This work was created as a reflection on Germinal, a literary work by Emile Zola. The drama of a coal-mining town that starts a strike in search of better living conditions turns out to be the downfall of the main characters in the novel, Catherine and Etienne. Structured in two movements, the first movement explores the […]
String Quartet No. 4
String Quartet No. 4 is a work in seven movements, composed as a reflection on the last seven words of Christ in the cross. These are the titles of the movements: Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise. […]
Sonata No. 2 for Cello and Piano
This work was born as a gift to the Seneca Duo, formed by cellist Carrie Cimildoro-Beem and my wife, Jennifer Muñiz at the piano. When I heard the wonderful news that they were both expecting, I decided to compose a work that will not only bring the wonderful qualities they have as a duo and […]
A la una
A la una is a work inspired on the very old sephardic song with the same title. It explores the different qualities of the song in constructive way – from short memories and fragments to a full presentation towards the end of the song. The various compositional techniques are at work to provide a clear direction […]
La Nueche de San Xuán
La Nueche de San Xuán represents the most magical night of all nights, the Night of St. John, on June 23rd, the night were ancient pagan cults join modern beliefs. It is a night of celebration were magical creatures surface to join humans in a festival of music and dance. Composed in three movements, the first […]
Funk
This composition for guitar and violin explores the genre of funk from the 1970s. Constructed in three sections, it features a slow, almost improvisatory first part, which eventually becomes more defined and regular in its rhythmic and beat patterns, leading to the second section. This section, in a moderate tempo, has a clear regularity, which […]
Three American Nocturnes
This set of three nocturnes portray three American landmarks at night. The first nocturne evokes Chicago, Illinois, or as it is known in some hip-hop circles, Chi-Town. The night starts quietly as some street performers gather around in a street. The music becomes more rhythmic and improvisatory as the hip-hop tones envelope the street. At its highest moment, […]
Piano Quintet No. 2, ‘The Mississippi’
Sixteen years after the first Piano Quintet, this new composition was created for my friends in the Cuarteto Quiroga, and commissioned by Cosme Marina for the 2013-2014 season of the Luis G. Iberni Jornadas de Piano in Oviedo, Spain. Much has changed since that first Piano Quintet, a work very much with a Spanish imprint […]
Duende
Spanish poet and playwright Federico García Lorca defined “Duende” as “a power, not a work.” He adds “It is a struggle, not a thought. I have heard an old maestro of the guitar say, ‘The duende is not in the throat; the duende climbs up inside you, from the soles of the feet.’ Meaning this: […]
Sonata for Piccolo and Piano
I. Humoresque II. Processionel III. Danse Francis Poulenc has been for most of my life a reference in composition for his sensibility and melodic expression as well as his sense of the stage and dramatic direction. Together with Olivier Messiaen, they are also an inspiration in how they integrate their beliefs within the fabric of […]
Sonata for Alto Saxphone and Piano, ‘Motown Dreams’
I. 1964 Ford Mustang II. 1970 Pontiac GTO III. 1973 Chevrolet Corvette This work is dedicated to the American ingenuity of the automotive industry. Each one of the three movements reflects on the experience of driving three famous classic car models from the automotive history of Detroit of the 1960-70s: the 1964 Ford Mustang, the […]