updated 10 January 2022
© Carlos Garibay

Arturo Fuentes

Austrian composer born in 1975 in Mexico.

Arturo Fuentes learned guitar and music theory through the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music between 1990 and 1995, completing his Bachelor of Arts in composition in 1995 at the CIEM Music School in Mexico City. Alongside his formal studies at the CIEM, he also attended Mexican-American composer and conductor Juan Trigos’s composition workshops. In 1992, Fuentes met the avant-garde Italian composer Franco Donatoni, with whom he studied until departing for Italy in 1997. He settled in Milan and attended composer Luca Cori’s lectures before composing his first works, including Interludi Continui for guitar (1997), which won a composition award sponsored by the publishing house Suvini Zerboni. This piece laid a foundational stone in his catalogue.

At Université de Paris 8 in 1998, Fuentes met Horacio Vaggione, who introduced him to new computer and electronic composition tools. Fuentes was selected for the composition and electronic music program at IRCAM in 2002. His end-of-course piece, Objet-Objet (Object-Object) for theorbo, electronics, and video, was debuted in IRCAM’s projection space in 2003.

In 2008, under the direction of Vaggione, Fuentes completed a doctorate in composition. He also holds a master’s degree in philosophy, completed in 2002 under the direction of Antonia Soulez.

Fuentes has received numerous composition grants, notably from the Fondation Internationale Nadia et Lili Boulanger (2002) and the Austrian State (2012). His works have been performed around the world and have regularly been scheduled in festivals and at institutions such as the Philharmonie Luxembourg, the Philharmonie de Paris, and the Konzerthaus in Vienna.

His diverse catalogue is made up of chamber and solo music, including a series of solo works dedicated to the guitar. A large part of his output is works that combine electronics and video, and electroacoustic pieces. Fuentes has also composed operas, as well as pieces for dance performances and for musical theater, such as Carlotas Zimmer for soprano and ensemble (2018).

Snowstorm is one of Fuentes’s large-scale pieces. Inspired by the painting of the same name by the English painter William Turner, this piece was composed in 2014 for the Ensemble intercontemporain.

In 2016, Fuentes conducted his piece Musique des êtres imaginaires (Music of Imaginary Beings), commissioned by United Instruments of Lucilin and premiered at the Philharmonie Luxembourg.

Fuentes works to build bridges between Latin and Germanic cultures. He stimulates dialogue in art, cinema, literature, and philosophy, creating a link between complexity and lightness. Influenced by the writings of Jorge Luis Borges and Ludwig Wittgenstein, Fuentes sees his music as an organized chaos, a labyrinth of sound exploring the limits of dynamics, timbre, texture, and virtuosity.

A naturalized Austrian, Fuentes has lived in Innsbruck since 2004. His works are produced by LondonHall Editions.

Awards

  • Electroacoustic Composition Competition Award, Música Viva, Portugal, 2007
  • Julian Carrillo “20 de noviembre” Art and Science Prizes, San Luis Potosi, Mexico, 2006
  • Julian Carrillo “20 de noviembre” Art and Science Prizes, San Luis Potosi, Mexico, 2000
  • First prize at the Lagonegro Composition Competition, Italy, 1998
  • Second prize in composition, Suvini Zerboni Editions, Italy, 1997

© Ircam-Centre Pompidou, 2022

Sources

Site internet du compositeur ; Site de LondonHall Editions.

  • Solo (excluding voice)
  • Chamber music
    • Antecedente X for tenor saxophone, percussion and piano (2006), LondonHall Editions
    • elec Broken Mirrors for string quartet and electronics (2008), LondonHall Editions
    • Broken Mirrors for string quartet (2008, 2014), LondonHall Editions
    • Dopp for guitar duo (2008), LondonHall Editions
    • Formantes for flute, bass clarinet and piano (2008), LondonHall Editions
    • elec Picado for flute, bass clarinet, percussion, guitar, piano, violin, cello and fixed sounds (2008), LondonHall Editions
    • Modular for violin and bass clarinet (2009), LondonHall Editions
    • Passatempo for flute, bass clarinet, violin, percussion and piano (2009), LondonHall Editions
    • Rabbiduck for cello and marimba (2010), LondonHall Editions
    • elec Darksalmon for flute, clarinet, percussion, piano, violin, cello and electronics (2011), LondonHall Editions
    • Getmove for basset Paetzold flute and button accordion (2011), LondonHall Editions
    • Liquid Crystals for string quartet (2011), LondonHall Editions
    • Omaggio for flute and piano (2011), LondonHall Editions
    • Skifir for flute, bass clarinet, piano, violin, viola and cello (2011), LondonHall Editions
    • Space factory III for oboe, percussion and piano (2011), LondonHall Editions
    • Festina Lente for bass clarinet, violin, viola, cello and piano (2012), LondonHall Editions
    • Influx for saxophone quartet (2012), LondonHall Editions
    • Space Factory IV for flute, oboe, clarinet, kalimba, piano, violin, viola and cello (2012), LondonHall Editions
    • elec Space Factory V for bass clarinet, violin, viola, cello and electronics (2012), LondonHall Editions
    • elec Space Factory VI for flute, violin and electronics (2012), LondonHall Editions
    • Tonic for guitar quartet (2012), LondonHall Editions
    • Contour coulant for flute, clarinet, piano, percussion, violin, viola and cello (2013), LondonHall Editions
    • Dunkelkammermusik for bass flute, bass clarinet, viola and cello (2013), LondonHall Editions
    • Hallucination I for bass clarinet, violin, viola and cello (2013), LondonHall Editions
    • Glass distortion for string quartet (2014), LondonHall Editions
    • Halluzination 2 for piano quartet (2014), LondonHall Editions
    • Ice reflection for string quartet (2014), LondonHall Editions
    • Mimik (piano trio) for violin, cello and piano (2014), 10 mn, LondonHall Editions [program note]
    • Rincontri for flute, clarinet, piano, violin, viola and cello (2011-2014), 12 mn, LondonHall Editions
    • Zeitlos for bass clarinet, piano and viola (2014)
    • elec Mono for viola, piano and fixed sounds (2015), 11 mn, LondonHall Editions [program note]
    • elec Nervo for violin, Paetzold flute and electronics (2015), LondonHall Editions
    • Calatrava for marimba quartet (2016), LondonHall Editions
    • Dark Love for flute, recorder, clarinet, harpsichord, percussion and violin (2016), LondonHall Editions
    • Kami for flute, saxophone, percussion, violin, viola and cello (2016), LondonHall Editions
    • Kraken for cello and percussion (2016), LondonHall Editions
    • Lilith for flute, saxophone, piano, violin, viola and cello (2016), LondonHall Editions
    • elec stage Musique des êtres imaginaires concert-fiction for musicians, automatons and electronics (2015-2016), 60 mn, LondonHall Editions
    • elec Nagas for flute, piano, violin, viola and electronics (2016), LondonHall Editions
    • Simurg for saxophone, vibraphone, piano and viola (2016), LondonHall Editions
    • Squonk for vibraphone, violin and cello (2016), LondonHall Editions
    • Fosil Calatrava for percussion quartet (2017), LondonHall Editions
    • Formantes new version for flute, bass clarinet and accordion (2018), LondonHall Editions
    • Les Adieux for lute and viola da gamba (2019), LondonHall Editions
    • Questo Mare for piano and cello (2019), LondonHall Editions
    • White lies for saxophone and percussion (2019), LondonHall Editions
    • Abend um Abend for bassoon, horn, trumpet and percussion (2020), LondonHall Editions
    • Ruido de levante for guitar and saxophone (2020), LondonHall Editions
    • Atlantic Vortex 1 for flute and violin (2021), LondonHall Editions
    • Atlantic Vortex 2 for flute and violin (2021), LondonHall Editions
    • elec Carrillón for sextet and prerecorded microtonal music (2021), LondonHall Editions
    • Coprimi for horn and trumpet (2021), LondonHall Editions
    • Muovimi for cello and double bass (2021), LondonHall Editions
    • Sentimi for two bass clarinets (2021), LondonHall Editions
  • Instrumental ensemble music
    • elec Themata for recorder, clarinet, trombone, percussion, piano, electric guitar, viola, double bass and fixed sounds (2003), LondonHall Editions
    • elec Ich hörte sagen for accordion, flute, clarinet, oboe, percussion, piano, violin, viola, cello and fixed sounds (2010), LondonHall Editions
    • Superfluidity II for guitar, flute, saxophone, accordion, percussion, viola, cello and double bass (2011), LondonHall Editions
    • Lyrika Zyklus - Mambo for orchestra (2013), LondonHall Editions
    • In der Luft for electric guitar, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone and percussion (2014), LondonHall Editions
    • Snowstorm for chamber orchestra of nineteen instrumentalists (2014), 20 mn, LondonHall Editions [program note]
    • Kompa for flute, clarinet in B flat, oboe, trombone, piano, violin, viola and cello (2015), 7 mn 30 s, LondonHall Editions [program note]
    • Ahua for sixteen pianos in the sixteenth of a tone (2017), 30 mn, LondonHall Editions
    • elec Body contact for ensemble and electronics (2018), LondonHall Editions
    • Langsam ihren Schritt for ensemble (2018)
    • stage Cegueira scenic concert for percussion ensemble (2019), 30 mn, LondonHall Editions
    • Fango for orchestra (2020), LondonHall Editions
    • Carrillo y la micro belleza for sixteen pianos in the sixteenth of a tone (2021), LondonHall Editions
    • Huove um Ritmo no meu sono for percussion ensemble (2021), LondonHall Editions
  • Concertant music
    • Heavy for solo saxophone, twelve saxophones and electronics (2015), LondonHall Editions
    • Von Dunkel zu Dunkel concerto for cello and chamber orchestra (2018), 25 mn, LondonHall Editions
    • Zape for percussion and ensemble (2021), LondonHall Editions
  • Vocal music and instrument(s)
    • Ovid for mezzo-soprano and guitar (2003, 2001), 6 mn 40 s, LondonHall Editions [program note]
    • Hymne an Lesbierinnen for soprano, bass clarinet, tenor saxophone, harp and accordion (2002), LondonHall Editions
    • elec Raya for narrator, flute, percussion quartet and video (2004), LondonHall Editions
    • Gedächtniskristalle for countertenor, violin and chamber orchestra (2013), LondonHall Editions
    • Ovid II for soprano and guitar (2015), LondonHall Editions
    • elec stage Carlotas Zimmer musical theater for soprano and ensemble (2018), 1 h 10 mn, LondonHall Editions [program note]
    • elec stage 701 britische Teelöffel, viva la muerte ! musical theater for voices, flute, trumpet and electronics (2019), 60 mn, LondonHall Editions
    • Paradiso for soprano and chamber orchestra (2021), LondonHall Editions
    • Poeta en Nueva York song cycle for soprano and piano (2021), LondonHall Editions
  • A cappella vocal music
    • elec Hymne 80 for reciting actor, sensors and live electronics (2010), LondonHall Editions
    • elec In der Wüste for choir and electronics (2012), LondonHall Editions
    • Dixere Chaos for female vocal ensemble (2013), LondonHall Editions
  • Electronic music / fixed media / mechanical musical instruments
    • elec Fosil KV electroacoustic piece (2006), LondonHall Editions
    • elec Sierra Negra electroacoustic piece (2008), LondonHall Editions
  • Unspecified instrumentation

Catalog sources and details

 

  • 2021
  • 2020
  • 2019
  • 2018
  • 2017
    • Ahua for sixteen pianos in the sixteenth of a tone, 30 mn, LondonHall Editions
    • Central plank for solo harp, LondonHall Editions
    • Fosil Calatrava for percussion quartet, LondonHall Editions
    • Mood for solo cello, LondonHall Editions
    • Opera Análogo, LondonHall Editions
  • 2016
    • Calatrava for marimba quartet, LondonHall Editions
    • Dark Love for flute, recorder, clarinet, harpsichord, percussion and violin, LondonHall Editions
    • Kami for flute, saxophone, percussion, violin, viola and cello, LondonHall Editions
    • Kraken for cello and percussion, LondonHall Editions
    • Lilith for flute, saxophone, piano, violin, viola and cello, LondonHall Editions
    • elec stage Musique des êtres imaginaires concert-fiction for musicians, automatons and electronics, 60 mn, LondonHall Editions
    • elec Nagas for flute, piano, violin, viola and electronics, LondonHall Editions
    • Simurg for saxophone, vibraphone, piano and viola, LondonHall Editions
    • Squonk for vibraphone, violin and cello, LondonHall Editions
    • Yinn for solo flute, LondonHall Editions
  • 2015
    • Heavy for solo saxophone, twelve saxophones and electronics, LondonHall Editions
    • Kompa for flute, clarinet in B flat, oboe, trombone, piano, violin, viola and cello, 7 mn 30 s, LondonHall Editions [program note]
    • elec Mono for viola, piano and fixed sounds, 11 mn, LondonHall Editions [program note]
    • elec Nervo for violin, Paetzold flute and electronics, LondonHall Editions
    • Ovid II for soprano and guitar, LondonHall Editions
    • Whatever works musical theater, LondonHall Editions
  • 2014
  • 2013
  • 2012
    • Festina Lente for bass clarinet, violin, viola, cello and piano, LondonHall Editions
    • Grace Note music and dance, LondonHall Editions
    • elec In der Wüste for choir and electronics, LondonHall Editions
    • Influx for saxophone quartet, LondonHall Editions
    • Le cycle de l’oubli I for viola d'amore, LondonHall Editions
    • elec Lood for bass clarinet and fixed sounds, 12 mn, LondonHall Editions [program note]
    • elec Memorias del Vacío for Paetzold flute, video and electronics, LondonHall Editions
    • elec Mood for cello and fixed sounds, LondonHall Editions
    • Space Factory IV for flute, oboe, clarinet, kalimba, piano, violin, viola and cello, LondonHall Editions
    • elec Space Factory V for bass clarinet, violin, viola, cello and electronics, LondonHall Editions
    • elec Space Factory VI for flute, violin and electronics, LondonHall Editions
    • Tonic for guitar quartet, LondonHall Editions
  • 2011
    • Capricho “Sopla” for solo guitar, LondonHall Editions
    • elec Darksalmon for flute, clarinet, percussion, piano, violin, cello and electronics, LondonHall Editions
    • Getmove for basset Paetzold flute and button accordion, LondonHall Editions
    • Liquid Crystals for string quartet, LondonHall Editions
    • Omaggio for flute and piano, LondonHall Editions
    • Skifir for flute, bass clarinet, piano, violin, viola and cello, LondonHall Editions
    • Space factory III for oboe, percussion and piano, LondonHall Editions
    • Superfluidity II for guitar, flute, saxophone, accordion, percussion, viola, cello and double bass, LondonHall Editions
  • 2010
    • elec Hymne 80 for reciting actor, sensors and live electronics, LondonHall Editions
    • elec Ich hörte sagen for accordion, flute, clarinet, oboe, percussion, piano, violin, viola, cello and fixed sounds, LondonHall Editions
    • Line of oblivion dance music, LondonHall Editions
    • Rabbiduck for cello and marimba, LondonHall Editions
  • 2009
    • elec Disparate Volante for piano, video and fixed sounds, LondonHall Editions
    • elec Lightness for violin and fixed sounds or live electronics, 10 mn, LondonHall Editions [program note]
    • Modular for violin and bass clarinet, LondonHall Editions
    • Passatempo for flute, bass clarinet, violin, percussion and piano, LondonHall Editions
    • elec Plexus for tenor saxophone and live electronics, 9 mn 40 s about , LondonHall Editions [program note]
  • 2008
    • elec Broken Mirrors for string quartet and electronics, LondonHall Editions
    • Broken Mirrors for string quartet, LondonHall Editions
    • Dopp for guitar duo, LondonHall Editions
    • Formantes for flute, bass clarinet and piano, LondonHall Editions
    • elec Lawine for viola and fixed sounds, LondonHall Editions
    • elec Picado for flute, bass clarinet, percussion, guitar, piano, violin, cello and fixed sounds, LondonHall Editions
    • elec Sierra Negra electroacoustic piece, LondonHall Editions
    • elec Toro Mariposa for sopranino recorder and electronics, LondonHall Editions
  • 2006
    • Antecedente X for tenor saxophone, percussion and piano, LondonHall Editions
    • elec Fosil KV electroacoustic piece, LondonHall Editions
  • 2005
  • 2004
    • elec Raya for narrator, flute, percussion quartet and video, LondonHall Editions
  • 2003
    • Disparate Femenino I for solo guitar, LondonHall Editions
    • Disparate de Miedo II for solo guitar, LondonHall Editions
    • elec ircam Ircam cursus Objet-Objet for theorbo, electronics and video, 12 mn, LondonHall Editions
    • elec Themata for recorder, clarinet, trombone, percussion, piano, electric guitar, viola, double bass and fixed sounds, LondonHall Editions
  • 2002
    • Hymne an Lesbierinnen for soprano, bass clarinet, tenor saxophone, harp and accordion, LondonHall Editions
  • 2001
  • 1998
  • 1997

Catalog source(s)

 

Liens internet

(liens vérifiés en novembre 2021)

Discographie sélective

  • Arturo FUENTES, Broken Mirrors ; Liquid Crystals ; Ice Reflection ; Glass Distortion, Quatuor Diotima, 1 Cd Kairos, 2017, 0015015KAI.
  • Arturo FUENTES, Disparate Volante, Alberto Rosado : piano, dans « E-piano, video & electronics. Spanish and Latin  American Music », avec des œuvres de Aurélio Edler-Copes, Jesús  Navarro, Iñaki  Estrada, Ramon Humet, Hilda Paredes, Cristian Morales Ossio, 1 Cd-Dvd IBS Classical, 2016, IBS82016.
  • Arturo FUENTES, Lood, Fernando Dominguez : clarinette basse, dans « Negro Fuego Cruzado », avec des œuvres de Javier Añvarez, Eugenio Toussaint, Ana Lara, Hilda Paredes, Gonzalo Macías, 1 album digital Urtext, 2016.
  • Arturo FUENTES, Gedächtniskristalle, Markus Forster : contre-ténor, Tiroler Kammerorchester InnStrumenti, Gerhard Sammer : direction, dans « Gedächtniskristalle », avec des œuvres de Werner Pirchner, Kurt  Estermann, Bert Breit, 1 Cd Helbling, 2015, HI-17835CD.
  • Arturo FUENTES, Plexus, Pedro Bittencourt : saxophone, dans « Enlarge your Sax », avec des œuvres de Juan Camilo Hernández Sánchez, Agostino Di Scipio, Bernd Schultheis, Tom Mays, Phivos-ANgelos Kollias, Paulo Ferreira Lopes, 1 Cd Wergo, 2015, WER 20742.
  • Arturo FUENTES, Lyrika Zyklus - Mambo, RSO Wien, Cornelius Meister : direction, dans « Tanzmusik für Fortgeschrittene », avec des œuvres de Johanna Doderer, Friedrich  Cerha, Reinhard Fuchs, Gerald Resch, Zeynep Gedislioğlu, Franz Hauztinger, Wolfgang Suppan, Kurt Schwertsik, Bernhard Lang, HK Gruber, Hannes Löschel, Patrick Pulsinger, Gerhard E. Winkler, 1 Cd ORF, 2015, ORF-CD 3196.
  • Arturo FUENTES, Kompa, Ensemble Reconsil, Roland Freisitzer : direction, dans « Exploring the World », avec des œuvres de Mirela Ivičević, Claude Vivier, Thomas Heinisch, Anselm Schaufler, Yumiko Yokoi, Simon Holt, Daniel Moser, Gerhard E. Winkler, Morton Feldman, 1 coffret de 14 Cd Orlando Records, 2015, OR 0014.
  • Arturo FUENTES, Dunkelkammermusik ; Skifir ; Space Factory III - from the Children Circle ; Space Factory IV ; Space Factory V ; Spacetory VI, Phace, ensemble recherche, dans « Space Factory », 1 Cd NEOS, 2014, NEOS 11409.
  • Arturo FUENTES, Getmove, Luka Juhart : accordéon, dans « Luka Juhart - Deconstructing Accordion », avec des œuvres de Vito Žuraj, Eduard Demetz, Claus-Steffen Mahnkopf, Luka Juhart, 1 Cd NEOS, 2014, NEOS 11407.
  • Arturo FUENTES, Lawine, Ensemble Intégrales, dans « Pasajes - México », avec des œuvres de Gabriela Ortiz, Alejandro Castaños, Georgina Derbez Roque, Juan José Bárcenas, Aleyda Moreno, 1 Cd NEOS, 2010, NEOS 11047.
  • Arturo FUENTES, Modular ; Antecedente X ; Lightness ; Passatempo ; Plexus ; Formantes, Ensemble Intégrales, dans « Chamber Music », 1 Cd NEOS, 2010, NEOS 10906.
  • Arturo FUENTES, Fosil KV, dans « Electronic Music Vol. IV  », avec des œuvres de Pei-Yu Shi, Daniel Blinkhorn, George Dennis, Jason Bolte, Diana Salazar, Manuella Blackburn, Alejandro Montes de Oca, 1 Cd Miso Records, 2010, MCD 023-10.
  • Arturo FUENTES, Witt, Alejandro Escuer : flûte, dans « Aqua. Música Para Flauta Y Electrónica », avec des œuvres de Jacob Ter Vedhuis, Guillermo Galindo, Manuel Rocha, Stefano Scarani, Joseph Waters, Alejandro Escuer, 1 Cd Quindecim Recordings, 2002, QP091.

Filmographie

  • Arturo FUENTES, « Grace Note » Phace, 1 Dvd Kairos, 2015, 0013382KAI.

Bibliographie sélective

  • Arturo FUENTES, « Sound as Multiplicity: spaces and representations in computer music composition », dans Proceedings of the 5th Sound and Music Computing Conference 2008 (SMC 08), Berlin, 2008.
  • Arturo FUENTES, « Sonic/Musical Ideas: compositional remarks on computer music », publié en Europe par Re:New 2008 - Digital arts forum, Proceedings of the 2008 Computers in Music Modeling and Retrieval (CMMR 2008) et Network for Cross-Disciplinary Studies of Music and Meaning Conference, 2008, pp. 92-98. Publié au Mexique dans Sonic Ideas Ideas Sonicas musical journal, CMMAS, 2008.
  • Arturo FUENTES, « Den Klang hörend komponieren” : Der Computer als kompositorisches Dispositiv », Positionen. Beiträge zur neuen Musik, 74/2008 “Dispositiv(e)”, pp. 13-16.
  • Arturo FUENTES, « Educación musical y continuidad cultural », Nouvelles du Mexique No. 2, Paysages sonores, Institut Culturel du Mexique, Paris, 2001.