Serra, Joaquim

Joaquim Serra i Corominas was born in Peralada (Alt Empordà) in 1907 and died fifty years later in Barcelona. The son of Josep Serra i Bonal, he studied with his father, Lluís Millet and Enric Morera and he wrote his first sardana (a typical Catalan dance) in 1923. He won two Concepció Rabell awards, for Trio en mi (1926) and Variacions per a orquestra i piano (1928), in addition to various prizes at the Sant Jordi competitions, specifically for Impressions Camperoles (1926), La Fira, Glossa del ball de gitanes and La presó de Lleida.
He wrote approximately fifty outstanding sardanas, such as La primera volada (1921), Infantívola (1922), Tendresa, Joiosa, Rocaborba and Apassionada (all in 1936). Serra’s posthumous piece of work, Puigsoliu was the best of his symphonic poems.
In 1934, he was appointed artistic director of the Associació de Barcelona radio station. He gave a course on orchestration for brass bands in 1948, which he summarised in his book, Tractat d’Instrumentació per a cobla (Instrumentation for brass bands) in 1957.