Jesús Maria Sanromá
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jesús María Sanromá (November 7, 1902-October 12, 1984) born in Carolina, Puerto Rico, is considered by many to be one of the century's most accomplished and important pianists.
Sanromás' father, José María, was born in Barcelona and studied at a Jesuit Seminary but did not take his final orders and become a priest. After graduation from college, he became a political gadfly writing for a newspaper about the Spanish plebecite. They recommended he take a hasty retreat to Puerto Rico with all expenses paid by the Spanish Government. He settled in the town of Carolina and later Fajardo. He sent for his girlfriend, Maria Torra del la Riba but in 1894, women were not allowed to travel unmarried. They were married by proxy before she travelled to be with him. They had two sons, Juan Bautista in 1899 and Jesus Maria in 1902. Jose Maria earned a living in Fajardo by publishing a newspaper and teaching. Jesus began playing with his father's piano. Jose realizing his son was talented said, "If you are going to play the piano, then you shall go to school to study." He enrolled him at a music school located in the town of Fajardo to take piano lessons. In 1913, at the age of 11, Sanroma made his debut in the Fajardo Municipal Theater.
On January 1916, Sanromá debuted at the Puerto Rican Ateneo in San Juan. Unknown to him, Jose de Diego was amongst the public in the audience. So impressed was de Diego with Sanromá that he persuaded the government to give Sanromá a grant of 600 dolares. The grant was to be used to further his musical education in the United States.
He enrolled in the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. Sanromá graduated in 1920 and was awraded the Mason and Hamlin Awards. Shortly after his graduation he earned the position of official pianist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, becoming the first person ever to receive such an honor.
Sanromá worked with various composers, such as Igor Stravinsky and Sergei Prokofiev, but it was the future conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra, a subsection of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Arthur Fielder with whom he was to develop an artistic relationship that was to last for many years. Sanromá resigned as official pianist for the BSO after 20 years of service and went on to collaborate and record with composers of the likes of Pablo Casals and Leonard Bernstein.
In 1952, he returned to Puerto Rico and was named musical consultant of the department of music of the University of Puerto Rico. Sanromá presented a series of "Sanromá Concerts" until 1975. In 1956, he was named member of the organizing committee of the Music Conservatory of Puerto Rico. He was also an active participant in the Pablo Casal Festivals. Sanromá recorded 13 albums which contain 154 danzas by Juan Morel Campos.
Sanromá traveled and performed throughout the world. Amongst the 21 countries in which he had performed were Germany, France, Austria, Spain, England, the United States, Canada, Venezuela and the rest of Latin-America.
Amongst the many awards and recognitions bestowed upon Sanromá were Doctor Honoris Causa degrees from the Universities of Puerto Rico, Miami and Boston College. Pope Paul VI named him a Knight of the Order of Saint Silvester.
Jesús Maria Sanromá died on October 12, 1984 in San Juan, Puerto Rico at the age of 82. He was buried in the Porta Coeli Cemetery in Bayamon, Puerto Rico.
The government of Puerto Rico has honored his memory by naming a school in the town of Carolina and a concert hall in the in Music Conservatory of Puerto Rico after him.
