Vila, Francesc

Francesc Vila i Ginferrer, conductor, composer and teacher, was born in Castellbell i el Vilar (Bages) in 1922, where he lived all his life. He started studying music with teacher Miquel Blanch in Manresa, with Ester Oliveras in Castellbell and with Vilar i Blanca Morera in Manresa. His further education took place at the Municipal Conservatory of Barcelona and his education in choral conducting and musical education followed the Dalcroze, Llongueres and Orff methods.
Maestro Enric Gibert had a particularly strong influence on his training as a conductor. He was a leading light in the choral world, conducting the Burés Choir, the Montserrat Choir, the choir and orchestra of La Passió of Olesa, the Castellet Music Association and the Young Percussionists’ Association. He was the driving force behind various social and musical initiatives such as the International Choral Singing Day in Barcelona and the International Festival of Choral Singing of Central Catalonia.
The bulk of his work was devoted to the choral world, with original songs, harmonisations and choral adaptations of traditional songs. Many of these pieces feature lyrics by Joan Farràs. He also put to music the poems of Jacint Verdaguer, Salvador Espriu and Federico García Lorca (the well-known Nocturne from a Window), Miquel Martí Pol, Miquel Desclot, Tomàs Garcés and Màrius Torres. He also wrote and adapted many songs and pieces of music for children, and various scores for sardana and ballet dances.
He won several prizes for his compositions, but one of the best rewards is that every choir in the country has at some point sung a song by Francesc Vila.
Cassià M. Just wrote about the composer: “His name and that of the Burés Choir are known in every corner of our land as a message of simplicity, beauty and admiration.”
He died in May 2011.