Zabaleta, Nicanor

Spanish harpist; b. San Sebastian, Jan. 7, 1907; d. San Juan, Puerto Rico, March 31, 1993. Zabaleta began his training in his home town. After further studies in Madrid, he went to Paris to study harp with Marcel Tournier and composition with Eugene Cools. He then toured extensively in Europe, South America, and the U.S.

Zabaleta was noted for his efforts to increase the number of works available for the harp, both by bringing to light neglected compositions of early composers and by prompting modern composers to write harp music. Many harp concertos were written for him by Alberto Ginastera, DARIUS

MILHAUD, WALTER PISTON, HEITOR VILLA-LOBOS, VIRGIL THOMSON, and JOSEF TAL.