Jesús de Monasterio

Jesús de Monasterio y Agüeros (b Potes, Cantabria, 21 March 1836; d Casar de Periedo, 28 Sept 1903) was a Spanish violinist, composer, conductor and teacher. He was one of the main promoters of Madrid instrumental music during the nineteenth century.

He began studying the violin with his father, an amateur violinist, and he continued learning in Valladolid with José Ortega Zapata. His first public performance was in 1843, which caused the audience's astonishment due to its ability with the violin and its young age. According to the review of that concert in the magazine La Iberia Musical y Literaria, "He caused an inexplicable admiration with the prodigies that he made playing the violin: this little angel, smaller than the instrument he had in hand, was crowned and named partner of merit among a thousand demonastrations of general approval. This innocent child has surprised us, because it is an almost incredible phenomena seeing so much disposition in such tender age". He moved then to Madrid to pursue his studies and he got a pension and a violin after playing a concert for the Infanta Isabel de Borbón. During his early formative years numerous press references about him were written in several musical magazines and he was named emeritus partner of several lyceums.
After his father’s death in mid 1845, his tutor Basilio Montoya got Monasterio to study with Bériot in the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, where he studied harmony with Lemmens, counterpoint with Fétis and completed his literary education with his friend and protector Gevaert. In 1852, he got the Prix extraordinaire at the Conservatoire, which had been delayed because of Monasterio’s young age.

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