Miguel del Águila

Biography

Miguel del Águila (born September 15, 1957, in Montevideo) is a Uruguayan American composer of classical music. He has been nominated for the Grammy Awards three times and has received other honors, such as the Kennedy Center Friedheim Award.

Life

In 1978, he moved to California, fleeing Uruguay's 1970s 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 (now Weill 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 in 1998 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 the 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 Nashville Symphony, 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 (for Best Classical Album), and the second for his work Clocks (Best Classical Contemporary Composition), performed by Camerata San Antonio. Clocks also received a Copland Foundation Recording Award in 2009. In 2015, he received a third Grammy nomination for his Concierto en Tango (Best Classical Contemporary Composition), 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; many others he has self-published.

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 (violin, cello and piano)
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 (Rondó Roto) Concerto for English horn and orchestra
Del Caribe Soy Naxos (CD 8579016) Nestor Torres, flute Miguel del Aguila, piano Work: Miami Flute Suite – for flute and piano
CD Garden of Joys and Sorrows Bridge Records (CD 9472) 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 (Troy CD 1484) 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 (UK Santiago String Quartet Works: Presto II – for string quartet
CD Border Crossings Pacific Serenades Recordings CD: 06132-3 Gary Gray, clarinet / Pacific Serenade Ensemble Works: Pacific Serenade – for clarinet and string quartet
CD Conga-Line in Hell Redwood Recordings Redwood Symphony Orchestra Eric Kujawsky, cond. Works: Conga – for orchestra
CD Seducción Albany Records (Troy CD 1727) 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 (older first version) 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 (or four) 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