Carlos Bonilla Chávez

Carlos Galo Raúl Bonilla Chávez, better known as Carlos Bonilla (March 21, 1923 – January 10, 2010)^[1] was one of the pioneers of the Ecuadorian classical guitar and an important figure in 20th-century Ecuadorian music.

Biography

Chávez was born in Quito and studied at the National Conservatorio Nacional de Música de Quito, where in 1952 he became professor of guitar and composition.^[2]

In 1962, Bonilla founded the first guitar department at the National Conservatory of Music in Quito, Ecuador. Sought after to perform many of his own compositions which featured solo guitar and orchestra, Bonilla frequently performed with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ecuador and the Colombian Philharmonic Orchestra. Ever since the Ecuadorian National Symphony Orchestra was established in 1956, Bonilla served as principal contrabass until his retirement in 1985. He also performed a contrabass solo, Concert of Cañonery, accompanied on the piano by his brother Hector Bonilla.^[3][4]

Compositions

• Mil años de música for orchestra
• Raíces, for guitare & orchestra
• Rumiñahui for orchestra
• Chasqui
• Suite andina
• Eco andino
• Acuarela indígena
• Atahualpa (yumbo)
• Tambores shyris
• Ponchito al hombro
• Indiecito otavaleño
• Elegía y danza, for guitar (Paris, Éditions Max Eschig)
• Preludio y Yumbo, for guitar (Paris, Éditions Max Eschig)
• Beatriz (pasillo)
• Subyugante (pasillo)
• Cantares del alma (pasillo)
• Sueña mi bien (pasillo)
• Idílica, (pasillo)
• Pasillo No. 2
• Nocturno (pasillo)
• Solo tú (pasillo).