LAMúsiCa
Volume 2, Number 1 (June, 1995)
Carmen Téllez, Editor in Chief
Gerardo Dirié, Editor
Erick Carballo, Managing Editor
Mario Ortiz, Contributor
Obituary: Eduardo Mata
(1942-1995)
Eduardo Mata, the internationally renowned Mexican conductor and composer, died in an airplane accident near the Cuernavaca airport on January 4, 1995.
Mr. Mata was born in Mexico City in 1942. After receiving private lessons in guitar between 1950-53 he enrolled in the National Conservatory of Music where he studied with Rodolfo Halffter and Jose Moncayo. In 1960 he joined the Composition Workshop direc ted by Carlos Chavez, and worked with him and Julian Orbon until 1963. In the summer of 1964, under a Koussevitzky Fellowship, he studied conducting with Max Rudolf and Erich Leinsdorf, and composition with Gunther Schuller in Tanglewood.
In 1965 he was appointed head of the Music Department of the Universidad de Mexico. In addition, that same year, he became the permanent conductor of the Guadalajara Orchestra, where he remained until he was appointed principal conductor of the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra (Arizona) in 1972.
Between 1977 and 1993 he was the music director of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. According to Allan Kozinn, during this time "on the Dallas Podium, Mr. Mata improved the orchestra's performance standard and brought the ensemble into the national and inte rnational spotlight" (The New York Times, January 5, 1995).
While in Dallas, he was also guest conductor of several important orchestras in United States, Europe and Latin America: Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, San Francisco, London, Berlin, Frankfurt, Rotterdam, Mexico, Venezuela. He wa s also the principal guest conductor of the New Zealand Symphony and the artistic director of the Solistas de Mexico.
He had also made recordings for the Dorian, RCA, Pro Arte, Telarc, and Vox labels. His last recording project involved a series of compact discs dedicated to Latin American works with the Orquesta Sinfonica Simón Bolívar of Venezuela, which has earned cri tical acclaim.
As a conductor he was known for his clean and direct interpretations. He had particular interest in the music of Silvestre Revueltas, Alberto Ginastera, and Heitor Villa-Lobos; however, he also conducted and recorded an ample repertory that ranged from th e early Classic period to the 20th century. He offered outstanding performances of works by modern composers from the United States, France, and Russia.
Notable among his compositions are three symphonies (1962, 63, 66); Improvisations, for two pianos and strings (1966); and a number of chamber works including a sonata for violoncello and piano (1967).
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