Sanromá's father, José María, was born in Barcelona, Spain, and studied at a Jesuit seminary but did not take his final orders to become a priest. After graduation from college, he became a political gadfly writing for a newspaper about the Spanish plebiscite. They recommended he take a hasty retreat to Puerto Rico with all expenses paid by the Spanish government. He settled in the town of Carolina, and later in the town of Fajardo. He sent for his girlfriend, María Torra de la Riba, but in 1894 women were not allowed to travel unmarried. They were married by proxy before she traveled to be with him. They had two sons, Juan Bautista born in Trujillo Alto in 1899 and Jesús María born in Carolina in 1902. José María earned a living in Fajardo by publishing a newspaper and teaching. Jesús María began playing his father's piano. José, realizing his son was talented, said, "If you are going to play the piano, then you shall go to school to study." He enrolled him at a music school located in the town of Fajardo to take piano lessons. In 1913, at the age of 11, Sanromá made his debut in the Fajardo Municipal Theater.[1]
Sanromá debuts
In January 1916, Sanromá debuted at the Puerto Rican Ateneo in San Juan, the island's capital. Unknown to him, José de Diego was amongst the public in the audience. So impressed was de Diego with Sanromá that he persuaded the government to give Sanromá a grant of 600 dollars. The grant was to be used to further his musical education in the United States.
In 1952, he returned to Puerto Rico and was named musical consultant of the Department of Music of the University of Puerto Rico. Sanromá presented a series of "Sanromá Concerts" until 1975. In 1956, he was named member of the organizing committee of the Music Conservatory of Puerto Rico. He was also an active participant in the Pablo Casals Festivals. Sanromá recorded over 38 albums for RCA Victor and Columbia, besides his 13 albums devoted to 154 danzas by Juan Morel Campos.[5] Sanromá traveled and performed throughout the world. Amongst the 21 countries in which he performed were Germany, France, Austria, Spain, England, the United States, Canada, Venezuela and the rest of Latin America.[4]
Sanromá died on October 12, 1984, in San Juan, Puerto Rico at the age of 82. His death coincided with a visit of Pope John Paul II to Puerto Rico. Former governor Luis A. Ferré, his former classmate at the New England Conservatory of Music and lifelong friend, requested a papal blessing for Sanromá from the pope, which the pope conceded. Sanromá was buried in the Porta Coeli Cemetery in Bayamon, Puerto Rico.
Legacy
The government of Puerto Rico honored his memory by naming a school in the town of Carolina and a concert hall in the Music Conservatory of Puerto Rico after him.[5]
He is also included in the township of Carolina's Galeria de los Gigantes (or hall of fame) Sala Jesús María Sanromá.
