1. Education and Mentorship

Chávez, who inherited Indigenous blood from his maternal grandfather, lost his father at a young age. He received his initial musical instruction from his elder brother. Later, he studied under Asunción Parra, Manuel Ponce, Pedro Luis Ogazón, and others. Much of this instruction was aimed at becoming a pianist, and he received little formal training in composition. However, Chávez believed that "great performers are the best teachers" and diligently analyzed the works of his mentors. Furthermore, at the age of 12, he began to study orchestration through the writings of Ernest Guiraud, and at 16, he studied harmony under Fuentes. Chávez wrote in a letter that Fuentes's instruction enabled him to "discern the cumbersome and unnecessary parts of German and French academic (music) treatises."

2. Engagement with Culture

From a young age, Chávez spent holidays in the Tlaxcala region, and as he grew older, he repeatedly visited archaeological sites in places such as Puebla, Jalisco, Nayarit, Michoacán, Guanajuato, and Oaxaca.

Traces of this engagement with Mexican Indigenous culture can be found in Chávez's early works, particularly in his ballets The New Fire and The Four Suns.

3. Engagement with the Revolution

The Mexican Revolution, which began in 1910 with the overthrow of dictator Díaz, culminated in the inauguration of President Obregón in 1921. This revolutionary government sought to protect and promote the arts and make culture accessible to the masses. In particular, Indigenous culture was emphasized as Mexico's native culture, with a special focus on pre-Hispanic cultures. This movement was called Indigenismo, and Chávez actively participated in it alongside painter Diego Rivera (1886-1957). In this sense, Chávez's musical activities can be said to have coincided with the Mexican Revolution.

In the memorable year of 1921, Chávez organized a concert of his own works, establishing his reputation as a composer. It was also around this time that he met José Vasconcelos (1882-1959), the Minister of Education, who opened elementary, middle, and high schools and vigorously advocated for policies promoting the arts. He also became acquainted with other cultural policy figures and began to engage in government work related to the arts.

4. Teaching Career

In 1928, he was appointed director of the National Conservatory of Music of Mexico. He undertook a fundamental reform of the school's curriculum, organized concerts, featured students as concert soloists, and improved research facilities.

In 1947, he founded the National Institute of Fine Arts and served as its director until 1952.

He was appointed Charles Eliot Norton Professor of Poetry at Harvard University (1958-1958).

5. Activities Other Than Composition

In 1924, he contributed writings on music and art to the Mexico City newspaper El Universal. His studies on electronic sound, which he pursued during his visit to the United States, were compiled into Toward a New Music: Music and Electricity.

In 1928, he was appointed music director of the symphony orchestra established by the Mexican Musicians' Union. He premiered works by composers from around the world, including Mexican composers, and also undertook tours throughout Mexico. He also toured to New York, Los Angeles, Buenos Aires, and Lima.

In 1933, he was appointed head of the Department of Fine Arts within the Ministry of Public Education, but resigned the following year due to political reasons.

6. Associated Composers

While living in New York from 1926 to 1929, he became acquainted with Copland, Cowell, Varèse, and others. Notably, he collaborated with Varèse in the International Composers' Guild (later the Pan American Association of Composers).

7. Awards and Honors

He received honors such as:

• Officer of the Legion of Honor
• Order of the Polar Star (Sweden)
• Order of the Crown (Belgium)
• Star of Italian Solidarity
• Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
• Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters
• Honorary Member of the National Academy of Fine Arts (Argentina)
• Founder and Member of the Mexican School of Music and the Mexican Academy of Arts
• National Prize for Arts and Sciences

8. Piano Works

Almost all of his works from around 1920 are piano compositions. In these, influences of the Romantic period, particularly Schumann, can be observed. There are also arrangements of Mexican songs for piano.

Although Piano Concerto (1938-1940) adopts a traditional three-movement structure, it lacks a conventional cadenza. Furthermore, the second movement is very short, emphasizing its character as a lyrical interlude between the powerful first and third movements. The percussive piano writing frequently found in this work is similar to that in 10 Preludes (1937), which slightly predates the concerto.