Member Since: 7/13/2005
Band Website: riveramusic.net
Band Members: Growing up in Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, and Miami provided composer Carlos Rafael Rivera a rich cultural base for his musical maturation. His works reflect the diversity of his upbringing as well as his love for rock, and the indigenous music of other cultures. From the Tibetan Buddhist chants of his choral work Motet for Twelve Singers, through the orchestral setting of the Mayan myths of the Popol-Vuh, Carlos’ compositions engage both musician and audience at a visceral and emotional level. His music has been performed by some of the world’s most prominent ensembles, including the American Composer’s Orchestra, Chanticleer, and the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet; recorded by Warner Classics, Sony Classical, and the Naxos labels; published by Mel-Bay and Doberman Editions, and received grants and awards by the Alpert/Ragdale Foundation, the New England Philharmonic, BMI, and twice by ASCAP.
As a guitarist, Carlos’ recorded work includes performances on the feature soundtrack for Crash – 2006 Academy Award Winner – as well as studio sessions for Vagrant, Island/Def Jam, and Universal Records. He has performed live as opening act for The Who at the Hollywood Bowl, as well as with Grammy Award winning jazz trumpet soloist Arturo Sandoval. Carlos is also a second prize winner at the D'Addario International Guitar Concerto Competition.
Carlos is a sought out resident composer and guest lecturer throughout the United States, covering topics ranging from his own compositions, the sound art of Radiohead, to the life and works of Spanish composer JoaquÃn Rodrigo. A doctoral candidate in Music Composition at the University of Southern California, he studied with Stephen Hartke and Donald Crockett, is mentored by film composer - songwriter Randy Newman, and teaches composition and guitar at the Pasadena Conservatory of Music. He is currently working on his most recent commission: an Afro-Cuban concerto for the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet to be premiered by JoAnn Falletta and the Virginia Symphony in the spring of 09
Influences: Stravinsky - Debussy - Radiohead - Beatles
Record Label: Sony/Naxos/Warner Classics
Type of Label: Major