José’s music incorporates a wide range of influences from Colombian folk tunes to contemporary composition techniques while borrowing from Latin music, heavy metal, and audio sampling techniques. His works range from solo pieces with electronics to orchestral works, passing through chamber ensembles, electroacoustic pieces, and interdisciplinary collaborations. Among others, his music has been performed by groups such as Alarm Will Sound, Wild Up, and Grammy award-winning quartet Third Coast Percussion. An alumnus of percussion and composition at the National University of Colombia, he studied composition at the University of Missouri and UT Austin. José was a visiting professor at East Carolina University and the New College of Florida. Currently, he is an Assistant Professor of Music at Colby College.
His music has also been presented by Spanish ensemble Taller Sonoro, LA-based Piano duo Hockett Duo, the Orchestra of St. Luke’s from New York City, Grupo de Cámara de Bogotá, and Austin-based percussion ensemble Line Upon Line, among others. Other collaborators also include Sarasota Contemporary Dance, Teatro del Valle (Colombia), and visual artist Yulia Lanina. He has participated in institutes and festivals such as the Banff Ensemble Evolution program, DeGaetano, Splice, SEAMUS, Missouri International Composer Festival, Line Upon Line Winter Composer Festival, ClarinetFest, and VIPA.
José is a recipient of the 2008 National Composition Prize for Young Composers, the 2011 “Ciudad de Bogotá” Composition Award, and the 2013 National Cultural Prize. In the US, he received the 2013 Sinquefield Composition Prize and the 2019 Rain Water Grant for Innovation.
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