Modesta Bor

Modesta Bor (1926–1998) was a Venezuela choir conductor, musicologist, teacher and composer. She was born in Juangriego and studied in Caracas with Elena Arrarte, Juan Bautista Plaza, Antonio Estévez, Maria de Lourdes Rotundo and Vicente Emilio Sojo, graduating with a degree in composition in 1959. She continued her studies at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory with Aram Khachaturian.^[1] In 1960 she won her first National Music Prize with Sonata for violin and piano.

After completing her studies, Bor returned to Venezuela to work as a composer, teacher and choir director, becoming head of the music department in the Central University of Venezuela Culture Department. She also served as director of the musicology section of Folklore Research of the National Service. She died in Mérida.^[2]

Works

Bor composed for orchestra, chamber ensemble, piano and vocal performance, writing more than 95 choral works for mixed and 130 for equal-voice choir.^[3] Selected works include:

• Children's Suite
• Canción de cuna para dormir un negrito (in Tríptico sobre poesía cubana, for voice and piano) (Text: Nicolas Guillén)
• Coplas venezolanas (in Segundo cico de romanzas y canciones, for contralto and piano) (Text: Andrés Eloy Blanco Meaño)
• Guitarra (in Tríptico sobre poesía cubana for voice and piano) (Text: Nicolas Guillén)
• Nocturno en los muellas (in Tríptico sobre poesía cubana for voice and piano) (Text: Nicolas Guillén)
• Pregón (in Segundo cico de romanzas y canciones for contralto and piano) (Text: Andrés Eloy Blanco Meaño)
• Si el silencio fuera mío (in Segundo cico de romanzas y canciones for contralgo and piano) (Text: Andrés Eloy Blanco Meaño)
• Suspiro cuando te miro (in Segundo cico de romanzas y canciones for contralto and piano) (Text: Andrés Eloy Blanco Meaño)^[4]

References