Manuel Castillo

Manuel Castillo Navarro-Aguilera was born on 8 February 1930 in Seville (Spain). He began studying piano and composition in his native city with Antonio Pantión and Norberto Almandoz. He subsequently continued his education at the Madrid Conservatory, where he studied piano with Antonio Lucas Moreno and composition with Conrado del Campo. He later moved to Paris to study with Lazare Lévy and Nadia Boulanger.
In 1954 Castillo returned to Seville and was appointed professor of Music History and Aesthetics at the Conservatory. Two years later he obtained a professorship in piano at the same institution. In 1956 he also entered a Catholic seminary and subsequently served as a priest until 1970, without abandoning his musical activities.
During the 1950s Castillo established himself as both a pianist and composer. His early compositions include the Sonatina (1949), Suite and Toccata for piano (1952), Nocturnos de Getsemaní (1953) and Tres Impromptus (1957). In 1958 he composed his first piano concerto, which he premiered himself with the Madrid Symphony Orchestra. The following year he received the Spanish National Music Prize for his piano composition Preludio, diferencias y tocata, based on a theme by Isaac Albéniz.
In 1963 Castillo became deputy director of the Seville Conservatory and in 1964 succeeded Norberto Almandoz as its director. He held this position until 1978, when he resigned to devote more time to composition. During these years he also taught composition and orchestration and became an influential figure in the musical life of Andalusia.
His compositions include three symphonies, three piano concertos, a concerto for two pianos and orchestra, concertos for violin and guitar, chamber music, numerous works for piano and organ, and vocal and choral compositions. Among his larger works are his First Symphony (1969), Concierto para dos pianos y orquesta (1984) and the Third Symphony, Poemas de luz (1994).
In 1988 Castillo was named Hijo Predilecto de Andalucía (Distinguished Son of Andalusia). He also composed the official anthem for the 1992 Universal Exposition in Seville, which was premiered in 1989. In 1990 he received the Spanish National Music Prize for a second time, followed by the Gold Medal of Merit in the Fine Arts in 1994.
Manuel Castillo died on 1 November 2005 in Seville (Spain).

The Conservatorio Superior de Música in Seville bears his name.

In my possession is the autograph manuscript of Manuel Castillo's "Tres Impromptus" for piano, composed in 1957. The manuscript bears a dedication to the Spanish pianist Esteban Sánchez (1934–1997), written at the top of the first page of music. At the end of the score Castillo added a personal inscription: "Para Esteban Sánchez, con un abrazo de M. Castillo" ("For Esteban Sánchez, with a hug from M. Castillo"), followed by the date "Sevilla, Septiembre 1957".