Bonastre, Francesc

Francesc Bonastre i Bertran was born in Montblanc in 1944. Educated at the Escolania de Santa Maria choir school with the priest Ramon Boqueras (1950-1955) and at Tarragona Seminary with the priest Francesc Tàpies (1955-1962). An arts graduate (1967) and Doctor (1970) in Romance Philology from the UB (University of Barcelona), he attained the 1st Outstanding Achievement Award in both degrees under the guidance of Martí de Rique. He undertook studies in baroque musicology under the guidance of Miquel Querol at the IEM of the CSIC of Barcelona (1969-1972). He was the Head of the Musicology Department at the UAB, director of the “Josep Ricart i Matas” Musicology Institute from 1979, and director of the Recerca Musicològica magazine since 1981.
He is the author of over 150 national and international scientific publications, amongst which we should note his critical essays on the first two Hispanic oratorios: Historia de Joseph (Story of Joseph) and Aquí de la fe (About the faith), by L.V. Gargallo, (c.1636-1682) and the earliest preserved Spanish opera: Celos aun del Ayre matan (Jealousy, even of air, kills), music by Juan Hidalgo (c. 1618-1685) and text by Pedro Calderón de la Barca (1600-1680).
Director of the Schola Cantorum of the UB; the Gaudium Musicæ of the UAB; and of the old music groups Seconda prattica and Mapa Harmónico. Director-at Large of the International Musicological Society (1992-1997), Permanent Academic of the Reial Acadèmia Catalana de Belles Arts de St. Jordi and President of the Music Department; Academic Correspondent of the San Fernando Academy in Madrid; co-founder of the Catalan Society of Musicology in 1973 and member of the Societat Catalana d’Estudis Litúrgics (Catalan Society of Liturgical Studies), both of which belong to the Institute of Catalan Studies since 1969.
As a composer, he has a catalogue of over 70 works from Lieder, choral music, chamber to symphonic music, cantatas and oratorios.