Tomás de Torrejón y Velasco
- Isabel Alvarez, Gabriel Garrido, Furio Zanasi, Ensemble Elyma, Susanna Moncayo, Isabel Monar, Alicia Borges, Graciela Oddone, Adriana Fernández, Cecilia Diaz, Marcello Lippi
- Dr. Andrea Ramsey, Middle School Junior High Honor Choir, Junior High Honor Woodwind Ensemble, Patricia Neighbors
- Nestor E. Adrenacci, Grupo Canto Choral Baroque Orchestra, Grupo Canto Choral Chamber Choir
Biography
Born in Spain and receiving an appointment to the service of Pedro Fernandez de Cadiz y Andrade, Torrejon y Velasco followed his patron to the New World where he became the choir master at the Cathedral in Lima. His opinion was so highly respected that musical decisions were not made in other locales without his council. The majority of the music he composed were vocal compositions dominated by villancicos and an opera, "La purpura de la rosa." This is important as the earliest surviving opera from the New World. Torrejon y Velasco's polychoral technique was lauded and his villancicos were popular in places as far removed as Guatemala. ~ Keith Johnson