Venezuelan Composers at the International Summer Courses for New Music in Darmstadt: An Introduction
In the post-colonial context, South American composers’ role and interactions with the Darmstädter Ferienkurse für Neue Musik have gained increasing recognition. However, the relationship between Venezuelan composers and the Internationales Musikinstitut Darmstadt (IMD) remains underexplored. This proposal aims to address that gap by delving into the materials housed at the IMD Archiv, revealing a web of exchanges that contributed to the diffusion of new music between Venezuela and Darmstadt.
The first documented contact was through Gertrud Schoenberg, who, after attending the Music Festivals in Caracas in 1954, corresponded with Wolfgang Steinecke, founder of the Ferienkurse, recommending Inocente Palacios, director of the José Ángel Lamas Foundation, for the ‘Schoenberg Medal.’ This early interaction laid the foundation for a burgeoning relationship between Venezuelan composers and Darmstadt.
Throughout the late 1950s and 1960s, Venezuelan artists like Miguel Angel Fúster and radio representatives like Alfredo Gerbes established further connections with the IMD. Composer Jean Ernest-Piccard and others maintained an active correspondence with the institute, demonstrating the ongoing interest in fostering ties between Venezuela and Germany. Yannis Ioannidis, a key figure in Venezuelan contemporary music from 1968 onward, played a significant role in expanding this network by founding the Society of Contemporary Music of Venezuela, fostering an environment conducive to avant-garde music.
The involvement of composers such as Servio Tulio Marín and Juan Carlos Nuňez in the Ferienkurse, facilitated by grants from the National Institute of Culture and Fine Arts (INCIBA), underscores the importance of these exchanges in shaping the Venezuelan new music scene. Alfredo Rugeles and Alfredo Marcano Adrianza represented Venezuelan composers at the Ferienkurse in the 1970s, with Rugeles conducting the 1980 edition. Their performances bridged the musical worlds of Latin America and Europe, featuring works by South American and European composers alike.
In the 21st century, figures such as Manuel Sosa, Jorge Sánchez-Chiong, and Hernández Lovera Ángel Rafael have continued this tradition of engagement. Manuel Sosa’s presentation at the 2006 symposium on intercultural traces in contemporary composition, as well as Jorge Sánchez-Chiong’s contributions as both lecturer and performer between 2010 and 2016, reflect the sustained impact of Venezuelan composers at Darmstadt.
This paper examines archival materials and incorporates interviews with key participants to investigate the significance of the Darmstädter Ferienkurse in the development of Venezuelan contemporary music. The study highlights the influence of these interactions on festivals such as the 1977 Contemporary Music Festival in Caracas, and the Latin American Festivals of Contemporary Music led by Rugeles. By charting this trajectory, the paper offers a comprehensive introduction to the role Venezuelan composers have played in shaping the discourse of new music at one of Europe’s most influential contemporary music festivals.
Keywords: IMD Archiv, Darmstadt, contemporary music, Venezuela
Biography
Joevan de Mattos Caitano is a Brazilian-born, naturalized German musicologist and Kirchenmusiker residing in Bavaria. He studied Sacred Music at the Faculdade Batista do Rio de Janeiro and earned a degree in Music Education from the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. As a DAAD scholarship recipient, he completed his PhD in Musicology at the Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber in Dresden under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Jörn Peter Hiekel. Dr. Caitano conducts research with the support of the Internationales Musikinstitut Darmstadt, focusing on the Darmstädter Ferienkurse in exchange with other continents. He has also researched Early Music in Brazil, particularly the reception of Johann Sebastian Bach. His scholarly articles have been published in peer-reviewed journals in Germany, Turkey, Serbia, Portugal, Russia, South Korea, Argentina, and Brazil. He has presented at numerous symposia and conferences, contributing to international discussions on contemporary and historical musicological topics.
Independent Scholar, Germany – joevan.caitano@yahoo.com.br