The prominent musicologist Jesus Gomez Cairo passed away this Friday in Havana.
Born in 1949 in Jagüey Grande, he studied piano and musicology at the National School of Art, where he worked as a professor of Music Appreciation and Music History. He completed his studies at the Leningrad State Institute of Theatre, Music and Cinematography.
He was director of the “Odilio Urfé” Musical Information and Documentation Center. He served as director of the National Museum of Music and as vice president of the Cuban Institute of Music.
He was also president of the CUBADISCO Prize Committee from its foundation in 1997 until 2003.
Among his most significant works are the books The musical art of Ernesto Lecuona; Cuban music: some processes, creations and paradigmatic figures and Creation, realization and development of La Bayamesa, Bayamo Anthem, Cuban National Anthem.
On the other hand, he developed a very important job of promoting and disseminating Cuban music and gave numerous conferences, master classes and courses on music and folklore in universities and cultural institutions in Cuba and the world.
He received the national Music and Cultural Heritage awards in recognition of his work as a researcher and promoter of Cuban music and his consecration and dedication to the investigation and preservation of the national musical heritage. He also received the Distinction for National Culture and the Alejo Carpentier Order.
A sensitive loss for Cuban culture. Our sincere condolences go out to family, colleagues and friends.
