Emilio Agramonte y Piña (Camagüey 1844 - La Habana 1918)

Pianist and professor of singing. He was born in Camagüey, in November 28th, 1844. In 1865 he graduated in Spain as Licentiate in Laws and made musical studies, later perfected in Italy and France. In 1893 he founded the School of Opera and Oratorio, in New York, where he directed for fifteen years the Gounod Society.

Martí comissioned Maestro Agramonte to make public a chant of war which had been kept and transmited by low voice from a Cuban generation to another. The hymn La Bayamesa, Agramonte´s version for voice and piano, was published in Patria, in June, 25th, 1892.

In 1902, once settled the Republic, he came back to Cuba, and inaugurated the Chaminade Choir Society in Havana. He was professor in the Municipal Academy of Music of the capital.

He died in Havana in December 31st, 1918.