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This year marks the 95th birthday of an extraordinary woman, Venezuelan composer Modesta Bor (1926-1998).As a tribute to her life and work, Modesta Bor: Perspectives will present the performance of Four Preludes and Fugues, her last work written for piano solo.A distinguished and prolific composer, Bor was a pioneering ethnomusicologist. In her capacities as head of musicology at the National Folklore Institute in Caracas and music chair at the Universidad Central de Venezuela, she influenced several generations of young, emerging musicians. She is perhaps the most significant 20th Century woman Venezuelan composer whose idiom is firmly rooted in the nationalistic tradition and who vastly contributed towards a consciousness of how significant a role folklore plays in the creative process.Pianist Antonio Fermin has championed Modesta Bor’s complete piano literature. A protégé of Bor, Fermin has premiered her most relevant piano works, including the Piano Concerto written in 1983 and dedicated to him. His close relationship to the composer has led him to curate important performances featuring her work, including a two-day retrospective at Carnegie Hall in honor of her 80th birthday that presented seven U.S. premieres including solo, chamber and choral works.

Links:
Fundación Modesta Bor
Ediciones ARE
Instagram @borprespectives

1926
Born in Juan Griego, Margarita Island, Venezuela on June 15th1940
Begins early musical studies in her native Juan Griego1942
Enrolls at the Escuela Superior de Música in Caracas1948-51
Heads the Musicology Department at the National Folklore Research Institute in Caracas1951
Diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome. Long recovery with paralysis.1959
Receives degrees in Composition and Piano from the Escuela Superior de Música in Caracas Studies with Vicente Emilio Sojo and Elena Arrarte1959
Suite for Chamber Orchestra is premiered with the Orquesta Sinfónica Venezuela1960
Attends women’s congress in Copenhagen, Denmark, a pivotal event in her career1960
Travels to the Soviet Union to further her composition studies1960-62
Post Graduate studies at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow with Aram Kachaturiam1960
Awarded Premio Nacional de Música de cámara with her Sonata para viola y piano1961
Awarded Premio Nacional de Música de cámara with her Sonata para violin y piano1962
Awarded Premio Nacional de música vocal with Segundo ciclo de Romanzas para contralto y piano1962
Returns to Caracas, Venezuela1962
Awarded Premio Nacional de Música with her Obertura para orquesta1963-64
Moves to Lecherías, Venezuela to conduct the children’s choir at the Universidad de Oriente1964-78
Appointed director of the children’s choir at the Juan Manuel Olivares School in Caracas1965
Awarded prize for her Himno de Centros Universitarios1965
Vocal ensemble Quinteto Contrapunto commissions the choral arrangement of Fulia de Cumaná1966
Founded the Grupo Arpegio, a six-voice vocal ensemble.1970
Awarded Premio Nacional de música vocal with Tres canciones para mezzo y piano1971
Awarded Premio Municipal de Música with the choral composition La Mañana Ajena1971-73
Appointed choral conductor at CANTV, a non-professional group1973-90
Holds the Composition Chair at the Jose Lorenzo Llamozas Music School in Caracas1974
Awarded the Orden 27 de Junio1974-89
Chair of the Music Department at the Universidad Central de Venezuela1982
Jury Member at the Casa de las Américas, Havana, Cuba1984
Attends the First International Contemporary Music Festival in Havana, Cuba1985
Piano Concerto is premiered with the Orquesta Sinfónica Municipal. Antonio Fermin, soloist, Alfredo Rugeles, conductor1986
Awarded Premio Vinicio Adames for her choral work Basta, basta, basta1986
Awarded Premio José Angel Montero for her choral work Son venezolano1986
Awarded Premio Caro de Boesi for her orchestral work Acuarelas1986
Awarded the Orden Vicente Emilio Sojo1986
Her work is performed at the Second International Contemporary Music Festival in Havana, Cuba1990
Leaves Caracas and moves to Mérida, Venezuela1991
Awarded the Premio Nacional de Música for her contributions to pedagogy and composition1998
Died in Mérida, Venezuela on April 8th

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