Hilda Paredes
Composer
“…a composer with a fresh aural imagination”
- The Guardian
Hilda Paredes is firmly established as one of the
leading Mexican composers of her generation. Musicians, singers and conductors frequently
praise the perfect balance she achieves between brilliant compositional technique
and a keen sensibility for the particular instruments and individuals for whom she
writes.
“…admired for compositions that mix modernist rigor and extended techniques with a primal energy rooted in Maya lore” - NY Times
While there is a testimony of constant
collaboration with Mexican poets and artists in her works, she also draws
inspiration from many different composers and cultures from around the world and
has been based in London for 40 years. Her music has been acclaimed by
critics for the refinement of her craft, marked by the intensity of the
relationship between time, dramatic force and poetic approach.
Hilda Paredes has been commissioned by soloists, ensembles and orchestras around the world. Her music has been performed by the Ensemble
Intercontemporain, Arditti Quartet,Contrechamps, Court Circuit, Collegium Novum Zurich, Trio Arbós, OFUNAM, Hilliard Ensemble, Hermes Ensemble, Ensemble Modern, Ensemble Recherche,
Ensemble Signal, Grup Instrumental de Valencia, ICE in NY, London Sinfonietta,
The New Julliard Ensemble and Neue Vocalsolisten, among others. Recent commissioners include Wigmore Hall, Berlin Philharmonie, BCMG, Wien Modern and Suntory Hall.
Her works have been presented by such international venues and festivals as Wigmore Hall, Huddersfield Contemporary Music and Edinburgh Festivals in the UK; Eclat and Ultraschall in Germany; Festival D’Automne a Paris, Musica and Octobre en Normandie in France; Wien Modern andKlangspuren in Austria; Akiyoshidai and Takefu Music Festivals in Japan; Archipel and Music monat in Switzerland; De Ijsbreker Chamber Music Festival in Amsterdam; Warsaw Autumn in Poland; Ultima in Oslo; Melbourne International Festival in Australia; June in Buffalo, the Composer Portraits Series at Miller Theatre NY and Festival of Arts and Ideas in the USA; Ars Musica in Brussels; Festival de Alicante, Festival de Música Religiosa de Cuenca and ENSEMS Festival in Spain; and Festival Internacional Cervantino in Mexico.
Her works have been presented by such international venues and festivals as Wigmore Hall, Huddersfield Contemporary Music and Edinburgh Festivals in the UK; Eclat and Ultraschall in Germany; Festival D’Automne a Paris, Musica and Octobre en Normandie in France; Wien Modern andKlangspuren in Austria; Akiyoshidai and Takefu Music Festivals in Japan; Archipel and Music monat in Switzerland; De Ijsbreker Chamber Music Festival in Amsterdam; Warsaw Autumn in Poland; Ultima in Oslo; Melbourne International Festival in Australia; June in Buffalo, the Composer Portraits Series at Miller Theatre NY and Festival of Arts and Ideas in the USA; Ars Musica in Brussels; Festival de Alicante, Festival de Música Religiosa de Cuenca and ENSEMS Festival in Spain; and Festival Internacional Cervantino in Mexico.
Hilda has included in her pieces a wide
range of electroacoustic elements, creating works at IRCAM and SWR
Experimentalstudio. Most recently at CIRM, she composed her widely celebrated
chamber opera Harriet, Scenes
in the life of Harriet Tubman, for
the renowned African-American soprano Claron Mcfadden and Muziek Theater Transparent. After the premiere at
the Muziekgebouw Amsterdam, the Dutch critic
Joep Stapel from the NRC newspaper named Harriet the Best Classical
Music Performance of 2018. It has
since been performed in Mexico, the UK, France and Belgium. Hilda was awarded a prestigious 2019 Ivors Composer Award (previously British Composer Awards) for this work.
in the category
Stage Works
Stage Works
In addition to this award, she has been honoured with a number of illustrious international accolades, including the PRS for Music Foundation, J.S. Guggenheim Fellowship, Rockefeller, Fund for Culture Mexico/USA, and the Fellowship from Sistema Nacional de Creadores (FONCA) in Mexico.
“With the music of Hilda Paredes, one can
sense or cite various influences. However, the overall feeling that one has is
one of an individual voice.”
– Brad Lubman, conductor
After studying at the Conservatoire in Mexico
City with Mario Lavista, Hilda Paredes was an active participant in master classes at
Dartington Summer School, studying with Peter Maxwell Davies, Harrison
Birtwistle and Richard Rodney Bennett. She graduated from the Guildhall School
of Music and subsequently obtained her Master of Arts at City University in
London and completed her PhD at Manchester University under Prof. John Casken.
“Hilda Paredes takes from society everything
that is in it, she is able to draw every imaginable sound colour from the
combinations of instruments and voices.”
- Werkgroep
Caraïbische Letteren
Hilda continues to be involved in the musical life of her native Mexico as a composer and teacher and was also a radio producer of new music. As a freelance lecturer, Hilda has taught composition and lectured at Manchester University, the University of San Diego California, University of Buffalo where she is a regular guest lecturer and other distinguished Universities in the US, at Centre Acanthes in France. She has been Visiting Professor at Mills College and at Dartmouth College in the USA and at the Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya in Barcelona.
Her works have featured on the AEON, Mode Records and IBS labels and are published by ︎︎︎ University of York Music Press.
︎ artist website