Carlos Duarte

Who was Carlos Duarte?

Carlos Duarte was a Venezuelan composer and pianist. His premier recital was at age 11 and at 16 he won a national award for composition. He composed some pieces for piano and orchestra: "Ludios", "Sinfonietta La Mar", "Concierto de la Canción Triste" and "Requiem para un Idiota". In 1999 he composed a Quintet for the End of the Century. The composer himself performed the first performances in the same year, with the Arpeggione Quartet and the European Union Chamber Orchestra. His last work was a Requiem, entitled "Requiem para un Idiota", for Piano, Chorus, 8 Clarinets, 8 Bassons, 8 Contrabassoons and 8 Double Basses. The Caracas Municipal Symphony Orchestra posthumously premiered in April 30th, 2006 under the baton of Rodolfo Saglimbeni and Arnaldo Pizzolante playing the piano part. Both are among the closest friends of Duarte. He composed also the incidental piano music for "Jav & Jos", "The Last Minotaur" and "Clitemnestra" all of them performed by the "Theja" Theater Group in the nineties. Between 1987 and 1990 he was the Pianist of the Caracas Municipal Symphony Orchestra. He served as a professor at the Universidad Simón Bolívar Post-Graduate Music Faculty.