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Tomas Bretón, musician, composer and conductor.

      

Tomás Bretón was born in Salamanca on 29th December, 1850. He completed his musical studies at the School of Fine Arts in his hometown, where he earned his living playing in small provincial orchestras, theaters and churches. At age 16, he moved to Madrid, where he played in orchestras in zarzuela theaters. He also began his studies at the Royal Conservatory. In 1872, Bretón received the first prize for composition at the Conservatory. In 1882 he received a grant from the Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando which enabled him to study in Rome, Milan, Vienna and Paris between 1881 and 1884. There, he  worked on more ambitious works, such as the oratorio El Apocalipsis and the opera Los amantes de Teruel and La verbena de la paloma. Bretón was also very active as a conductor, first in the Unión Artístico Musical (1878–81), and later in Madrid Concert Society. In 1901, he became director of the Conservatory of Madrid, a position he held until his retirement in 1921, struggling to modernize teaching at the institution and broaden its international orientation. He died in Madrid on 2nd December, 1923.