Gabriela Ortiz


Gabriela Ortiz Torres is a Mexican music educator and composer. She was Carnegie Hall’s composer in residence for the 2024-2025 season, and her music is being performed by ensembles in Berlin, Vienna, London, Los Angeles and New York. Her 2024 album "Revolución diamantina" featuring the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Gustavo Dudamel, and María Dueñas was nominated for four awards at the 2025 Grammys, receiving three, including best contemporary classical composition.
WWW gabrielaortiz.com

Biography

Gabriela Ortiz Torres was born in Mexico City of parents who were folk musicians. She learned folk music at home, and then studied in Paris at the Ecole Normale de Musique. She returned to Mexico City due to the illness of her mother, and studied composition there with Mario Lavista at the National Conservatory of Music. She continued her studies at the Guildhall School with Robert Saxton, and with Simon Emmerson at the University of London where she received a PhD in 1996.
After completing her studies, she took a position at the National School of Music at the National Autonomous University in Mexico City. She also taught at Indiana University in the United States.
The Los Angeles Philharmonic has commissioned several works from her including the violin concerto Altar de Cuerda.

Music

Ortiz incorporates conventional notation techniques in her compositions, which have contemporary, rock, African and Afro-Cuban influences. She has also composed pieces that incorporate experimental electro-acoustic elements.

Honors and awards

Selected works

Dance scoresHacia La Deriva Eve and All the Rest Errant maneuvers
OrchestralPatios Concierta candela for solo percussion and orchestraAltar de Neón for percussion quartet and chamber orchestraZocalo-Bastilla for violin, percussion, and orchestraZocalo Tropical for flute, percussion, and orchestraAltar de Piedra for percussion and orchestra, commissioned by the Los Angeles PhilharmonicAltar de Fuego for orchestraAltar de Viento for flute and orchestraHominum — Concerto for Orchestra Téenek — Invenciones de Territorio for orchestra, commissioned by the Los Angeles PhilharmonicYanga for percussion quartet, chorus, and orchestra, commissioned by the Los Angeles PhilharmonicClara for orchestra, commissioned by the New York PhilharmonicAltar de Cuerda violin concerto, commissioned by the Los Angeles PhilharmonicKauyumari for orchestra, commissioned by the Los Angeles PhilharmonicSi el oxígeno fuera verde for orchestra
OperaUnicamente La Verdad, libretto by Ruben Ortiz
Electro-acousticMagna Sin for steel drum and tape5 Micro Etudes for tapeThings Like That Happened for cello and tapeEl Trompo for vibraphone and tapeAltar de Muertos for string quartet and tape
Other works100 Watts for clarinet, bassoon, pianoBaalkah for soprano and string quartetSeis piezas a Violeta for string quartet and pianoCorporea for mixed chamber ensemble, commissioned by San Francisco Contemporary Music Players

Partial discography