Daniel Alomía Robles 1871 – 1942

Biography

Daniel Alomía Robles was born on January 3, 1871, in Huánuco, Peru, during a transformative period in his nation’s cultural history. From his early years in the Andean highlands, he developed a deep connection to the musical traditions of his homeland, a passion that would define his life’s work and legacy.

As a composer and ethnomusicologist, Robles dedicated himself to preserving and celebrating the rich musical heritage of Peru. His dual roles allowed him to bridge the worlds of artistic creation and scholarly documentation, ensuring that traditional Peruvian music would be studied, appreciated, and passed forward to future generations. His work reflected both his profound respect for indigenous traditions and his commitment to elevating them within broader cultural contexts.

Robles spent much of his career in Lima, where he continued his compositional and research endeavors until his death on July 17, 1942, at age seventy-one. He died of sepsis, leaving behind a significant body of work that contributed substantially to the understanding and preservation of Peruvian musical culture. Though the exact location of his burial remains unrecorded, Daniel Alomía Robles’ contributions to ethnomusicology and composition secured his place in Peru’s cultural heritage.