great importance was attached to national composers and young talents.
In his time, he also implanted the Annual Contemporary Music Festival, in addition to a long series of other activities. Was Chief Conductorfor six years, of the National Symphony of the Dominican Republic (2001 to 2004 and 2007 to 2009).
For several years he served as Musical Director of the Sucre National Theater in Quito.
His activity has been wide also as pedagogue and lecturer. He collaborated with the National Conservatory and is Dean of the ‘Franz Liszt’ Conservatory of Quito. He has taught at the National Conservatory of Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic).
Ha conducting symphony and opera orchestras in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Chile, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Guatemala, Honduras, Iceland, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Russia, and Venezuela.
Tribute
The National Symphony Orchestra of Ecuador and the House of Music will pay tribute to the illustrious maestro. Alvaro Manzano, the day Wednesday February 23, 2022, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., in the main room of the Casa de la Música, located at Balderrama and Mariana de Jesús.
«The public who wishes to join us will be welcome under the strict biosafety regulations. It will also be broadcast live through the OSNE’s social networks, in order to remember his entire musical and professional legacy together with the institution’s artistic staff and various national artists and musicians,” they reported. (AVV)
