Huberal Herrera
Huberal Herrera, born in Mayarí in Holguín province of Cuba in 1929. In 1932 he moved to Havana and in 1936 he entered in the Conservatory Hubert de Blanck where he studied piano with Arcadio Menocal and solfège with Hortensia Rojas and graduated in 1944. In 1951, he earned his doctorate in Law from the University of Havana, and in 1954, obtained his Masters Degree in Administrative, Diplomatic and Consular Law from the University of Havana. He served in Cuba’s Tax Court until 1957.
In 1952 Huberal entered the Conservatorio Municipal of Havana, known today Amadeo Roldán, and studied harmony, counterpoint with Harold Gramatges and musical pedagogy with Argeliers León. In 1954 Huberal Herrera made his debut in concert at the Lyceum Lawn Tennis Club. From 1957 to 1959 he travelled on tour throughout Europe, Middle East and Asia. He studied Spanish music in Madrid with Juan Bernal.
Huberal Herrera was a founding member of the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (UNEAC), has received the Distinction “Nicolás Guillén”, as well as nearly every medal and distinction awarded to musical artists in Cuba, including the Gold Medal for National Culture, the Raúl Gómez García Medal, Medal of Literacy, the Commemorative Medal on the 40th Anniversary of the Armed Forces of the Revolution, the Distinction La Giraldilla, the Punta de Silex, Gitana Tropical, and Prize of Honor at Cubadisco 2009. He also taught for 26 years, receiving the Diploma of Merit and Gold Medal several times. During his nearly 70-year career, Huberal Herrera has appeared in concert outside Cuba many times, throughout the Caribbean, Latin America and Europe, as well as in Egypt, Lebanon, China, Korea, and the USA.
Huberal Herrera is acknowledged as the world’s leading interpreter of the piano music of Ernesto Lecuona, to the extent that in Cuba he is known as “El Lecuonista”.
In Spain, Huberal Herrera recorded the complete piano works of Ernesto Lecuona in 1999 for Spain’s General Society of Authors (SGAE) released to much acclaim on the Autor and Decca labels. His version of Lecuona’s La Comparsa was included on the Virgin Records compilation in 2000 The Best Cuban Album in the World . . . Ever!.
The composer and orchestral conductor Gonzalo Roig said:
“Huberal Herrera is a brilliant pianist possessing a beautiful sound like the greatest virtuosos of that instrument, who interprets the Cuban music as we always want to hear it.”
