The province of Santiago de Cuba lost one of its most important musicians this Sunday with the passing of Maestro Francisco Salvador Ulloa Anasco, whose legacy left a profound mark on the cultural scene of the region.
The Miguel Matamoros Music and Entertainment Marketing Company announced on Facebook this Sunday that the maestro, composer, and trumpeter passed away at 1:14 a.m. due to respiratory failure.
According to the publication, friends and family said their final goodbyes at the funeral home in the city, where a tribute was also paid to the teacher of several generations of musicians.
Several family members, friends, and admirers of Ulloa's work recalled his legacy on social media, sharing heartfelt messages that highlight the impact of the trumpeter and composer.
José Ernesto González, the grandson of the composer, stated on Facebook: "With deep sadness, I say goodbye to one of the most important people in my life. Those who know me understand the significance of my grandfather and the personal and musical influence he has on my being."
About his grandfather, he also said: “The life lesson he left me until the very end has been the most wonderful thing I will cherish until my last breath. He enjoyed his life to the fullest and, until the very last moment, was pursuing his greatest dream, which was to make music.”
"A generous person, kind, free of malice, a true artist. I do not say farewell to him as a coworker; I will remember him as the teacher he was, a star who illuminated my path with his conversations and friendship," expressed Robier González Garbey on social media.
For her part, Ericka Castellanos Abad noted on Facebook: “I receive the painful news of a friend who is leaving my life, transforming into energy that I take on with sadness: Francisco Ulloa, an excellent musician and a loyal being, a genuinely humble person.”
Additionally, he recalled some of the moments he cherishes with the musician: “I keep alive the memory of his fatherly hugs whenever we met, the mutual compliments, the distant medical consultations, our shared enthusiasm, and the occasional 'hello' that passed through the internet. Such beautiful life now rests.”
Last Wednesday, the passing of legendary Cuban runner Hermes Ramírez brought great sorrow, as he died in Havana.
Ramírez, born 76 years ago in Guantánamo, was the Olympic runner-up in the 4x100 meter relay at the 1968 Mexico Olympics and a three-time Pan American Championship silver medalist in that event.
Also in August, the director of the Fototeca de Cuba, Lisette Ríos Lozano, passed away in Havana at the age of 54, due to causes that were not disclosed by the National Council of Plastic Arts, the institution that announced her death.
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