Augusto Rodríguez (musician)

Augusto Rodríguez
Rodríguez was the founder of the Choir of the University of Puerto Rico
Background information
Born	February 9, 1904 San Juan, Puerto Rico
Died	January 5, 1993 San Juan, Puerto Rico
Genres	Classical
Occupation(s)	Music composer and chorus director

Augusto Rodríguez a.k.a. "Tito" (February 9, 1904 – January 5, 1993) was a music composer and chorus director. Rodríguez was the founder of the Choir of the University of Puerto Rico.

Rodríguez, (birth name: Augusto Alejandro Rodríguez Amador) was born in the city of San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico. He began taking music lessons under the guidance of Rosa Sicardó and Elisa Tavárez and, by the age of 12, played for an orchestra.

In 1920, Rodríguez graduated from the Escuela Superior Central de Santurce (Santurce Central High School). Rodríguez decided to become a doctor and enrolled in the University of Puerto Rico's school of medicine as a pre-med student. In 1932, Rodríguez abandoned his medical studies and went to Boston, where he studied music both at Harvard University and at the New England Conservatory of Music.

In 1934, Rodríguez returned to Puerto Rico to teach music at the University of Puerto Rico (UPR). He also served as director of the Puerto Rican Philharmonic. Two years later, Rodríguez founded the university's first choir, the Coro de la Universidad de Puerto Rico (Choir of the University of Puerto Rico), which was highly acclaimed by the critics. The choir performed in various cities in Central America, South America, the Caribbean, and in the main cities of the United States. Among the favorable critics was Noel Strauss, from The New York Times in his column of that papers May 30, 1949 edition, after witnessing the choir's performance at New York's Carnegie Hall.

Amongst the many notable members of the Coro de la Universidad de Puerto Rico were Justino Diaz, José Freire, Norman Veve, Paco O'Neill, Guiso Cosme, Carmencita Collazo, Sonia Cordero, and Lysette Alvarez. Rodríguez and Puerto Rican music legend Jesus Maria Sanroma helped get Justino Diaz a UPR scholarship to the New England Conservatory of Music. Rodríguez continued in his role as the director of the Coro de la Universidad de Puerto Rico until 1970.