➤ bio / chronology
Ancient memories of a liquid world,
at the Ribeiro side:
tavern, dealers, beasts,
grapes, vats, brambles,
rain, press, wine,
mother, teacher, mother, road,
school,
path, mimosas, dew,
fog,
dam, fog...
mother, lar, smoke, wait,
smoke, fire, mother, wait…
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and in the background
the olympus of the thunders,
the door of the Beyond,
the celestial kingdom of Navia
psychopomp of the water
guarding the valley;
between the south and the west,
always:
the Coto de Novelle...
​
Everything that came after is just a consequence, a catharsis:
· 1969
/ September · Baccalaureate in a college of priests, some of them fallen from outer space; but that will be another story, another pretext, another catharsis.
The "Assembly Hall", that temple of music, creativity, camaraderie and human harmony to which only a few we had permission of free daily access. In that magical space I began to trust that, having everything, something special was reserved for me.
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· 1976
/ April · Discovery of the guitar as a vehicle of expression and as a tool for building an own future on a cursed present. All the interpretive energy is barely channeled through two chords learned in clandestine shared shelters.
· 1977
/ October · Beginning of university studies at the Normal de Ourense.
· 1978/79
➤ / First recordings of own songs, in radio stations, and first concerts in diverse Ourense venues.
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/ November · Discovery of the choral world: incorporation into the Orfeón Unión Orensana, under the direction of Xerardo Salgado Valdés .
· 1980
➤ / November · Discoteca Long Play (Ourense): first stable "contract" as a singer-songwriter and first proper salary, a thousand pesetas ($ 6,88) per night (Gigi , manager and holy man, always in my heart).
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· 1981
➤ / October-December · New recordings for radio and new concerts , in Ourense, now a duet with Juan Hermida .
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· 1982
/ October · Escape from vital and intellectual claustrophobia: first trip to Barcelona; guitar on his back and all the dreams tucked in a backpack.
Singing in the street and on the subway, as a way of personal expansion and liberation, an old devotion has finally come true. I in front of anonymous people, with no more letter of introduction than my voice and my guitar; without any other pretext than the non-negotiable commitment to the search for my own truth. Exciting and enriching life and spiritual experience.
Will there be a book-disc?
Maybe yes.
​
· 1983
/ January · Conscientious objection to Compulsory Military Service. Contact with the MOC .
Fixing of the residence in Barcelona.
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➤ Time of concerts in various pubs, clubs, nightclubs and radio stations in Barcelona.
Small concert, with Ramón Muns , at the meeting of Federica Montseny, Pavilion of the Club Joventut de Badalona.
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/ October · Beginning of musical studies at the Taller de Músics in Barcelona.
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Co-foundation of the Poetic-Musical Group, together with the poet Adolfo Castaños , the Lahiez group and others.
· 1984
/ March · Contact with opera diva Ghena Dimitrova with unexpected and overflowing media attention caused by the publication of an allusive report in La Vanguardia (front page and page 4), and the broadcast on TV3 in the news program during prime time; after that, the phone rang daily for weeks.
​ ➤ A time of collaboration and friendship with the poet Adolfo Castaños and also with Conchi Carracedo in various joint events.
/ May · Gran Teatre del Liceu (Barcelona), intervention in the performance of Verdi's Requiem as a member of the choir, by Ghena Dimitrova determination.
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➤ Concert, with my own works, in La Pedrera building, Barcelona.
Co-foundation of various self-managed groups of musicians, with Emiliano Valdeolivas , the group Lahiez and others.
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Beginning of the studies of Singing, with Julia Conesa (first basic notions).
➤ / June · Concert at La Cova del Drac (Barcelona), broadcast by Radio 3, RNE. With Benjamí Santacana, on piano; Hiroshi Kobayashi, flute; Conchi Carracedo, along with members of Associated Artists and other close people, in the choir voices.
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· 1985
Joining the Orfeó Català, of the Palau de la Música Catalana, under the conducting of Simon Johnson .
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Continuation of musical studies, now at the Espai Avinyó, in Barcelona (Guitar, with Yoshimi Otani ).
· 1986
➤ My son Victor is born.
Being a parent: the most meaningful, serious, and importan thing that can happen to you.
​
Joining the chamber choir Música Ficta, specializing in Renaissance madrigals and Early Music in general, under the direction of Eugenio Malm, a group which also includes Alfonso Alegre Heitzmann, among others.
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➤ Period of concerts, with its own repertoire, accompanied by a chamber instrumental group, in theaters and various entities.
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· 1987
/ August · Tour of ethnomusicological compilation, over Aragon, with the Lahiez Group, with the patronage of the General Delegation of Aragon.
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/ October · Incorporation, as a singer and assistant conductor, into the chamber choir I Vocalisti, specializing in Russian liturgical music, under the direction of Eugenio Malm.
· 1989
➤ / May · Publication of the song Neno orfo con cabalos ao fondo, in the collective LP Tribute to Celso Emilio Ferreiro .
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· 1990
Period with numerous concerts as a member of the Catalan vocal jazz octet A Capel·la, a group that also includes Dàmaris Gabert, Anna Chiva and Àlex Martínez , among others.
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Continuation of singing studies, now with Francisco Kraus (breathing, support, masked voice).
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Decade of intense choral activity: foundation and direction of diverse choirs; activity that, unexpectedly, will be prolonged during the following thirty years.
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➤ Years of fruitful collaboration and friendship with the bagpiper and professor Manoel Muxico Rei and his Marexada en Fisterra Musical Research Group, with various concerts and recordings.
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· 1991
➤ Recording of the Marcha Espontánea nº 1 and Marcha Espontánea nº 3, commissioned by the Cova da Serpe association, from Barcelona, for their LP O campo da fonte (ed.: Edigal)
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➤ Recording of the first phase of the CD Expreso Estrella, in Maratón Estudio, Barcelona.
I sent the recording to Pedro Vaquero, director of Sonifolk. He likes it and agrees to publish and distribute it also taking care of the recording costs, but finally it is not possible to reach an agreement in various details, so, three years later, I end up putting the project in the hands of Sons Galiza, which is definitely in charge of editing and distribution.
My grandmother used to say that "I had to be born twice" to be able to fix the mistakes made in the first one.
​
· 1992
➤ / April · Foundation of the Coro Universitario Galego de Barcelona (CUGAB), within the Universitat de Barcelona (UB), with the institutional support and friendship of Camilo Valdehorras, professor of the Galician and Portuguese Philology Area, and Dr. Salvador Claramunt, Vice-Rector for Cultural Activities.
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Composition of the work A fuxida, commissioned by the association Espazos Radiofónicos Galegos en Cataluña, to serve as a common tune for all associated programs. This tune would later be published on my CD Expreso Estrella with the title ERGAC, acronym for the name of that association.
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➤ / December · Recording of the second phase of the CD Expreso Estrella, in Maratón Estudio, Barcelona.
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· 1993
/ May · Conducting of the CUGAB in its first public presentation, in the UB auditorium.
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/ September · Foundation (with Eva Torres) and conductor of the Ad Libitum polyphonic chamber group; they would be added in successive stages: Ramon Ezquerra, Larilyn Cole (Lari Cole), Paquita Alemany, Elvira Domínguez and Frederic Gironella, as well as the pianist and organist Marta Cabrero.
Group dedicated to the interpretation of lyrical and polyphonic works by renowned composers such as Bach, Mozart, Händel, Victoria, Schubert, Purcell, Boyce, Menegali...
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/ December · Realization of the polyphonic adaptation, for choir, vocal quartet and soloists, of the Vilancicos (originally for choir and orchestra) of Melchor López (1759-1822), chapel master of the cathedral of Santiago.
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Direction of the CUGAB, in the public interpretation of the Vilancicos of the composer Melchor López Ximénez, in the auditorium of the UB, with the intervention of the soprano soloists Larilyn Cole (Lari Cole) and Andrea Bell.
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· 1994
➤ / May · CD release Estrella Expreso, with my own works, accompanied by a group of twenty musicians.
Presentation of Expreso Estrella at the UB, with the participation of Francisco Kraus, Miguel Pérez Quintanilla , Jei Noguerol and Camilo Valdehorras .
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➤ Composition of the music for the show Seoane e as Andoriñas , presented at the UB with the stage direction by C. Valdehorras.
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/ September · Composition of the polyphonic work Panxoliña , on the lied of the same name by Cristóbal Halffter with lyrics by Vicente Risco.
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/ December · Direction of the CUGAB in the public interpretation, among others, of the work Panxoliña, in the auditorium of the UB, with the intervention of the tenor Alfonso Alegre Heitzmann, like invited soloist.
I receive a letter from Cristóbal Halffter thanking me for the work.
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· 1995
➤ / January · Presentation of Expreso Estrella in the media (TVG, TVE, radio stations and major newspapers).
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/ February · Joining the Sta. María del Pi Music Chapel, from Barcelona, under the conducting of Manel Cabero, a group that also included the twins Oriol and Ferràn Cruixent, among others.
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➤ / September · Composition of the polyphonic work Galiza, Ledicia e Luz, with lyrics by Camilo Valdehorras.
See details in the menu "works / sheet music".
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➤ / December · Direction of the CUGAB in the public premiere of the work Galiza, Ledicia e Luz , in the auditorium of the UB.
· 1996
➤ / May · Publication of the Book/CD Porgaleuzca, as composer and conductor of the Galician University Choir of Barcelona (CUGAB). Work integrated by choral versions on songs of the collective Voces Ceibes, in addition to the scenic-choral rhapsody on texts of Luis Seoane represented in the UB two years before.
More details in "works / discography" menu.
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➤ / November · Presentation of Porgaleuzca in the media (TVG, TVE, radio stations and major newspapers).​
· 1998
/ March · Foundation of the Coro de Irmandade de Catalunya, with a selection of fifty voices.
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/ May · Direction of the Coro de Irmandade de Catalunya in the ceremony of its presentation in the Auditorium of the University of Barcelona.
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/ June · Direction of the CUGAB and the Coro de Irmandade de Catalunya, with the interpretation, among others, of Negra Sombra (Juan Montes/Rosalía de Castro), with Francisco Kraus as guest soloist, in the auditorium of the Escolas Pías (Barcelona), as a preview of the tribute to the composer Juan Montes that will be celebrated in 1999.
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· 1999
➤ / January · Composition of the polyphonic work Pedra que florece, for choir and piano, with text by Camilo Valdehorras.
See details in the menu "works / sheet music".
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/ April · Organization of the tribute to Xoán Montes, at the Teatro Can Gomà, in Mollet del Vallès (Barcelona), with the rooster of the centenary of the composer's passing, with the interpretation of his Ballads for Singing and Piano.
➤ Direction of the CUGAB and the Coro de Irmandade de Catalunya, performing, among others, a premiere of the polyphonic work Pedra que florece, with text by Camilo Valdehorras and music by C. del Caño, accompanied by pianist Gemma Godall .
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/ May · Organization of the tribute to Juann Montes, in the auditorium of the UB, with the cock of the centenary of the passing of the composer, with the interpretation of his Six Ballads for Singing and Piano.
Direction of the CUGAB and the Coro de Irmandade de Catalunya, performing, among others, the choral version of the ballad Negra sombra (Montes/Rosalía de Castro), with Francisco Kraus as guest soloist.
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➤ / September · Composition of the polyphonic work Pange Lingua do Rei-rei , for choir and instruments, with lyrics by Camilo Valdehorras.
See details in the menu "works / scores".
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➤ / December · Direction of the CUGAB in the auditorium of the UB, interpreting, among others, the premiere of the work Pange Lingua do Rei-rei .
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· 2000
/ May · Organization of the tribute to composer Ángel Barja, at the Enric Granados Auditorium, in Lleida.
Conducting of the Galician University Choir of Barcelona (CUGAB), and others.
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/ September · Commissioned by the orchestration of the Marcha del soldadito de plomo, by Fco. Kraus, premiered by the Municipal Band of Las Palmas Canary Islands), at the Teatro Pérez Galdós in that town.
· 2001
/ June · Organization of the tribute to the composer Xosé Fernández Vide , in the Auditorium of the Pious Schools, of Barcelona, with the performing, among others, of his work Suite Galega D'a Terra Meiga, by the pianist Yolanda Delgado.
Direction of the CUGAB and others.
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/ Oct · Continuation of the singing studies, now with Elizabeth Bakerkina (fluidity, control and unlocking fiato acute registry).
· 2002
/ March · Specialization course in theater techniques with Eduardo Alonso, (Santiago de Compostela).
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· 2003
➤ Time of concerts in collaboration with the zanfonista (hurdy-gurdy) Xurxo Romaní and other accompanying musicians.
➤ / August · Concert in Monte Faro (Lugo); presentation of As 5 cantigas by Xohán de Requeixo, in homage to the medieval troubadour.
➤ Recording of the Cantigas de Xohán de Requeixo, for TVG (Galician TV).
➤ / December · Album release (book/CD) As 5 Cantigas de Xohán de Requeixo, commissioned by the homonymous Association.
· 2004/2005
Time of intense work as director of various amateur choirs, with recordings, media presentations and concerts.
Continuation of the singing studies, now with Francesca Roig (improvement of breathing technique and air sending).
· 2006
/ April · Foundation and direction of the choir-school Galeuzcamerata, Espai Polifònic Universitari (UB), with the institutional support of the Vicerectorat d'Activitats i Patrimoni Culturals.
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/ April · Direction of Galeuzcamerata and other choirs in the Saló de Cent, organized by the own City council.
· 2007
/ April · Continuation of Singing studies, now with Anna Feu (repertoire, voice and movement, location of tensions and body locks).
· 2008
/ November · Organization and presentation of the concert of the Galician Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Roxelio Groba Otero, at the auditorium of the UB.
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➤ / December · Lyrical concert with the soprano Anna Feu at the Liceo of Ourense ( Historical-musical itineraries . Organized by Ouvirmos ).
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Course (masterclass) "Stimme und Bewegung" (Voice and Movement) with Kurt Widmer (Barcelona).
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· 2010
/ November · Co-organization of the concert of the Galician Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Roxelio Groba Otero, at the Palau de la Música Catalana (Petit Palau hall).
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· 2011
➤ / February · Lyrical concert, with the soprano Anna Feu, in the UB Auditorium (Les cançons gallegues dels grans compositors) .
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· 2015
/ August · Organization of the tribute to the pauline priests of the College Nosa Sra. dos Milagres (Ourense) retaliated against in the 70's by the ecclesiastical power.
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· 2016
/ April · Foundation and conducting of the educational choir Don de Son, at the UB, with the support of the Vicerectorat d'Arts, Cultura i Patrimoni.
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· 2018
/ April, 25 · Studio recording, with the group Don de Son, of Loitemos! polyphonic work on a song by Benedicto* with lyrics by Lois Diéguez .
* This recording was made less than two months before Benedict's death, which occurred on June 4, 2018, and remains unpublished for the time being.
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➤ / July · Publication (along with Elvira Domínguez ) from the posthumous book A pel do silencio, composed of poems by my brother Víctor Álvarez del Caño, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of his passing and the fiftieth anniversary of his birth.
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/ August · Presentation of the book of poems A pel do sielencio in Ourense, in an event restricted to friends and family.
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· 2019
➤ I am working on a poetic-musical project with the patronage of the University of Barcelona and other entities to be confirmed.
The completion of the project is conditioned by the resolution of the global health situation due to Covid-19
César del Caño
