11 TH SOND’AR-TE ELECTRIC ENSEMBLE COMPOSITION COMPETITION -NEW CHAMBER MUSIC WITH ELECTRONICS
PRIZE WINNER DANIEL ARANGO-PRADA
JURI: Stefano Gervasoni, Philippe Leroux, Pedro Neves, Miguel Azguime
Xénolithe
For ensemble (FL/Fl in G, Cl in Bb/Bass Cl, Pno, Vln, Vla, Vc) and electronic
Year of composition: 2019
Duration: ca. 12’
In the field of geology, we would use the term « xenolith » to speak of a rock fragment that inserted itself into a magmatic rock formation. Thus, in this piece, matter forms progressively and, one by one, we can hear the singular voices of the bass clarinet, of the piano, followed by the cello take the position of soloist, granting them their very own identity, whilst still remaining attached to a body and a musical gesture.
Therefore, the several different densification processes at work in this piece readily represent the slow and tumultuous formation of rock, and we can imagine the magma cool down and gradually solidify, freezing within it the various musical elements.
The air notes of the clarinet, the unbridled rhythm of the piano and the virtuosity of the cello come and successfully interact with the ensemble and electronics before joining them, forming a compact matter, which is finally homogeneous.
Biography
Born in 1987 in Colombia, Daniel Arango-Prada currently lives in France where he devotes his time as a composer between instrumental music, electroacoustic music and mixed music.
Daniel Arango-Prada began his musical journey in Colombia, where he carried out his study of music theory and classical guitar, before carrying on in Argentina and finally arriving in France in 2010 to perfect himself as a composer. He joined the instrumental and electroacoustic composition course in the Montpellier conservatory before carrying on further by joining Lyon’s regional conservatory. In September 2015, he integrated the “Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Lyon”, where he was taught by Michele Tadini, Philippe Hurel, Martin Matalon and François Roux, which resulted in him receiving a master’s in composition in 2020.
He got the first prize of the Geneva International Music Competition in 2019 as well as the Audience Prize and the Young Audience Prize. He was rewarded also at the “Journées d'Informatique musicale” in 2017 in Paris and was a finalist in the international composition competition in the town of Boulogne-Billancourt in 2019. In 2021 he is invited as composer in residence at the Pablo Casals Festival in Prades, France.
Currently he is working in close collaboration with several instrumentalists and ensembles such as the trio “SR9” (France), the “Quatuor Béla” (France) or the “Lemanic Modern Ensemble” (Switzerland-France). His work has also been programmed in numerous festivals such as the Pablo Casals Festival, the MANCA festival in Nice, the “Turbulences Sonores” festival in Montpellier, the “Journées d’Informatique Musicale” in Paris and the “Journées Nationales d’Electroacoustique” in Amiens, Chalon-sur-Saône and Strasbourg. His music has also been performed in various European cities as well as in Asia. His works are published by BabelScores.