Manuel

Manuel Penella Raga

Massanassa (València) , 1847
Valencia , 21 d'abril de 1909

Composer i Teacher

He studied under Pascual Pérez i Gascón. He was a pioneer of Valencian choral societies scene. In 1859, when he was still very young, he founded the Orfeó Valencià and in 1864 he replaced Pérez i Gascón as head of the Music School of the Societat Econòmica. In 1868 he was required by Valencia City Council to found and direct the Escola Municipal de Música for children. He also played an important role in the creation of the Fire Brigade Band.

In 1879 he chaired the music section of the society Lo Rat Penat. In addition to running a private music academy, in 1899 he joined the Escola Normal Superior de Mestres as a music and singing teacher and was appointed honorary professor at the Conservatori de Valencia in 1908. Some of his students were Josep Serrano, Vicent Peydró and Vicent León.

His Mètode elemental per a piano stands out among his didactic production. He composed some pieces for band, piano, choir and orchestra, as well as stage music such as the lyrical tale El queso de bola and the zarzuela Sidi-Aguariach, both composed in 1893.