José Loyola Fernández, a prominent Cuban musicologist, flautist, and composer, was born on February 12, 1941, in the province of Cienfuegos. He took his first steps in the world of music with his father, Efraín Loyola, who founded the renowned Aragón Orchestra and excelled as a flautist and orchestra conductor.

When he graduated from the National School of Art (120th Street between 9th and 13th, Cubanacán, Playa, Havana) in 1967, he was awarded a scholarship to study composition in Poland, where he graduated with a Master’s degree in Art from the Composition specialty.

José Loyola began his career in 1973 as Director of the Amadeo Roldán Conservatory (Rastro No. 1 and Espada, Centro Habana, Havana) in Havana, and in 1975 he was promoted to National Coordinator of Music Schools of the National Council of Culture of Cuba. From 1981 to 1985, he completed his doctorate in Music Theory at the Frédéric Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw.

Throughout his extensive career in popular music, for decades he has been a member of or directed prominent groups such as the Efraín Loyola Orchestra, the Revelación Orchestra, the Jazz Band of the National School of Art of Cuba (120th Street between 9th and 13th, Cubanacán, Playa, Havana), and the Fryderk Babinski Quartet in Warsaw, Poland, where he worked as a flautist and arranger. With this quartet, he participated in the Polish festivals Jazz Jamboree in Warsaw, Jazz on the Oder in Wroclaw, and the Komeda Festival. He also worked on the soundtracks of several Polish films.

He has also founded important artistic events such as the International Bolero Festival, the Havana Contemporary Music Festival, the Cuba Danzón Festival, and the Havana Danzón Festival.

José Loyola has held important positions throughout his successful career. He served as Vice-Rector for Research and Dean of the Faculty of Music at the Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA) (1110 Calle 120 between 9th and 13th, Cubanacán, Playa, Havana), where he is a member of the Scientific Council and the National Commission for Scientific Degrees in the arts. He currently teaches Music Composition, Instrumentation and Orchestration, Counterpoint, Harmony, and other musical disciplines at the institute. He is also a flutist and director of the Música Viva Trio, a group with which he has toured internationally.

He recently founded the musical group Charanga de Oro, which primarily performs danzones. Originally composed of a flute, violin, piano, double bass, timbale (paila criolla), and güiro, the group later incorporated two more violins, a tumbadora, and three singers. The orchestra has ventured into highly experimental works, incorporating opera singers from the National Opera, such as Ulises Aquino, Manuel Riopedre, and Lucy Provedo. It has also featured celebrated guests such as Mundito González, Rolando Montero, Teresa García Caturla, Tata Guines, Cuarteto Los Zafiros, and Emilia Morales, among others.

Among his main works are: Music for flute and strings, 1970; Música viva, No. 1 for percussion instruments; Three poetic images, for voice, baritone and piano, 1972, Música viva No. 2 for symphony orchestra, Monzón and the King of Koré, an opera in 3 acts, 1973; Cantata to the Martyrs of September 5, for reciter, choir and orchestra, 1974; Poética del guerrillero, for voice and orchestra; and Homage to Brindis de Salas, for solo violin, 1975. His works have been performed in symphonic and chamber concerts both in Cuba and in other countries around the world. In addition, José Loyola has composed and arranged music for important Cuban orchestras such as those of Pancho El Bravo, Elio Revé, the Maravillas de Florida Orchestra, the Boleros de Oro International Festival Orchestra, and the Orquesta Modelo.

This talented Cuban musician and composer has won several national awards in composition competitions, as well as other accolades, including the Annual Recognition Award for his entire creative body of work (the highest award given in Cuba), the “Juan Marinello” Order (1996), and the “Alejo Carpentier” Medal (2001).

José Loyola Fernández has published books and articles on Cuban music in Cuban and foreign magazines and has served as First Vice President of the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (UNEAC) for over 16 years.