He studied flute with his father and continued his musical studies at the Barcelona Music Conservatory where he earned advanced degrees in flute, composition and conducting. In 1985 he won a Fulbright scholarship and moved to the US where he obtained a doctorate in music from the “Florida State University”
From 1977 to 1985 he was principal flute of the Orquestra del Gran Teatro del Liceu de Barcelona and also a member of the Orquestra Ciutat de Barcelona (1981-1985).
As a composer he has written over 155 pieces, mostly orchestral and chamber Works, and has won major composition awards. Many of his works have been published and various CDs have been recorded in Europe and in the US for labels such as Naxos, EMI, Auvidis, Albany Records, Keys, Harmonia Mundi, RNE, etc.
He was assistant conductor of the Florida State University Symphony Orchestra (1986-87), artistic director of the “Oregon Sinfonietta” (1990-93), “Mittleman Jewish Community Orchestra” (1989-1991), “Portland State University” orchestra (1987-1997), university where he also taught Counterpoint, Orchestra conducting, music literature and music history.
In Spain he has been the music director and conductor of the Orquestra Simfònica de les Illes Balears “Ciutat de Palma” (1997-2001, 2009-2013) and the Orquestra Sinfónica del Vallés (1997-2002) and the Barcelona Symphonic Band (2007-2018). In the US he has been the conductor and music director of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (Washington State) since 1991 with which he received the “Arts Council” award by the Clark County and the city of Vancouver, and the Kiwanis Rose Award (2005).
He has been guest conductor of important international orchestras such in Checoslovaquia (Radio Praga), Germany (Wuppertal Symphony Orchestra), South Africa (National Symphony Orchestra), Israel (Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Raanana Symphonette, Kibbutz Orchesra), Italy (I Pomeriggi Musicali de Milan), Belgium (Orchestre des Guides), Uruguay (Filarmónica de Montevideo), Venezuela (Orquesta Simón Bolívar), Colombia (Orquesta Nacional), USA (Blue Lake Festival Orquestra; Columbia Symphony, York Symphony Orchestra, Tallahassee Symphony, Seattle Philarmonic Orchestra) South Korea (Bucheon Symphony and Wonju Symphony) and the majority of orchestras in Spain.
Currently he combines a busy schedule as a conductor with the composition of numerous commissions of various genres. Since 2001 he has been professor of composition and orchestra conducting at the Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya (ESMUC). He was the composer in residence of the Palau de la Música Catalana during the 2016-2017 season.
DO YOU WANT TO KNOW BETTER THE ARTIST?
Web de Salvador BrotonsSheet music on Brotons & Mercadal
PERFORMED WORKS
Et in terra Pax op. 97, for solo violin
Sonata for saxophone and piano op. 99
La roda del temps op. 128 (selection), for voice and piano
Cançó de l'albada
Cançó del camí encalmat
Sonata for flute and piano nº 2 op. 72
