João Manuel Álvares (Jr.)

Abstract:
[Santa Cruz, Madeira 1854 – Funchal, Madeira 14/07/1890]
João Manuel Álvares Júnior was founder and regent of the Banda Filarmónica União Fraternal Recreativa Santacruzense.

Biography:
João Manuel Álvares Júnior was a native of Santa Cruz, where he was born in 1854, son of João Manuel Álvares and Maria Augusta de Freitas, brother of the musician Ângelo Álvares de Freitas. The regent married in Caniço, on June 30, 1883, at the age of 29, with Maria Teresa de Campos Torres, who was 15 years old, natural of Santo André de Estremoz, Évora, but resident in Funchal.
João Manuel Álvares was distinguished as founders and regent of the Banda Filarmónica União Fraternal Recreativa Santacruzense.
According to data published in A Madeira e a Música – Estudos [c. 1508 – c. 1974] the activity of the harmonies in the municipality of Santa Cruz began the 1874, when the first reference is verified to a musical group created with the messenic impulse of Tristão Vaz Teixeira Bettencourt e Câmara, at the time the president of the city ​​council, which gave the funds for the acquisition of the instruments, after knowing more about a group of young people who wanted to form a musical group.
Enno Romano Álvares, family member of the conductor João Manuel Álvares says that in the last quarter of the nineteenth century existed in Santa Cruz “a ball orchestra, founded by João Manuel Álvares Júnior” which in 1879 was still in activity and interpreted “Sacred music, according to, scores made by João Manuel Álvares, December 16, 1879”. From this orchestra emerged the harmony União Fraternal Recreativa Santacruzense in the early 1880s, with foundation and regency of João Manuel Álvares.
According to Enzo Romano Álvares, João Manuel Álvares has held several public offices in Santa Cruz; in 1883 he served as a forensic lawyer in Santa Cruz County; in 1886 he was president of the Santa Cruz City Council; he served as a supplier to the Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Santa Cruz in 1889; and in 1890 carried out functions like secretary of the municipality of Santa Cruz.

Authors:
Camacho, Liliana (2010). “JÚNIOR, João Manuel Álvares”. Dicionário Online de Músicos na Madeira. Funchal: Divisão de Investigação e Documentação, Gabinete Coordenador de Educação Artística, 16/11/2010.

Update:
Ventura, Ana (2011). “JÚNIOR, João Manuel Álvares”. Dicionário Online de Músicos na Madeira. Funchal: Divisão de Investigação e Documentação, Gabinete Coordenador de Educação Artística, 12/10/2011.

Bibliography:
Freitas, M. P. (2007). “Notas [Musicais] Soltas – Contributo para a história da música na Madeira”. Girão – Revista de Temas Culturais do Concelho de Câmara de Lobos, Nº 4, Vol. II (1º Semestre de 2007). Câmara de Lobos: Câmara Municipal, p. 72.
Morais, M. (2008). A Madeira e a Música – Estudos [c.1508-c.1974]. Funchal: Empresa Municipal 500 Anos do Funchal, p. 468.