Edgar Colón-Hernández

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Colón-Hernández, Edgar 

 

Puertorican composer and arranger Edgar Colón-Hernández was born on December 24, 1952.  He studied at the Escuela Libre de Música, the Pablo Casals Music Conservatory and the University of Puerto Rico. He completed his BA in Music History at Hunter College in New York City.  Mr. Colón-Hernández is a member of ASCAP, and several of his choral works and arrangements are published by Yelton Rhodes Music, Los Angeles, CA.  As a performer of Early and Contemporary Music most of his adult life, Edgar was co-founder of The Monteverdi Trio and the vocal quintet Cygnus.

 

El compositor y arreglista puertorriqueño Edgar Colón-Hernández nació el 24 de diciembre del 1952.  Estudió en la Escuela Libre de Música, el Conservatorio de  Música Pablo Casals y la Universidad de Puerto Rico. Completó su bachillerato en Historia de la Música en Hunter College en la ciudad de Nueva York.  El Sr. Colón-Hernández es un miembro de ASCAP, y varias de sus obras y arreglos corales han sido publicados por Yelton Rhodes Music, Los Angeles, CA.  Un aficionado e intérprete tanto de la música antigua como de la moderna la mayor parte de su vida, Edgar fue uno de los co-fundadores de The Monteverdi Trio y el quinteto vocal Cignus.

Edgar has been an avid and prolific choral singer since elementary school, but when he began singing under the brilliant organist, orchestral conductor and choral director, the late Randolfo (Randy) Juarbe, in his high school, the Escuela Libre de Música, the spark of Edgar’s love for choral music became a blaze.   One of the proudest moments of his life came when, 42 years after his graduation, Profesor Ana Rosario informed him that not only had the Concert Choir of his beloved alma mater been singing his arrangements of Puertorican music for several years but that they were headed that summer to perform at the 52nd annual Seghizzi International Choral Competition in Gorizia, Italy, where they would be performing his arrangement of Tú y Yo, a Puertorican danza.*  Incidentally, they were the Gold People's Choice winners and Third Place Bronze Judges' Choice for Traditional and Folkloric categories.

 

Edgar ha sido un prolífico entusiasta cantante de música coral desde su niñez en escuela elemental, pero cuando comenzó a cantar con el estupendo organista, director de orcquesta y coro Randolfo (Randy) Juarbe, en escuela superior, en la Escuela Libre de Música, la flama por la música coral se convirtió en un incendio.  Uno de los momentos de mas orgullo en su vida ocurrió cuando, 42 años despues de haberse graduado, la Profesora Ana Rosario le informó que el Coro de Conciertos de su querida alma mater había estado cantando sus arreglos de música puertorriquena por varios años.  Tambien le informó que ese verano se destinaban a participar en la Competizione di Canto Corale Seghizzi, celebrada en Gorizia, Italia, donde irían a cantar su arreglo de la danza puertorriquena Tú y Yo.  A propósito, el coro de "La Libre" recibió el Premio de Oro en la categoría de Voto del Público y el Premio de Bronce en la categoría de Música Folclórica por Voto de el Jurado.

 

Edgar is a proud charter member of the New York City Gay Men's Chorus (NYCGMC), joining it at its inception in 1980.  He is thrilled to be embarking on his 35th season with the Chorus.  He has served twice on its Board of Directors.  He also shared responsibilities as Assistant Director from 1987 to 1994 with the late Dean X Johnson, and continued in that capacity until 1998.   Edgar considers that, as a continuation of his activism during his last two years of college, getting intensely involved in the organizational aspects of NYCGMC from the very beginning is perhaps the most important facet of his life - one that he still deeply needs, enjoys and cherishes.

 

Edgar está muy orgulloso de ser uno de los miembros fundadores de el New York City Gay Men's Chorus (NYCGMC).  Habiendose integrado al Coro desde su incepción en el 1980, el está sumamente contento de estar embarcándose en su trigésima-quinta temporada con el Coro.  Edgar ha servido dos veces en la Junta de Directores de NYCGMC.  Compartió responsabilidades como Director Asistente entre el 1987 y el 1994 con el fallecido Dean X Johnson, y continuó en esta capacidad hasta el 1998.   El afirma que, como una continuación de su activismo durante sus dos últimos años universitarios, haberse envuelto intensamente en los aspectos organizacionales de NYCGMC tal vez ha sido la faceta más importante de su vida - una cual todavía necesita, disfruta y ama profundamente.

Edgar has dedicated much of his creativity to two somewhat specific interests.  Perhaps because of the particular date on which he was born, he feels a special affinity towards Christmas music, so he is always seeking interesting and unusual Christmas pieces to arrange or texts to set to his own music.  Also, dismayed at the scarcity of available choral music in Spanish, and disappointed by the quality of much of what is available, he has made it a special mission to create idiomatic arrangements of Hispanic music, with a predominant interest in the carols and other traditional songs of Puerto Rico. In addition to these two interests, he is always looking to immerse himself in projects of other types and welcomes the opportunity to create new works on commission.

 

Edgar ha dirigido su creatividad en dos zonas algo específicas.  Tal vez debido a la fecha de su cumpleaños, el siente una gran afinidad por la música de Navidad, y por eso siempre está buscando piezas Navideñas interesantes o que se salen de lo corriente para crear arreglos nuevos, o letra para crear su propia música.  También, estando muy desalentado por la escasés de música coral en español, y desilucionado por la calidad de la major parte de la que está disponible, el ha establecido como su misión especial crear arreglos idiomáticos de música hispana, con un interés especial en los villancicos y otras canciones tradicionales de Puerto Rico.  Aparte de estos dos intereses, siempre está dispuesto a dedicarse a projectos de otros tipos y  agradece comisiones para crear nuevas obras.

 

His works and arrangements have been performed by the NYCGMC and its Chamber Choir, as well as:

Sus obras y arreglos han sido realizados por el NYCGMC y su Coro de Cámara, y también por:

Atlanta Gay Men's Chorus, Atlanta Feminist Women’s Chorus, the Boy Singers of Maine, Boston Gay Men's Chorus, Buffalo Gay Men’s Chorus, Caballeros - The Gay Men’s Chorus of Palm Springs, Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus, Cincinnati Men's Chorus, College of St. Rose Women's Chorale (Albany, NY), Coro de Concierto de la Escuela Libre de Música (San Juan, PR), Denver Gay Men's Chorus, Empire City Men’s Chorus, Franklin College Women’s Chorus, Gateway Men’s Chorus, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles, Golden Gate Men’s Chorus, Hopewell Valley Chorus (Pennington, NJ), Kansas City University Women’s Chorus, Lehigh Valley Men’s Chorus, Mélo'Men: Choeur International Gai de Paris, Miami Gay Men’s Chorus, the Monteverdi Trio, New York City Gay Men's Chorus (and its Chamber Choir), North Coast Men’s Chorus, Orlando Gay Men’s Chorus, Our Lady of the Pillar, Pittsburgh State University Choirs, Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus, Richmond Men’s Chorus, Safonia, the Salomone Trio, Second Christian Congregational Choir, Singapore Men’s Chorus, South Coast Chorale, Unitarian Church of Harrisburg, and the Windy City Gay Men's Chorus, among other choruses and vocal ensembles, as well as by Quintet of the Americas (wind ensemble).

In 1998 Mr. Colón-Hernández retired from Columbia Artists Management, Inc., where he was the Director of the Program Department in charge of negotiating repertoire and writing program notes for many international orchestras, ensembles and soloists managed by the company.  Recently he began collaborating with lyricist/composer/pianist James E. Horan.  Edgar considers himself quite fortunate to also count Jimmy as one of his dearest friends.  Edgar is an HIV+, disabled person now living in Jersey City, NJ with his partner of 21 years.

 

En el 1998 el Sr. Colón-Hernández se retiró de Columbia Artists Management, Inc., donde fue el Director del Departamento de Programas a cargo de negociar repertorio y escribir anotaciones al programa para muchas de las orquestas internacionales, conjuntos y solistas representados por dicha compañía. Recientemente comenzó una colaboración con el escritor/compositor/pianista James E. Horan.  Edgar es una persona discapacitada, VIH-positivo, quien ahora reside en Jersey City, NJ con su compañero de 21 años.

 

* For more information on Puertorican danzas please refer to the article on the "Tú y Yo and the Puertorican Danza" page.

 

* Para mas informacion sobre danzas puertorriquenas, por favor refierase a la pagina titulada "Tu y Yo y las danzas puertorriquenas."

 

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On a personal note:

 

Having mentioned the influence that Randy Juarbe had in my love for choral music,

I would be remiss if I didn't also mention other debts. 

 

I must acknowledge my gratitude to:

 

Casey J. Hayes, Dean X Johnson and Jeffrey Maynard

for their encouragement and for frequently showcasing my music in concerts,

and in Jeffrey's case, including my work in recording;

 

my cousins Ivone and Guillermo Figueroa,

and their dad, the late Guillermo, Sr. (who was also my godfather),

for their encouragement in my music studies;

 

Robert;

 

and last, but most definitely not least,

my parents, Annie and "Tato,"

for their unconditional love,

their support for any and all choices I made in my life,

and their gift of the love of music and singing.

 

Special Thanks:

 

Steve Carpenter

for his assistance creating this website

 

Paul Laplante

for his translations of Latin and German texts

 

Sondra "Sunny" Bianca Landin

for many hours of proofreading, wise advice, excellent suggestions

and her assistance polishing this website

 

- E. Colón-Hernández