KOHAN, Celina

With a strong command of the neoclassical style, she studied piano and composition at the National Conservatoire of Music and Performing Arts and, alongside her husband, the violinist Armando Scher, gave numerous recitals over the course of several decades. She received numerous awards, including First Prize and the Gold Medal for her Symphony in C major (1958), the Municipal Awards in 1978 and 1980, the National Children’s Choir Award from the National Arts Fund in 1990 and 1991, and the Music Critics’ Association Awards in 1990 and 2001.

Her most significant works include the opera Mariquita Sánchez (1985); the cantatas Adiós a Mahatma Gandhi (1978) and 12 de octubre (1992); her two symphonies (1955 and 1983); concertos for viola, flute, oboe, and cello; as well as works for choir and orchestra, soprano and orchestra, and other large-scale ensembles.

Her chamber music catalogue includes numerous art songs, choral works, and instrumental compositions in a wide variety of combinations, including the Suite for Two Violins, String Quartet, Fantasía Criolla for violin and harp, trios for strings and piano and for clarinet, cello, and piano, two sonatas for violin and piano, works for wind instruments and piano, a Wind Quintet, two works for saxophone quartet, and many other chamber ensembles.

For solo instruments, she composed an extensive body of piano music, including two sonatas (Homage to Gershwin and Homage to Manuel de Falla), a Suite, Toccata, Preludes, Variations, Miniatures, and other works. Her solo instrumental output also includes compositions for harp, organ, guitar, harpsichord, double bass, cello, and clarinet.

A complete catalogue of her works can be found here: https://argentinacompositores.com.ar/archivo/