Tuesday, November 24, 2009

AfriClassical.com Profiles Julio Racine (b. 1945), Haitian Composer, Arranger & Flutist


[Belle Ayiti: Mizik Savant Ayisyen (Beautiful Haiti: Haitian Classical Music); Tangente au
Yanvalou; Sonate Vodou Jazz
; Haitian Folk Songs; Zanmi Ansanm Mizik Ayisyen (Friends Together For Haitian Music). Cover Art: Painting by Haitian artist Ernst Toussaint. (75:29)]

AfriClassical.com is pleased to announce a new web page on Julio Racine,
a Haitian composer, arranger and flutist who was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti on February 4, 1945. He joins three other Haitian classical composers at the website: Justin Elie, Occide Jeanty and Ludovic Lamothe.

On Oct. 31, 2009 AfriClassical posted: “Z.A.M.A. CD 'Beautiful Haiti: Haitian Classical Music' by Jaegerhuber, Racine, Jean-Claude & Casseus” Three of the works are by Julio Racine: Tangente au Yanvalou, Sonate Vodou Jazz and Haitian Folk Songs. The CDs sells for $20.00, plus $5.00 shipping and handling. All of the proceeds are devoted to funding scholarships and bringing five Haitian musicians to the U.S. for a 4-month residency. To order the CD "Belle Ayiti" (75:29), send an email to: Mary Procopio, mary.procopio@mcc.edu

Julio Racine's father was Cesar Racine, a judge in the border town of Belledere. Julio and his brother and sisters lived in Port-au-Prince while school was in session. His mother was Lea Delva Racine, a teacher and artist. Her teaching posts sometimes separated her from the family as well. Lea Racine died when Julio was 2 years old. His maternal grandmother and his uncles helped his father raise him, his brother and two sisters.
At 12, Julio began taking flute lessons from the Rev. Ulrick Delva, an uncle who was a Roman Catholic priest. Racine was 15 when he entered the Conservatoire National, where he studied flute with Despestre Salnave, and piano and harmony with Professor Solon Verret, also a Haitian composer.

In 1970, Julio Racine received a scholarship to study at the University of Louisville School of Music in Kentucky. There he studied flute with Prof. Francis Fuge and composition with Dr. Nelson Keyes. He graduated in 1974 and returned to Haiti. Julio was immediately given a faculty appointment as Professor of Flute and Conductor of the Holy Trinity Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestre Philharmonique Sainte Trinité).

He has given numerous flute and chamber music recitals in Haiti. In 1984 he conducted the Holy Trinity Orchestra on a tour of several U.S. Cities. From 1975-86 Julio Racine was the principal organizer of the Summer Music Camp for young musicians in Haiti, the “Ecole de Musique Saint-Trinité.” He retired in 2001, and relocated to the U.S. Racine's works are essentially Haitian-inspired, and have been performed and well-received in Haiti. Julio has also devoted considerable time to arranging Haitian folk songs for publication and performance.






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