Educator
Orrego-Salas presents a lecture.
Juan Orrego-Salas began a career in education while teaching music history at the Universidad de Chile and conducting the Coro de la Universidad Católica. In the United States, he presented a lecture at Harvard in 1955. Alongside his work as founding director of the Latin American Music Center, Orrego-Salas joined the composition faculty at Indiana University School of Music. His many students included composers Ricardo Lorenz and Feliu Gasull.
A young Orrego-Salas seated at the piano, teaching students in Chile.
Juan Orrego-Salas conducting the Coro de la Universidad Católica de Santiago in Chile.
In 1941, Orrego-Salas was directing the Coro de la Universidad Católica de Santiago, a choral group he founded in 1938. Here is the cover of a program during his time as conductor.
On March 31, 1955, Orrego-Salas gave a lecture at Harvard University with the title, “My Trip Through Music.” This is the first page of his lecture, complete with his handwritten notes for improvement.
Former students include composers Ricardo Lorenz and Feliu Gasull, who studied with Orrego-Salas at Indiana University during his tenure on the composition faculty. Ricardo Lorenz also followed Orrego-Salas as the director of the Latin American Music Center (1987-1992).