Gustavo Díaz-Jerez
Encyclopedia
Gustavo Díaz-Jerez is a Spanish pianist
and composer
.
, and subsequently with Solomon Mikowsky at Manhattan School of Music
in New York City. He has performed extensively throughout Europe, Asia, South America, Australia, the UK and the US, in halls including Carnegie Hall
and Alice Tully Hall
in New York, Royal Festival Hall
in London, Sydney Opera House
and numerous other venues. He has collaborated with conductors such as Ivan Fischer
, Victor Pablo, Cristian Mandeal, Matthias Bamert
, Gunther Herbig
, Adrian Leaper
, José R. Encinar, Stanisław Skrowaczewski, with orchestras such as the Budapest Festival Orchestra
, The Turin Symphony, The Northern Sinfonia
, as well as the major Spanish orchestras (Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Galicia, Nacional de Cataluña, Castilla y León, Sinfónica de Madrid). He has been invited to play at various international music festivals, including the Festival Internacional de Canarias, La Roque d’Anthéron, Quincena Musical Donostiarra, Festival Internacional de Santander, among others.
He studied composition with Giampaolo Bracali and Ludmila Ulehla at Manhattan School of Music. His compositional language may be defined as “algorithmic spectralism
”, merging elements of the spectralist movement (Grisey
, Murail, Radulescu
, etc.), in which timbre plays a fundamental role, with processes derived from mathematical disciplines such as cellular automata, L-systems, fractal
s, genetic algorithms, number theory
, spectrum analysis
, additive synthesis
, psychoacoustics
, etc. Needless the say, the use of the computer is indispensable, usually producing results in the form of electronic music. However, his main interest is not in electroacoustics
, but to “transcribe” these results using traditional instruments. This requires a very careful and elaborate process of quantization of melodic, rhythmic and timbre elements, so it can be adequately performed by human players. These transformations, however, leave intact the essence of the original process. His works are published by PeriferiaMusic. A programmer as well, he has written the PC freeware
program FractMus
, which explores fractal
and generative processes
for music composition. His articles on the subject have been published by specialized magazines such as Electronic Musician. Since 2002, he is a professor of piano at the Centro Superior de Música del País Vasco, Musikene.
Chamber music
Solo instrumental
Vocal
Choral
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
.
Biography
Gustavo Díaz-Jerez studied piano with J. A. Rodriguez at the Conservatorio Superior of Santa Cruz de TenerifeSanta Cruz de Tenerife
Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the capital , second-most populous city of the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands and the 21st largest city in Spain, with a population of 222,417 in 2009...
, and subsequently with Solomon Mikowsky at Manhattan School of Music
Manhattan School of Music
The Manhattan School of Music is a major music conservatory located on the Upper West Side of New York City. The school offers degrees on the bachelors, masters, and doctoral levels in the areas of classical and jazz performance and composition...
in New York City. He has performed extensively throughout Europe, Asia, South America, Australia, the UK and the US, in halls including Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
and Alice Tully Hall
Alice Tully Hall
Alice Tully Hall is a concert hall at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. It is named for Alice Tully, a New York performer and philanthropist whose donations assisted in the construction of the hall...
in New York, Royal Festival Hall
Royal Festival Hall
The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,900-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge. It is a Grade I listed building - the first post-war building to become so protected...
in London, Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in the Australian city of Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, finally opening in 1973 after a long gestation starting with his competition-winning design in 1957...
and numerous other venues. He has collaborated with conductors such as Ivan Fischer
Iván Fischer
Iván Fischer is a Hungarian conductor and composer. Born in Budapest into a Jewish musical family, Fischer initially studied piano, violin, cello and composition in Budapest...
, Victor Pablo, Cristian Mandeal, Matthias Bamert
Matthias Bamert
Matthias Bamert is a Swiss composer and conductor.Matthias Bamert studied music in his native Switzerland as well as in Paris and Darmstadt, falling in with the likes of Pierre Boulez and Karlheinz Stockhausen; these associations can be detected in his own compositions from the 1970's...
, Gunther Herbig
Günther Herbig
Günther Herbig is a German conductor.Born in Ústí nad Labem, Czechoslovakia, Herbig studied conducting at the Franz Liszt Academy in Weimar in 1951 with Hermann Abendroth. He later was a student of Hermann Scherchen, Arvid Jansons, and Herbert von Karajan...
, Adrian Leaper
Adrian Leaper
-Biography:He is currently the conductor RTVE Symphony Orchestra in Madrid. He was previously Principal Conductor of the Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria from 1994 until 2001.He has made many recordings for the Naxos Records label.-External links:...
, José R. Encinar, Stanisław Skrowaczewski, with orchestras such as the Budapest Festival Orchestra
Budapest Festival Orchestra
The Budapest Festival Orchestra was formed in 1983 by Iván Fischer and Zoltán Kocsis, with musicians "drawn from the cream of Hungary's younger players", as The Times put it...
, The Turin Symphony, The Northern Sinfonia
Northern Sinfonia
The Northern Sinfonia is a British chamber orchestra, based initially in Newcastle upon Tyne, and currently in Gateshead. For the first 46 years of its history, the orchestra gave the bulk of its concerts at the City Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne. Since 2004, the orchestra has been resident at The...
, as well as the major Spanish orchestras (Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Galicia, Nacional de Cataluña, Castilla y León, Sinfónica de Madrid). He has been invited to play at various international music festivals, including the Festival Internacional de Canarias, La Roque d’Anthéron, Quincena Musical Donostiarra, Festival Internacional de Santander, among others.
He studied composition with Giampaolo Bracali and Ludmila Ulehla at Manhattan School of Music. His compositional language may be defined as “algorithmic spectralism
Spectral music
Spectral music is a musical composition practice where compositional decisions are often informed by the analysis of sound spectra. Computer-based sound spectrum analysis using tools like DFT, FFT, and spectrograms...
”, merging elements of the spectralist movement (Grisey
Gérard Grisey
Gérard Grisey was a French composer of contemporary music.-Biography:Gérard Grisey was born in Belfort, France on 17 June 1946. He studied at the Trossingen Conservatory in Germany from 1963 to 1965 before entering the Conservatoire de Paris...
, Murail, Radulescu
Radulescu
Rădulescu, a family name common in Romania, may refer to any of the following people:*Alex Rădulescu, tennis player*Andrei Rădulescu, flying ace*Aurel Rădulescu, cleric and politician*Constantin Rădulescu-Motru, philosopher and politician...
, etc.), in which timbre plays a fundamental role, with processes derived from mathematical disciplines such as cellular automata, L-systems, fractal
Fractal
A fractal has been defined as "a rough or fragmented geometric shape that can be split into parts, each of which is a reduced-size copy of the whole," a property called self-similarity...
s, genetic algorithms, number theory
Number theory
Number theory is a branch of pure mathematics devoted primarily to the study of the integers. Number theorists study prime numbers as well...
, spectrum analysis
Spectrum analysis
Spectrum, also known as emission spectrochemical analysis, is the original scientific method of charting and analyzing the chemical properties of matter and gases by looking at the bands in their optical spectrum...
, additive synthesis
Additive synthesis
Additive synthesis is a technique of sound synthesis that creates musical timbre by explicitly adding sinusoidal overtones together.The timbre of an instrument is composed of multiple harmonic or inharmonic partials , of different frequencies and amplitudes, that change over time...
, psychoacoustics
Psychoacoustics
Psychoacoustics is the scientific study of sound perception. More specifically, it is the branch of science studying the psychological and physiological responses associated with sound...
, etc. Needless the say, the use of the computer is indispensable, usually producing results in the form of electronic music. However, his main interest is not in electroacoustics
Electroacoustics
Electroacoustics may refer to:*Electroacoustic music*Electroacoustic phenomena* Acoustical engineering, the interdisciplinary branch of Acoustics, electronics and electrical engineering dealing with electronic devices...
, but to “transcribe” these results using traditional instruments. This requires a very careful and elaborate process of quantization of melodic, rhythmic and timbre elements, so it can be adequately performed by human players. These transformations, however, leave intact the essence of the original process. His works are published by PeriferiaMusic. A programmer as well, he has written the PC freeware
Freeware
Freeware is computer software that is available for use at no cost or for an optional fee, but usually with one or more restricted usage rights. Freeware is in contrast to commercial software, which is typically sold for profit, but might be distributed for a business or commercial purpose in the...
program FractMus
FractMus (software)
FractMus is a freeware algorithmic music generator program developed and maintained by Spanish pianist and composer Gustavo Díaz-Jerez. It has been primarily used by composers, performers, software designers, researchers and artists for creating music....
, which explores fractal
Fractal
A fractal has been defined as "a rough or fragmented geometric shape that can be split into parts, each of which is a reduced-size copy of the whole," a property called self-similarity...
and generative processes
Algorithmic composition
Algorithmic composition is the technique of using algorithms to create music.Algorithms have been used to compose music for centuries; the procedures used to plot voice-leading in Western counterpoint, for example, can often be reduced to algorithmic determinacy...
for music composition. His articles on the subject have been published by specialized magazines such as Electronic Musician. Since 2002, he is a professor of piano at the Centro Superior de Música del País Vasco, Musikene.
Selected works
Orchestral- Ricercare: D. Schostakovitch in Memoriam for viola d'amore and string orchestra
- YmarxaYmarxaYmarxa is an orchestral piece of classical music by the Spanish composer and pianist Gustavo Díaz-Jerez. Ymarxa is a guanche word meaning 'new', 'brilliant', 'splendid'. It also referred to a place in Tenerife in what today is La Esperanza forest...
for orchestra - Aranfaybo for chamber orchestra
- Concerto for viola d'amoreViola d'amoreThe viola d'amore is a 7- or 6-stringed musical instrument with sympathetic strings used chiefly in the baroque period. It is played under the chin in the same manner as the violin.- Structure and sound :...
and chamber orchestra - Concerto for clarinet and chamber orchestra
Chamber music
- Trio for violin, cello and piano
- Sidhe, for violin, viola, cello and piano four-hands
- Sonata for violin and piano
- Sonata for viola and piano (2003)
- Hymenoptera for clarinet quartet
- Partita for viola d'amoreViola d'amoreThe viola d'amore is a 7- or 6-stringed musical instrument with sympathetic strings used chiefly in the baroque period. It is played under the chin in the same manner as the violin.- Structure and sound :...
, piano, vibraphone, marimba and multi percussion - Ricercare: D. Schostakovitch in Memoriam for viola d'amore and piano
- Dhyana for viola d'amore and piano
- Akhkhazu for alto saxophone and piano
- Plerion for trumpet and piano
- Tiamat for violin, viola, cello, double bass, and piano
- Three Pieces for clarinet and piano
- Tephra for violin, viola, cello, and piano
- Songs of Garajonay for voice and ensemble
- Granular I for guitar quartet
Solo instrumental
- Gehenna for piano solo
- Sisyphus for piano solo
- Nous for solo flute
Vocal
- Zenith for violin, viola, cello, flute, harp and voice; poem by Belinda Sánchez Mozo
- Songs of Garajonay for voice and piano; poems by Belinda Sánchez Mozo
Choral
- Nudo de luz for mixed chorus; based on a poem by Belinda Sánchez Mozo