Mauricio Cardozo Ocampo

Mauricio Cardozo Ocampo was born in Ybycuí on May 14, 1907, and died in Buenos Aires on May 5, 1982. He was a prominent Paraguayan musician, considered a pillar of the so-called «golden generation» of Paraguay's popular music and a meticulous researcher of Paraguayan folklore.His parents were Crescencia Cardozo Caballero and Clemente Ocampo. He began his musical education with the flutist Eloy Martín Pérez in his place of origin. Later, he continued his training with Juan A. Rojas, initially playing the flute and the guitar. In Asunción, he joined the Capital Police Band, where he worked under the direction of the conductors Nicolino Pellegrini and Salvador Casicheo.In 1930, during the Chaco War between Paraguay and Bolivia, the duo Martínez-Cardozo, along with other artists, performed successful shows to raise funds for the Paraguayan Red Cross.

In 1936, he was one of the founders of the Argentine Society of Authors and Composers, after having been part of the Circle of Authors and Composers, whose merger with the Society of Authors gave rise to SADAIC. This organization appointed him as a delegate to the President of Paraguay to promote a law protecting intellectual property, which resulted in the decree-law n.º 94 signed by President Federico Cháves.Between 1948 and 1952, he wrote and directed radio programs on Paraguayan music and culture for Radio Argentina, located in Buenos Aires.He moved back to Buenos Aires, where between 1961 and 1962 he directed cycles of Paraguayan music concerts with the LR4 Radio Splendid Orchestra during two seasons.Between 1959 and 1965, he taught folklore classes at the Romaro Institute of Fine Arts in Buenos Aires.During his military service, he met Eladio Martínez, with whom he formed the duo Martínez-Cardozo.