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Marlene
Urbay is the founder and musical director of the Miami-based
Florida Chamber Orchestra. Renowned in her native Cuba, Urbay
became music director of the National Ballet of Cuba in 1982 at
the age of 24 and remained in that position until 1991, when she
requested political asylum in Madrid.
In 1987, Urbay founded the Chamber Orchestra of the Great
Theater of Havana, which toured in Italy and Poland in 1990 to
rave reviews. in addition, Urbay has been guest conductor for
the Tokyo Philharmonic, the Osaka Philharmonic, the Symphony
Orchestra of Silesia, Poland; the Philharmonic Orchestra Betica
of Seville, Spain; and the opera Orchestra of Ostrava
Czechoslovakia. In 1987, she received a special award at the
Third International G. Fitelherg Competition for orchestra
conductors in Poland. In 1995, she was a finalist for the
position of Assistant Conductor for the Boston Symphony
Orchestra's Tanglewood Music Center. In 1990, she won first
prize for orchestral conducting in The First Spanish Music
Competition of Havana. Recently she was awarded with Gems TV
woman of the year award 1998.
Urbay commands an extensive repertory of different genres,
including symphonic and chamber music, ballet, opera, zarzuela,
operetta and musical comedy. She is also an accomplished
pianist.
She began studying piano and music at age five at the Alejandro
Garcia Caturla Conservatory in Havana. She continued studying at
Cuba's National School of the Arts, graduating in 1980 with a
specialization in choral conducting. In 1980, she entered the
Instituto Superior de Arte in Havana, earning a degree in 185 in
orchestral conducting with exceptionally high honors.
After emigrating to the United States in 1991, Urbay earned a
Master's degree in orchestral conducting from the University of
Miami School of Music. From 1993 to 1995, she was Associate
Conductor of the University of Miami Symphony Orchestra. She has
taught music at Miami-Dade Community College and is the
supervisor in charge of the music Department at Conchita
Espinosa. |
