Full biography
Carlos Rojo (Barcelona, 1980) had his first contact with music through the electric guitar during his teens. At that time he was mainly connected to local experimental rock groups from his hometown (Badalona) and he starts composing, mostly by intuition. This musical environment lead him to be interested in experimental, classical and ethnic music. He received his first musical training at l’Aula de Músics de Barcelona.
In 2000 he got interested in Flamenco music, put aside the electric guitar, and started training with César Moreno. He studied the traditional styles/ways of accompaniment to cante and baile (Flamenco singing and dancing) and contacted and performed with different singers in dance schools. Later he travels to Granada, where he continued training at the Cueva de la Presy (Sacromonte) and takes some classes with Rafalín Habichuela and Miguel Ochando. During these years he performed along with different cantaores/as and bailaores/as in Andalucía, Madrid and Catalunya.
Later he resumed his interest in classical composition and got tuition from Miguel Ángel Hurtado and Alejandro Civilotti, with whom he studied classical harmony and counterpoint, classical forms, analysis and orchestration. He culminates this stage by entering in the Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya, where he studies composition under professors Mauricio Sotelo (3 years) and Arnau Bataller (1 year), receiving the highest academic marks in that matter.
His works have been performed by ensembles such as Barcelona216 ensemble, Trío Arbós, Euphonic Bass Quartet, Esmuc Alumni Orchestra, Francesc Valls Chamber Choir or the Chaos Orchestra, in venues and frameworks such as the Ciclo de Música Contemporánea BBVA Bilbao, the Cathedral of Barcelona, L’Auditori and the CCCB (Center for Contemporary Culture of Barcelona).
His work Siete miniaturas para piano was awarded the Honorable Mention in the V Dolors Calvet Prize.
His music has been supported by the Departament de Cultura de la Generalitat de Catalunya and the Fundación SGAE.
He has attended courses and master classes by the following composers and musicians: Salvatore Sciarrino, Barbara Hannigan, Miguel Gálvez-Taronger, José María Sánchez Verdú, Agustín Charles, Stefano Gervasoni, Kaija Saariaho, Josep Soler, Pedro Alcalde, Sofia Gubaidulina, Raphaël Cendo, Christophe Havel, Clara Maïda, Joan Albert Amargós, Jorge Pardo, Gerardo Nuñez and Faustino Nuñez.
Short biography
He studied composition at the ESMUC (Higher School of Catalonia) under the tutelage of Mauricio Sotelo, receiving the best grades. His work “Seven miniatures for piano” receives the honorable mention of the V Dolors Calvet Award. Some of his works and orchestrations have been performed by ensembles such as the ensemble Barcelona216, the Trio Arbós, the Euphonic Bass Quartet, the Alumni Orchestra of Esmuc, the Cor de Cambra Francesc Valls or the Orchestra of Chaos, in places such as the Cycle of Contemporary Music BBVA Bilbao the Cathedral of Barcelona, L’Auditori and the CCCB (Center for Contemporary Culture of Barcelona). His music has been supported by the Departament de Culture de la Generalitat de Catalunya and the Fundación SGAE.
Previously he studied electric guitar and modern music at l’Aula de Músics in Barcelona and flamenco guitar with César Moreno (Barcelona), Rafalín Habichuela (Granada) and Miguel Ochando (Granada). His initial training as a composer is received by Miguel Ángel Hurtado and Alejandro Civilotti.
For full curriculum in pdf contact at carlosrojo.mus@gmail.com