Miguel del Águila


Miguel del Águila is an Uruguayan and American composer of classical music. He has been nominated three times for Grammys and has received numerous other awards.

Life

American composer Miguel del Águila, was born in 1957 in Montevideo.
In 1978 he moved to California, fleeing Uruguay's 1970s repressive military government. He graduated from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and studied at the Hochschule für Musik and Konservatorium in Vienna, Early premieres of his works in Vienna's Musikverein, Konzerthaus and Bösendorfer halls introduced his music and distinctive Latin sound to European audiences.
In 1989, del Águila's work was performed in New York's Carnegie Recital Hall, and Lukas Foss conducted the US premiere of Hexen with the Brooklyn Philharmonic. CDs of his works were released on Albany Records and KKM-Austria by 1990, including his Clarinet Concerto, "Herbsttag", and "Hexen".
He returned to the US in 1992 and the Los Angeles Times described him as "one of the West Coast's most promising and enterprising young composers." He received the Kennedy Center Friedheim Award in 1995, and was music director of Ojai Camerata until 1999. He was resident composer at Chautauqua Institution Summer Festival from 2001 to 2005.
Del Águila was among the first composers chosen by 'Meet the Composer' and The American Symphony Orchestra League to receive a 'Music Alive' Extended Residency grant, which resulted in the 2006 opera Time and Again Barelas, a partnership between the New Mexico Symphony and the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque. Joanne Sheehy Hoover of the Albuquerque Journal wrote that the opera displayed "command of an arresting musical vocabulary, marked by a complex yet infectious rhythmic vitality.”
In 2008, del Águila received a "Magnum Opus" commission, administered by 'Meet the Composer', for performances by the Nashville Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic, Virginia Symphony, and Winnipeg Symphony orchestras. The resulting tone poem, "The Fall of Cuzco", was premiered by the conducted by Giancarlo Guerrero in November 2009. In 2008–09, del Águila received the Lancaster Symphony's Composer Award. His "Choral Suite No. 2" for mixed chorus and orchestra was performed by the symphony, conducted by Stephen Gunzenhauser, in November 2008.
In 2010, del Águila received two Latin Grammy nominations, the first for the Bridge CD Salón Buenos Aires, and the second for his work "Clocks", performed by Camerata San Antonio. "Clocks" also received a Copland Foundation Recording Award in 2009. In 2015, he received a third nomination for his "Concierto en Tango", commissioned, premiered and recorded by the Buffalo Philharmonic with cello soloist Roman Mekinulov and conducted by JoAnn Falletta.
Recordings of del Águila's over 140 works have been released on 67 CD albums to date by Naxos, Dorian, Telarc, New Albion, Albany, Centaur and Eroica, among others. Peermusic Classical, and Theodore Presser have both published his works, alongside many which he has self-published.

Compositions

Chamber

Chamber works without pianoBOLIVIANA guitar and string quartet 20HERBSTTAG fl, bn,harp 7:30HEXEN bn,string ensemble 12LIFE IS A DREAM string quartet 15MALAMBO bassoon and string quartet 13NOSTALGICA string qtet.,bassoon 19PACIFIC SERENADE string quartet, clarinet 16PRESTO A CUATRO guitar quartet 6:00PRESTO II string quartet 6SUBMERGED – flute, viola, harp 10THE DAY AFTER four cellos 3WIND QUINTET No.2 – fl,ob,cl,hn,bn 30PROCESSION OF LUNATICS four cellos 9
Chamber works with pianoBROKEN RONDO English horn, pno. 13CARIBBEAN BACCHANAL – 2 pianos/8 hands 13CHARANGO CAPRICCIOSO string quartet,piano 14CLARINET CONCERTO cl, pno 17CLOCKS string quartet,pno. 17CONGA-LINE IN HELL 1111-1111-hrp,1perc,pno. vl,va,vc,cb.11CONGA-LINE IN HELL fl,cl,harp,piano,1perc,8 cellos. 11CONGA-LINE IN HELL – six pianos 13HEXEN bn,pno 12LATIN LOVE wind quintet,pno. 2005MALAMBO bassoon and piano 13MIAMI FLUTE SUITE – flute and piano 23:00PACIFIC SERENADE clarinet and piano 16RETURN vl,pno.15SALON BUENOS AIRES – fl,cl, vl,vla,vc,pno. 23:00SEDUCCION flute,cl,piano 9SEDUCCION DANCE fl,ob,pno or fl,bn,pno) 9SEDUCCION – vl,piano. 7SEXTET piano and wind quintet 8SILENCE – violin and piano 10:00SILENCE – clarinet and piano 10:00SUMMER SONG – oboe,pno. 16SUNSET SONG – bassoon,pno 18TANGO TRIO – vl,cello,pno. 12TANGO TRIO – cl,cello,pno. 12'
  • ''TANGO TRIO – ob,bn,pno. 12'''

Orchestral

OrchestraBACK IN TIME – 3222,4331, 4 perc, 9:30CARIBBEAN BACCHANAL – 3333–4331,hrp, pno. perc. 13CARIBEÑA – orch. 8CARIBEÑA – ch. orch. 8CHAUTAUQUAN SUMMER – full orch. 13SALON BUENOS AIRES – orchestra 20CONGA – 2222,3221,pno, hrp, 12CONGA-LINE IN HELL 1111-1111-hrp,1perc,pno. vl,va,vc,cb.11THE FALL OF CUZCO – full orch. 20THE GIANT GUITAR – full orch. 7TIME AND AGAIN BARELAS OVERTURE – full orch. 9TIME AND AGAIN BARELAS CHORAL SUITE – choir,orch 17TIME AND AGAIN BARELAS SUITE 2 – orch/choir, solo tenor 33TOCCATA – 2222–2111, large perc,pno,str. 8
Solo Instrument / Voice and OrchestraBROKEN RONDO solo English horn and orch. 13CLARINET CONCERTO solo Clarinet and orch. 25CONCIERTO EN TANGO solo cello and orch. 18CONCIERTO EN TANGO solo viola and orch. 18CONCIERTO EN TANGO solo string quartet and orch. 18IT IS SO COLD TONIGHT solo high voice and orchestra 9ISLAMORADA solo piano and string orchestra 9:30HEXEN solo bassoon and string orch. 12PIANO CONCERTO solo piano and orch. 25RETURN TO HOMELAND solo violin and orch. 15TIME AND AGAIN BARELAS CHORAL SUITE – choir,orch 17TIME AND AGAIN BARELAS SUITE No.2 – orch. choir, solo tenor 33'
  • ''VIOLIN CONCERTO solo violin and orch, 27'''

Choral/Vocal

AGNUS DEI – med-high voice, pno. 7ALBUQUERQUE – barbershop quartet 3AVE MARIA – treble chorus and piano 5COMPOSER MISSING – chamber opera: choir, S,A,T,B soli 90CUAUHTEMOC – full length opera: orch,choir soli 3 hrs.CUAUHTEMOC CHORAL SUITE – choir,3 soli,pno,perc 35CUAUHTEMOC SONGS – T,B,S soli and piano 50FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT – ch choir, wind quartet, harp. 8IT IS SO COLD TONIGHT – tenor 7LACRYMOSA – med-high voice,piano 7:30OPHELIA IN SEVILLE – sopr, tenor, fl, cl, tbn, 2 vlns, vla, vc 16SALVA ME – choir a cappella 7TIME AND AGAIN BARELAS – Opera in two acts: chorus, orchestra. alto, tenor and other soli. 150TIME AND AGAIN BARELAS CHORAL SUITE – orchestra, mixed chorus. 17TIME AND AGAIN BARELAS CHORAL SUITE No.2. Same plus overture, solo tenor. 29TROUBADOURS – mixed choir, opt. pno., 10
Chamber arrangements'L'ENFANT ET LES SORTILEGES
  • ''RISE AND FALL OF THE CITY OF MAHAGONNY ''

Piano and solo Instrument

CONGA 10FOUR HAND ETUDE – pno. 4-hands 4HALF OF ME – pno. left hand only. 8MUSIC IN A BOTTLE – 10NOCTURNE 8PIANO SONATA No.2 15TOCCATA – 5VALS BRUTAL 5
Harpsichord/OrganBELLS WITH A MISSION – solo organ 15ONE OF YOU – solo organ, 14PICTURES FROM AMERICA – harpsichord 13TOCCATA – harpsichord 3:30OTHERTENNESSEE – guitar 11:30CUTTING LIMES – violin 4
Dance, Film, TVACONGA-LINE IN HELL – Choreography by Annabella Gonzalez for Annabella Gonzalez Dance Theater CONVERGENCE – choreography by Brett Weidlich – Dance ART Ensemble/Ventura County Ballet – Focus on the Masters, Ventura, CaliforniaDANSAQ – – Choreographed by Mari Fujibayashi and Olivia Rosenkrantz for Tapage Dance Ensemble TIME AND AGAIN BARELAS DANCES – Choreography by David Vega Chavez for New Mexico Ballet Dancers and New Mexico Symphony Orchestra. CLOCKS – Choreography by Minou Lallemand for Onium Ballet Project and Chamber Music Hawaii. CAPADOCIA – Co-production: HBO Latin America and Argos Productions. Episode 36 "Taller con olor a muerto"Written by Laura Sosa, Leticia López Margalli, Guillermo Ríos Joaquín Guerrero Casasola and Carmen MadridDirected by Javier Patrón, Carlos Carrera, Pitipol Ybarra. Starring Ana de la Reguera, Alejandro Camacho, Juan Manuel Berna, Dolores Heredia, Héctor Arredondo, Cecilia Suárez, Cristina Umaña, Marco Treviño...NATURALEZA QUIETA a documentary series produced by TV UNAM, MexicoDirected by Marcos Limenes and Carolina Kerlow
  • ''Episodes: Sin aventuras no hay arte and El centro del equilibrio''

Recordings

  • CD Miguel del Aguila Orchestral Works Albany Augusta Symphony/Dirk Meyer/Guillermo Figueroa Works: Violin Concerto, The Fall of Cuzco, Tensando, The Giant Guitar, Salon Buenos Aires
  • CD Barroqueada Extreme Tango Productions CD Eroica Trio Work: Barroqueada for piano trio
  • CD Journeys- Norwegian Radio Orchestra Naxos Norwegian Radio Orchestra/Miguel Hearth-Bedoya work: The Gian Guitar
  • CD All Worlds, All Times Bright Shiny Things CD Windsync Quintet Word: Wind Quinteto No.2
  • CD Canto del Paraiso Clarinete MEstizo CD Javier Vinasco/Carlos Betancur works: Milonga – for clarinet and piano, Pacific Serenade – for clarinet and piano
  • CD Luces Ausentes CD Benjamin Harris Plays Miguel del Aguila works: Malambo - for flute bass and piano, Silence - for bass and piano, Tensando - for violin bass and piano, Presto a Dos – for cello and bass, Luces Ausentes - for flute, violin and bass, Cutting Limes - for solo violin, Invisibles - for solo piano
  • CD Tierras Juntas Aria Classics Cuarteto Latinoamericano/Entrequatre work: Presto a 8
  • CD Salón Buenos Aires Bridge Records CD 9302 Camerata San Antonio 2010 Grammy nominated for best Classical Album, and best Contemporary Classical Composition Works: Charango Capriccioso – for piano and string quartet Presto II – for string quartet Salon Buenos Aires – for chamber ensemble Life is a Dream – for string quartet Clocks – for piano and string quartet
  • CD Built for Buffalo Beau Fleuve / BPO Label Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Roman Mekinulov, cello JoAnn Falletta, conductor 2015 Grammy nominated for Best Contemporary Classical Composition Work: Concierto en Tango for solo cello and orchestra
  • CD Havana Moon Steinway & Sons Catalogue #: STNS30052 TransAtlantic Ensemble Mariam Adam, clarinet Evelyn Ulex, piano Works: Silence – for clarinet and piano Tango Trio – for violin, clarinet and piano Nocturne – for solo piano
  • CD Orion Nocturne Albany Records ASIN: B07FCQRFZ8 Carlos Miguel Prieto, Conductor Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra Johanna Cox Pennington, English Horn Work: Broken Rondo Concerto for English horn and orchestra
  • Del Caribe Soy Naxos Nestor Torres, flute Miguel del Aguila, piano Work: Miami Flute Suite – for flute and piano
  • CD Garden of Joys and Sorrows Bridge Records Hat Trick Ensemble Work: Submerged – for flute, viola and harp
  • CD Th. Berger - Miguel del Aguila Albany Records CD: TROY066 American Music Ensemble Vienna Wenzel Fuchs, clarinet Hobart Earle, conductor Judith Farmer, bassoon Works: Clarinet Concerto – for clarinet and orchestra Herbsttag – for flute, bassoon and harp Hexen – for bassoon and string orchestra
  • CD Summer Song Profil DDD – CD: 8977712 Katsuya Watanabe / David Johnson Works: Summer Song – for oboe and piano
  • CD Clocks Hoot/Wisdom Recordings, FAU Piano Quintets of the Americas Cuarteto Latinoamericano / H. Coltman Works: Charango Capriccioso Clocks – for piano and string quartet 2010 Grammy nominated for best Contemporary Classical Composition
  • CD Serenata Latina Elias Duo CD: 700261477145 Released 2019 Elias Duo Carlos Elias, violin Andrea Arese-Elias, piano Works: Silence – for violin and piano
  • CD Silence Miguel del Aguila/CDBaby CD: 195079615979 Javier Vinasco, clarinet Miguel del Aguila, piano Works: Silence – for clarinet and piano Pacific Serenade – for clarinet and piano Islamorada – for piano Milonga – for clarinet and piano Seducción – for clarinet and piano Estudio Rítmico – for clarinet solo Malambo – for clarinet and piano
  • CD Miguel del Aguila Piano Works Miguel del Aguila/CDBaby: Miguel del Aguila, piano Works: Conga – for piano Nocturne – for piano Toccata – for piano Music in a Bottle – for piano Piano Sonata No.2 – for piano Islamorada – for piano Vals Brutal – for piano
  • CD Carte Postale Naxos/Atma Classique ACD2 2502 Quatour Alcan Works: Presto II – for string quartet
  • CD De Europa a las Américas EAFIT University Recording, Colombia Trio Acuarimántima Work: Disagree! – for clarinet viola and piano
  • CD Latinoamericana Modica Music The Annex Quartet Work: Presto II – for string quartet
  • CD Piano Dance Telarc CD: 80549 Gloria Cheng, piano Works: Conga – for solo piano
  • CD Discoveries 20th Century Music for Wind Quintet Helicon Records HE1030 Borealis Wind Quintet Works: Wind Quintet No.2
  • CD Refuge Albany Records The Divan Consort Work: Seducción – for flute clarinet and piano
  • CD Conga-Line in Hell Dorian CD: DOR93230 Camerata de las Americas Joel Sachs cond. / Duane Cochran piano Works: Conga-Line in Hell – for chamber ensemble
  • CD Crossing America Eroica Classical Recordings CD JDT 3469 TransAtlantic Ensemble Mariam Adams, clarinet / Evelyn Ulex, piano Works: Pacific Serenade – for Clarinet and Piano
  • CD Eco de Violin IUMusic-LAMC Recording Colin Sorgi, violin / Jooeun Pak, piano Works: Seducción – for violin and piano
  • CD 4+1 Contemporary Music for String Quartet Universidad EAFIT Recordings Javier Asdrúbal Vinasco, clarinet Cuarteto Q-Arte Works: Pacific Serenade – for clarinet and string quartet
  • CD Nostalgica Centaur Records CD: CRC2564 Barrick Stees bassoon / Randall Fusco, piano The Arianna String Quartet Works: Nostalgica – for bassoon and string quartet Sunset Song – for bassoon and piano
  • CD Latin Perspective Cubafilin Records Ltd. / state 51 Stephanie Jutt, flute Orlando Pimentel, Clarinet Elena Abend, piano Works: Seducción – for flute, clarinet and piano
  • CD Latin American Piano Trios Bridge Records CD 9302 Centaur Records CRC3336 Arcos Trio Work: Tango Trio – for violin, cello and piano
  • CD Arpassión Suisa/TrioCorda Recording TrioCorda Harp Trio Zurich Works Sumergida – for three harps
  • CD Oboe on the Road Centaur Records CRC2451 Mark Weiger oboe / Robert Conway piano Works: Summersong – for oboe and piano
  • CD Esprits Nomades White Records CD: USHM81880319 – ASIN B07H3F5XJ9 Released 2018 Trio Manestri Work: Seducción – for violin, flute and piano
  • CD 20th Century Dances Scotwood Music – USA James Miltenberger, piano Works: Music in a Bottle – for solo piano Conga – for solo piano
  • CD Exchange Latin America New World Records CRI CD: 848 Gary Gray, clarinet Pacific Serenade Ensemble Works: Pacific Serenade – for clarinet and string quartet
  • CD Permanent Transitions Metro Records CD: MCD59601 Matthew Greif, guitar Works: Tennessee – for solo guitar
  • CD Piano Music of the Americas ACA Digital Recordings CD: CM20021-21 James Miltenberger, piano Works: Piano Sonata No.2 – for solo piano
  • CD Four for Tango New Albion NA100CD Cuarteto Latinoamericano Works: Presto II – for string quartet
  • CD El Tiempo Global Entertainment Mexico GECDI4111 Onix Ensemble Alejandro Escuer conductor and Flute Mauricio Nader, piano Works: Clocks – for piano and string quartet 2010 Grammy nominated for best Contemporary Classical Composition
  • CD From the Americas Rebeat Digital, Austria – Tango Malambo TransAtlantic Ensemble Mariam Adam, Clarinet / Evelyn Ulex, piano Works: Pacific Serenade – for clarinet and piano
  • CD East Meets West Sony Austria/ORF LID19924 Odessa Philharmonic Orchestra Hobart Earle, cond. Works: Toccata – for orchestra
  • CD Life is a Dream Madison String Quartet Recording Madison String Quartet Works: Life is a Dream – for string quartet Presto II – for string quartet
  • CD KaleidosCoping Equilibrium Recordings CD IQ148 Michael Gordon, flute Celeste Johnson, oboe Sean Chen, piano Works: Seduction Dance – for flute, oboe and piano
  • CD My Song in the Night Faye Dumont Singers Release Melbourne Women's Choir Works: Ave Maria – for chorus and piano
  • CD Mi Chelada Urtext Digital Classics – Mexico Alvaro Bitran, cello Works: The Day After – for eight cellos
  • CD Cello Innovations Centaur Records CD: 3623 Ashley Sandor Sidon /Erik Anderson Jesús Morales, cellos Works: Procesión de Locos – for four cellos
  • CD Batata-Coco Conaculta – Mexico Camerata de las Americas Joel Sachs, conductor / Duane Cochran piano Works: Conga-Line in Hell – for chamber ensemble
  • CD Arrivals and Departures Mark Records CD ASIN: B07G1WXT63 Lyrique Quintette Works Wind Quintet No.3
  • CD Soaring Solo MSR Classics Stephanie Sant’Ambrogio, violin Works: Cutting Limes – for solo violin
  • CD Marinka Brecelj Harpsichord KKM Vienna – Austria CD 3032-2 Marinka Brecelj, harpsichord Works: Toccata – for solo harpsichord Cuadros de America – for solo harpsichord
  • CD Laberintos Australian National University ANCLAS Recording Duo Deconet Henry Avila, violin / Irma Enriquez, piano Works: Seducción – for violin and piano