He has written original music for seven films; has composed more than 70 works, including chamber, vocal, and symphonic music; and has created various innovations in music.
In Cuba, he studied at the Conservatorio Municipal de la Habana (Amadeo Roldán); where he graduated as music professor, at the age of 18.
In 1951, Ubieta publishes his first musical innovation, which he calls, "Fonocromía": A system of musical notation that, using distinct colors, replaces the dynamic terms in music. For example, a note in clear green, replaces the term pp; in cyan, p; in purple, mf; in orange, f; and in red, ff. As known, each note in the staff indicates a sound and its value. Now, if the note is colored, the color will indicate the dynamic term carried by it. In other words, in each note will then be represented the sound, its value and its dynamic term. This is, therefore, the contribution of "Fonocromía" to contemporary musicography: (1) Representation of dynamic terms on the note itself; (2) Psychological use of color, as a representative agent of the dynamic terms; and (3) Conversion of the score into a kind of colored map, whereas the graduated dynamics terms are instantaneously visible to the eye.
Ubieta also practiced musicology, in chronicles about the folkloric music of his country, which were published by the Cuban newspaper, El Mundo; just as he was the composer and director of the advertising music department of Procter & Gamble for Latin America. Thus, alternating his journalistic and advertising activities with the serious musical compositions, Ubieta also wrote numerous scores of incidental music for the Teatro de Bellas Artes, and other private halls of Havana; where he collaborated with stellar figures from theater and TV, such as Adela Escartín, Ana Lasalle, Chela Castro and Angel Toraño, among others; and well-known directors such as Carlos Piñeiro, Erick Santamaria and Manuel Bach.
At the triumph of the 1959 Revolution, Ubieta composes the music for "Himno Agrario" (Agrarian Hymn), the official hymn of INRA; with the collaboration of the national poet, Nicolás Guillén (1902-1987), who wrote the lyrics of the famous hymn.(N.B. "Himno Agrario" was originally recorded by the tenor, Rudy Fanetti, with the Banda del Estado Mayor, under the direction of Carlos Fariñas [1934-2002]. Afterwards, it was sung by the tenor, Armando Pico, under the baton of the composer, in a commercial recording). Two years later, Ubieta was officially commissioned for the composition and gramophonic production of the "Himno de los CDR", whose lyrics were written by the Cuban poet, Indio Naborí (Jesús Orta Ruiz [1922-2005]).
At the beginning of 1960, Ubieta also participates as founding composer of ICAIC (Cuban Institute of Art and Cinematographic Industry), which commissions him to compose the music for "Realengo 18" (the first feature length film of ICAIC, whose sung musical theme was versified by the Dominican national poet, Pedro Mir (1913-2000). He was also commissioned by ICAIC for creating the music for a documentary and three animated cartoons. All these films have won prizes in several of the most reckoned worldwide film festivals. In 1962, for example, "Realengo 18" was awarded in the Latin American Cinema Review at Sestri-Levante, Italy. (Note. This film is currently available in video-cassette and DVD, in USA.)
Considered today among his most notable disciples, Ubieta was invited to study with Aram I. Khachaturian, in 1960, at the Moscow Conservatory. There, he remained working some time under the supervision of the Soviet composer. (Ubieta was the first Cuban composer who, invited by the USSR, studied with maestro Khachaturian.)
Returning to Havana, Ubieta continued writing vocal and chamber music, which was premiered on national TV both by the soprano Iris Burguet, and the Chamber Orchestra of Havana. During this time, and through his work, he exposed a harmonic school of his own conception, called Bimodalism: A system based exclusively on the simultaneous use of major and minor triads of equal root: c-eb-e-g. This harmonic fusion-the begetter of a new ethos in harmony-can be used throughout a complete work; or in one of its sections; or, in a symbiotic manner, in sharing with other compatible harmonic entities, already in existence. Ubieta's treatise that appears in the internet (Bimodalism: A New Dimension and Ethos in Harmony) details, with the aid of musical examples, both the aesthetic fundaments and the theory and practice of the new System.
In 1961, the famous documentarists, Joris Ivens (1898-1989) and Chris Marker used Ubieta's music in their own film productions. In the following year, Ubieta publishes another innovation in music: "Pictorial Music Scores." This is a pictographic system that replaces the name of the listed instrument on the left column of the score, by its respective images. Two advantageous visual factors support this graphical reform: (1) The image of an instrument is universal; but, its name is not; and (2) An image is caught by the eye, more quickly than a word is. (30 years after this innovation was globally exploited by Ubieta, under the Pictorial Music Score label, Sibelius 3--the music notation program--currently provides it for its users in applying it to the instrumental parts from a score.)
Ubieta's comic zarzuela, "Mefistofeles" was premiered in 1964, when he was named composer in residence of the Musical Theatre of Havana, by its then director, the Mexican film maker, Alfonso Arau.
At the end of said year, Ubieta left Cuba to reside in Paris; where, he joined SACEM (the French society of music composers), and his music is transmitted by Radiofussión Francaise; while the National Scholastic TV, as well as other advertising firms of the country assign to him as composer/director of some their audiovisual productions.
Settling in the United States, in 1967, Ubieta met the famous actor, René Muñoz (Fray Escoba); who recorded a poetic recital with background music composed, played and directed by the composer.. An album with this music entitled, "San Martín de Porres", resulted a best selling record in the U.S., Mexico and Latin America. Shortly after, in December of that year, a recital was presented in New York's Town Hall, by these two connotated artists; who were accompanied by nine instrumentalists, conducted by the composer. It was a memorable recital, with a full house, celebrated enthusiastically by New York critics.
The symphonic work by Ubieta, "The Cuban Mass",published by Walton Music Corp., in 1975, was premiered at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, in 1973, by Dr. Alec Wyton (former president of the American Guild of Organists and Chapel Master of said cathedral); who, handed his baton to the guest composer for the World Premiere. This work has been performed by the renowned choir of the late Norman Luboff (1917-1987), and the choir of Almeda and Jackson Berkey, Soli Deo Gloria Cantorum, as well as by numerous choral groups across the USA and the world.
In 1975, the first guitar work by Ubieta is premiered at Carnegie Recital Hall. It is "Bimodal" (a one movement sonata); whose language exhibits, in total splendor, the harmonic school of Bimodalism. This piece has been performed, throughout time, in various countries.
The Crypt of St. George's Episcopal Church in New York presented, in 1977, the acclaimed harpsichordist, Gerald Ranck, who premiered "Sui Generis Suite" by Ubieta--a bimodalistic work. Later, Ranck performed this work at Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas; as well as throughout the U.S.
In the winter of 1978, Ubieta was commissioned to compose and conduct the music of the film, "El Super" (New Yorker Films.) The film and its music superceded the most optimistic expectations, winning among many awards, the Manheim Foreign Award of 1979, the Venetian Critics Award in that same year, and the Biarritz Award in 1980.
A year after this colossal success, the original sound track of the film is recorded by Kim Records. And, in 1985, the guitar version of the theme "New York Rush", transcribed by the composer, is recorded by Carlos Barbosa Lima on the Corcord Record label. ("Impressions" CCD-42009).
In 1999, the guitarrist Manuel Barrueco recorded said theme in his EMI Classics CD, Cuba! "New York Rush" was published in two instrumental versions by G. Schirmer, Inc. (As of then, Hal Leonard Publishing Corp. distributes this score in its world market.)
"Variations Over An Anguish" is a cello solo, written by Ubieta, which was commissioned by the eminent Danish cellist, Hans Jørgen Jensen; who premiered it at the College-Conservatory of Music University of Cincinnati, in 1984. (Professor Jensen currently teaches cello at Northwestern University and faculty member of Meadowmount School of Music.)
Ubieta's experience composing music for the documentary film genre once again proved successful when in the summer of 1980, Ubieta was commissioned by the U.S. Government to compose the music for the documentary, In Their Own Words (winner of the Gold Medal in the 23rd. International Film Festival of New York).
Ubieta returns to the concert hall when his first piano trio, "Canon over Hanon", is premiered at the Vineyard Theatre of New York. This work, aesthetically analogous to its congeners in painting, is a true musical collage, where melodic "layers" by the violin and cello are painted over the first 20 lessons of the famous piano method, Hanon. (In other words, the Hanon's Method is the real object of collage).
In 1986, The New York Council on the Arts commissions Ubieta to compose his second piano trio, "Lo Negro Y Lo Blanco" (The Black and the White). During that year, such work was premiered by Trío Música Hispana (Chorberg, Bacelar and Zinger) of New York.
Also, in 1986, Levande Ton, an excellent choral group from Sweden directed by Thore Kennestad, records the Kyrie and Aleluya from "The Cuban Mass" for the Scandinavian label, Four-Leaf Clover. (The musical accompaniment of the LP was performed by the known Cuban pianist, Bebo Valdés, with two typical percussionists.)
To commemorate the centennary of Heitor Villa-Lobos birth, in 1987, Ubieta composed, "La Cubachiana". The composer transcribed 12 instrumental versions, some which have been premiered by different performers and musical groups. For example, The Florilegium Chamber Choir premiered the choral/piano version at Merkin Hall in New York. (Both, "La Cubachiana" and "The Cuban Mass", received excellent reviews for this concert).
Ubieta's choral work, "Voces de Navidad" (Christmas Voices) with lyrics in Spanish and English, written by him, was premiered by Las Voces, a chamber choir directed by Xiomara DiMaio. (San Diego, 1991).
Among the many performances of Ubieta's music, at the America's Society of New York, it's worth noting the performance of "La Cubachiana", by the excellent Quintet of the Americas, in 1993. Allan Kozinn, music critic for The New York Times, considered this version of "La Cubachiana", a "brilliant piece of popular South American influence."
The year 1994 brought the debut of "The Cuban Mass" to Stockholm, where it was conducted by Bengt Ollen and sung by Annika Skoglund, during the annual and celebrated Skinnskatteberg Choral Festival. These two-day performances of the work were enthusiastically received by the huge crowd attending and given a standing ovation.
The Bach Choir of Pittsburgh, under the direction of Dr. Brady Allred, successfully presents, "The Cuban Mass", in October of 1998, at Carlow College Community Center, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
In 1999, the Westchester Philharmonic and Chorus of the Americas (directed by Nelly Vuksic), presented three parts of "The Cuban Mass" (Kyrie, Santo and Aleluya), under the baton of Paul Lustig Dunkel, its musical director.
Later, during April of 2002, the Cleveland Duo, of James Umble and Carolyn G. Warner, successfully presents a special version with saxophone of "La Cubachiana", in Jefferson, Ohio.
In recent years, more musicians have performed works by Ubieta, in concert and recordings. Among these, worth mentioning is Chucho Valdés and his quartet; who presented and recorded, "Son XXI", in a live concert at the Village Vanguard, from April 9-10, 1999, in New York. (This CD was winner of a Grammy Award in 2001).
Another important mention is that of the piano recitalist, Nohema Fernández, Dean of Arts at the University of California (in Irving); as well as the chamber group, Acapella Choir of the University of Wisconsin-Superior, which is directed by Dr. Matthew Faerber; the Palomar Chamber Singers, conducted by Dr. David Chase; and, finally, the Tritonus Choir of Norway that, under the baton of John Høybye, performed "The Cuban Mass", in Denmark.
ATTENTION: Each year there are various presentations of Ubieta's works, as much as in the USA, as in other parts of the world. Of such events, only the most relevant are briefly mentioned in this website. References to the composer can be obtained from Who's Who in American Film Now (a book by James Monaco, published by Baseline, the 1975-86 edition.) In addition, it is propitious to inform that, both the Lincoln Center Music Library and the Latin American Music Center, at the Indiana University School of Music, maintain in their respective archives, recordings and publications of some Ubieta's works, as reference materials available to the public.
