Electo Silva Gainza is a Cuban composer and choir director, born in 1928. He is one of the most revealing examples of this style of musical interpretation, one of our Cuban identity. He began his musical career as an amateur, playing piccolo in a band and violin in a string quartet, and practicing as a singer and conductor in Haiti, where he pursued his first musical studies.

In 1955, he founded his first choir, called “Cantores Polifónicos,” at the Esteban Salas Conservatory in the province of Santiago de Cuba. His musical work has been of remarkable significance at the National Choral Festivals and the Cuban Choral Information Center, particularly as director of several children’s choirs, including the Sirena Women’s Choir. Since November 15, 1960, he has directed the Santiago Orfeón Choir. He is the Permanent President of the National Choral Festival.

Regarding his work as an educator, we should highlight that this prestigious Cuban musician holds a PhD in Pedagogy, specializing in Child Psychology. He has served as a visiting professor at the Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA), as a professor at the Universidad de Oriente, and as director of the University Choir. He is also the Dean of choral directors in our country.

Electo Silva’s works have been published in Cuba as well as in countries such as Sweden, Denmark, the United States, and France. His book “30 Canciones populares cubanas” is extremely well-known. He holds the Distinction for National Culture, the Alejo Carpentier Medal, the Félix Valera Order of the First Degree from the Council of State, the Bela Bartok Diploma and Plaque from the Hungarian State, and the UNEAC Annual Composition Prize (1995) for his entire creative body of work.

In Cuba, Argentina, Venezuela, Spain, Hungary, and Austria, he has served as a judge in prestigious choral competitions. He has offered workshops in this specialty in Mexico, Argentina, Sweden, France, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Spain.

Electo Silva was awarded the National Music Prize in 2002. This great Cuban maestro has contributed greatly to the dissemination, preservation, and conservation of our country’s musical history.