Vicente Salas Viu (1911-1967) was a man of letters who, together with many other Spaniards, was exiled to Chile in 1939 after carrying out an important cultural work in his native Spain, where he had fought in the Civil War with the Republican Movement. Upon his arrival, he was hired by Domingo Santa Cruz Wilson, Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Chile and appointed to important positions there during the decanal terms of Santa Cruz Wilson (1932-1953), Alfonso Letelier (1953-1962), and again Santa Cruz Wilson (1962-1968). This paper will consider the first of these periods, focusing on the contributions and stimulus that Vicente Salas Viu provided to the institutionalization of music research under the aegis of the University of Chile, where he brought a bright intellect, winning manners, and a strong work ethic to his residency of twenty-eight years in the country, besides a deep commitment to the University of Chile with a great capacity for leadership and organization.