Abras, Juan Manuel

Composer, conductor and musicologist of European descent. Born in Sweden and raised in Switzerland and Madrid, he was trained in Vienna, Germany, Venice, Cracow, Spain, and Buenos Aires. He studied composition with Krzysztof Penderecki in Cracow, Kurt Schwertsik in Vienna, and Roberto García Morillo in Buenos Aires while also attending masterclasses with Karlheinz Stockhausen, Helmut Lachenmann, Wolfgang Rihm, and Alexander Müllenbach. He completed postgraduate studies in orchestral conducting with Leopold Hager in Vienna, Guillermo Scarabino in Buenos Aires, Michael Gielen at the Berlin State Opera, Ervin Acél, and Dominique Fanal after having completed piano studies in San Sebastián, Venice, and Buenos Aires. He also holds a PhD in Music from the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina, a MA in Hispanic music from the universities of Salamanca and Valladolid, and a BA in history from the Universidad del Salvador and University of Deusto. He has won numerous awards and scholarships including an Argentine Gold Medal Award in composition and orchestral conducting (2000), 2nd Prize at the Franz Josef Reinl Competition in Vienna (2002), Theodor Körner Prize (2003), In Memoriam Erich Kleiber scholarship (2004), National Fund for the Arts scholarship in Buenos Aires (2005), 2nd Prize of the City of Vienna for Film Music (2010), Grafimuse in Brussels (2011), and TRINAC and TRIMARG mentions (2002, 2008, 2014).

His works have been performed at the International Gaudeamus Music Week, Warsaw Autumn, MANCA, Musiikin Aika, Manuel Enríquez International Forum of New Music, Discantus, Instrumenta Oaxaca (all in Mexico), Mozarteum Salzburg, Kulturrathaus Dresden, Columbia University, University of Ottawa, University of Deusto, and Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. His discography includes 6 CDs published in Austria, France, Poland and Argentina.

He worked as Professor at the National University of Lanús and the Astor Piazzolla Conservatoire in Buenos Aires and as Invited Member at the Carlos Vega Institute of Musicological Research, Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina, while working as guest and resident composer notably at the International Forum for Culture and Business in Dresden (2003), Ensemble Aleph Forum for Young Composers in Paris (2006), Argentine Foundation in Warsaw (2006), Laboratory of Contemporary Music in Warsaw (2006), and Warsaw Autumn Festival (2008). A member of the Austrian Composers’ Society (ÖKB), Argentine Composers’ Association, and SADAIC, he has been appointed conductor and artistic director of several Argentine orchestras, participating in the dissemination of Argentine and Ibero-American music as composer, conductor, pianist and concert series organiser, also working as arranger, orchestrator, copyist and engraver.

 

Selected works: Seriallemande for piano four hands (1997), ¿Libertas? 47 for instrument(s) and/or voice(s) (1999), Drunken Fugue for three saxophones (1999), La fuga de Valentino for piano six hands (1999), Ricercare for flute, clarinet, violin and cello (1999), Sedekte. Quinteto dodecatánguico for bandoneon and string quartet (2000−01), Harmonie – Alpha et Omega for soprano and piano (2001), Sueño y chacarera for flute and clarinet (2001), Suite Argentina for chamber orchestra (2001), De cœlesti hierarchia for men’s choir, vibraphone, organ, cello and electronics (2002), Estelango for piano four hands (2003−04), Dialogos between Moses, Demosthenes, Virgil and Turing for string quartet (2004), Chacarera Meets the Puna for violin (2005), The Song of Anna O. for soprano and ensemble (2005), Muchos rostros, una Madre for voices, choir and chamber orchestra (2006), Pésame (Actus contritionis) for speaker, choir, ensemble and electronics (2006), The Dante Sketches for speaker, mixed choir and symphony orchestra (2006−07), Pentecostés (Veni Sancte Spiritus) for choir and electronics (2007), Chacarera beatboxera for beatboxer and ensemble (2008), Huayno Meets the Milonga for vibraphone and marimba (2009), Telesiadas. Concert Variations on a Theme by Chazarreta for piano and symphony orchestra (2009), Un réquiem lorquiano (Balada de la placeta) for electronics (2009), Chacarera endebussyada for piano (2010), A “Letter” for Mich for clarinet (2011), Discursos argentinos for oboe (2011), Milonga Meets Malambo for cello and piano (2011), Polish Speeches for oboe (2011), Diálogos franciscano(n)s for flute and electronics (2012), Perpetuum tanguile for violin (2013), Ploratus acerbos infantem edere for clarinet (2013), Bossa nova scriabinosa for viola (2014), Only One Note for piano (2014), Sitwa Raymi (Oración primera al Hacedor) for mixed choir, instrumental duo and electronics (2014), Ania Is... for clarinet (2015), Cueca wagneroide for viola (2015), Kinderlachen for recorder (2015), The Hermit for violin and dancer (2015), Yubarta Yakarta for cello (2015).