FOLLOWING HIS MUSE AWARD-WINNING PROFESSOR TOOK TO MUSIC IMMEDIATELY.Byline: Bhavna Mistry Staff Writer VALENCIA - College of the Canyons College of the Canyons is one of the fastest-growing community colleges in the state. According to the National Junior College Research Association, College of the Canyons consistently ranks in the top 50 community colleges in the nation. music professor Daniel Catan has had many successes, but those that stand out are the operas he has composed in his native language. The 51-year-old Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. man has composed two operas in Spanish - never used in this art form - that bring to the stage stories told through songs. ``That has been my greatest satisfaction and the greatest achievement in my life,'' Catan said. ``It's one of the things that I am most proud of.'' While teaching five classes at the college, including an online course, the full-time professor is also working on his third opera, a comedy of errors. ``Spanish in the world of opera has not been subscribed before,'' Catan said. ``Operas were performed in English, Italian, German and French but none were done in Spanish.'' His current opera, ``Salsipuedes,'' or ``The Day the Band Went to War,'' is expected to be completed by next summer. To help him concentrate on his work, he was recently awarded a prestigious Guggenheim Award, a grant awarded to professionals through recommendations allowing them to pursue his talents. ``The Guggenheim is designed for the established artist,'' Catan said. ``It's to give them a full life and a love commitment.'' Born in Mexico, Catan's love of music was inspired by his late father, who constantly sang to him. ``He loved music,'' Catan recalled. ``He sang very well.'' It was in Mexico that Catan first placed his fingers on a piano, an instrument meant for his brother, but cherished by Catan. ``I took to it like fish to water,'' Catan said. At the age of 13, he moved with his parents to England, where he continued playing the piano and spent time studying music - in secret. Knowing that his father would oppose music as a career, Catan never told him of his goals. It was only after Catan received his degrees that his father realized his son's passion. ``He was horrified hor·ri·fy tr.v. hor·ri·fied, hor·ri·fy·ing, hor·ri·fies 1. To cause to feel horror. See Synonyms at dismay. 2. To cause unpleasant surprise to; shock. when I said I wanted to become a musician,'' Catan said. ``He said that I should give it up and do something more sensible.'' But Catan held firm. ``I knew that this was my path, that I had to pursue it'' Catan said. I knew I ought to do it, That I should pursue. ``At a certain point I had to determine if I was going to be a musician or not,'' Catan said. ``I certainly realized that I would be happier doing music even if I wasn't successful.'' He moved first to the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. to continue his studies at Princeton University Princeton University, at Princeton, N.J.; coeducational; chartered 1746, opened 1747, rechartered 1748, called the College of New Jersey until 1896. Schools and Research Facilities , where he later acquired his doctorate. While at Princeton he became a teacher's assistant so he could work with musicians he admired. Catan has since gone on to work in the great opera houses Opera houses are listed by continent, then by country with the name of the opera house and city; the opera company is sometimes named for clarity. Note: there are many theatres whose name includes the words Opera House in Los Angeles, Mexico City Mexico City Spanish Ciudad de México City (pop., 2000: city, 8,605,239; 2003 metro. area est., 18,660,000), capital of Mexico. Located at an elevation of 7,350 ft (2,240 m), it is officially coterminous with the Federal District, which occupies 571 sq mi and Houston, composed two operas and recently was awarded a Guggenheim. ``I have to be very grateful to music,'' said Catan, whose English is a mix of accents from Mexico, England and Japan, where he spent 18 months studying their form of opera. ``I have not become a millionaire but so rich in experiences.'' Once he became successful in music his family accepted his fate. ``They eventually ended up enjoying my music tremendously,'' Catan said. His first job out of Princeton took him back to Mexico to the Opera House in Mexico City. Working along with 1990 Nobel Prize Nobel Prize, award given for outstanding achievement in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, peace, or literature. The awards were established by the will of Alfred Nobel, who left a fund to provide annual prizes in the five areas listed above. Winner Octavio Paz Octavio Paz Lozano (March 31, 1914 – April 19, 1998) was a Mexican writer, poet, and diplomat, and the winner of the 1990 Nobel Prize in Literature. Early life and writings Paz was born in 1914 in Mexico City during the Revolution. , it wasn't long before Catan composed his first opera, ``Rappazzni's Daughter,'' which has been performed in San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. . His most successful opera, ``Florencia en al Amazonas,'' was first commissioned by the Houston Opera and has returned there after being performed in Los Angeles, Mexico and Seattle. Though his music means constant travel, Catan moved to Los Angeles last year to settle down. He chose Los Angeles over New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of , believing Los Angeles has more varied cultures. He began teaching at College of the Canyons through a recommendation from a friend who is the head of the music department. ``It's really nice to share a little of what you love,'' Catan said. ``Teaching is an extension of sharing the one thing that I love.'' CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Daniel Catan, a music teacher at College of the Canyons, has composed two operas. David R. Crane/Staff Photographer |
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