Carmen Helena Téllez
Encyclopedia
Carmen Helena Téllez is a Venezuelan-American music conductor
. Reviewed as "a quiet force behind contemporary music in the United States today” (www.Sequenza21.com), she has concentrated her career on the exploration of the relationship of music
with other arts through her performances of contemporary works for chorus
, orchestra
and new opera
. She has conducted in the United States, Europe, Israel and Latin America. After her tenure as Music Director of the National Chorus of Spain, she joined the music faculty at Indiana University
in 1992, as Director of the Latin American Music Center and the Contemporary Vocal Ensemble. For these organizations, she has commissioned and recorded several new works, and has founded the Inter-American Composition Workshops. During the 2001-2002 period, she was the Resident Conductor of the pioneering Contemporary Chamber Players of Chicago
and became the Music Director of the Pocket Opera Players in New York City
.
She is known as a conductor of new music, even as she has continued to conduct canonic repertoire. She is the first woman on record to conduct Berlioz's Grande Messe des Morts(Indiana University, 2000). In the year 2001, she conducted the American Midwest premiere of John Adams
' El Niño, and in 2002 she conducted Stephen Hartke
's Tituli and the second-ever performance of Ralph Shapey
's oratorio "Praise". She has been responsible for several commissions and world premieres, including John Eaton
's opera Inasmuch and his Mass for vocal-instrumental ensemble
. She has also performed the Midwest premieres of many important compositions
, including James MacMillan's Seven Last Words, Alfred Schnittke's Requiem and Lou Harrison's Orpheus. She conducted the world premiere of MacMillan's Sun-Dogs in July 2006, which she co-commissioned. In October 2007 she conducted the collegiate premiere of Osvaldo Golijov's opera Ainadamar. In August 2008 she produced and conducted the world premiere of Gabriela Ortiz's opera ¡Unicamente la verdad!
As a scholar and conductor, she has won many grants and awards from the US-Mexico Fund for Culture, the Rockefeller Foundation
, the Indiana Arts Commission, the United States Information Agency
, and the Circle of Music and Theater Critics of Mexico
. She is a respected consultant
with international organizations on contemporary composers and on Latin American music, and has written several articles on these subjects for the New Grove Dictionary of Music.
In 1996, she founded Aguavá New Music Studio, with composer Cary Boyce
. With this organization, she has recorded two CDs. Her current research and performance interests involve the inter-disciplinary presentation of new music, in order to enhance the connection of composers with the concerns of present-day audiences and reassess the ritual role of art in our time.
Carmen Helena Téllez holds a Doctor of Music degree from Indiana University, and is the winner of the ACDA Julius Herford National Choral Dissertation Award (1991).
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
. Reviewed as "a quiet force behind contemporary music in the United States today” (www.Sequenza21.com), she has concentrated her career on the exploration of the relationship of music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
with other arts through her performances of contemporary works for chorus
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
, orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
and new opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
. She has conducted in the United States, Europe, Israel and Latin America. After her tenure as Music Director of the National Chorus of Spain, she joined the music faculty at Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
in 1992, as Director of the Latin American Music Center and the Contemporary Vocal Ensemble. For these organizations, she has commissioned and recorded several new works, and has founded the Inter-American Composition Workshops. During the 2001-2002 period, she was the Resident Conductor of the pioneering Contemporary Chamber Players of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and became the Music Director of the Pocket Opera Players in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
She is known as a conductor of new music, even as she has continued to conduct canonic repertoire. She is the first woman on record to conduct Berlioz's Grande Messe des Morts(Indiana University, 2000). In the year 2001, she conducted the American Midwest premiere of John Adams
John Adams
John Adams was an American lawyer, statesman, diplomat and political theorist. A leading champion of independence in 1776, he was the second President of the United States...
' El Niño, and in 2002 she conducted Stephen Hartke
Stephen Hartke
Stephen Paul Hartke is an American composer. He grew up in Manhattan, where his first piano teacher was Mary Miley, and has lived in California since the 1980s...
's Tituli and the second-ever performance of Ralph Shapey
Ralph Shapey
Ralph Shapey was an American composer and conductor. He is well-known for his work as a composition professor at the University of Chicago, where he founded and directed the Contemporary Chamber Players...
's oratorio "Praise". She has been responsible for several commissions and world premieres, including John Eaton
John Eaton (composer)
John Charles Eaton is an American composer , MacArthur Fellow, is professor emeritus of composition at the University of Chicago John Charles Eaton (born 30 March 1935 in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania) is an American composer (Anon. [n.d.]; Morgan 2001), MacArthur Fellow, is professor emeritus of...
's opera Inasmuch and his Mass for vocal-instrumental ensemble
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
. She has also performed the Midwest premieres of many important compositions
Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
, including James MacMillan's Seven Last Words, Alfred Schnittke's Requiem and Lou Harrison's Orpheus. She conducted the world premiere of MacMillan's Sun-Dogs in July 2006, which she co-commissioned. In October 2007 she conducted the collegiate premiere of Osvaldo Golijov's opera Ainadamar. In August 2008 she produced and conducted the world premiere of Gabriela Ortiz's opera ¡Unicamente la verdad!
As a scholar and conductor, she has won many grants and awards from the US-Mexico Fund for Culture, the Rockefeller Foundation
Rockefeller Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation is a prominent philanthropic organization and private foundation based at 420 Fifth Avenue, New York City. The preeminent institution established by the six-generation Rockefeller family, it was founded by John D. Rockefeller , along with his son John D. Rockefeller, Jr...
, the Indiana Arts Commission, the United States Information Agency
United States Information Agency
The United States Information Agency , which existed from 1953 to 1999, was a United States agency devoted to "public diplomacy". In 1999, USIA's broadcasting functions were moved to the newly created Broadcasting Board of Governors, and its exchange and non-broadcasting information functions were...
, and the Circle of Music and Theater Critics of Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. She is a respected consultant
Consultant
A consultant is a professional who provides professional or expert advice in a particular area such as management, accountancy, the environment, entertainment, technology, law , human resources, marketing, emergency management, food production, medicine, finance, life management, economics, public...
with international organizations on contemporary composers and on Latin American music, and has written several articles on these subjects for the New Grove Dictionary of Music.
In 1996, she founded Aguavá New Music Studio, with composer Cary Boyce
Cary Boyce
Cary Boyce is artistic co-director and composer-in-residence of the production company and musical ensemble Aguavá New Music Studio, which specializes in producing projects involving contemporary music....
. With this organization, she has recorded two CDs. Her current research and performance interests involve the inter-disciplinary presentation of new music, in order to enhance the connection of composers with the concerns of present-day audiences and reassess the ritual role of art in our time.
Carmen Helena Téllez holds a Doctor of Music degree from Indiana University, and is the winner of the ACDA Julius Herford National Choral Dissertation Award (1991).