José Martínez

Resident composer José Martínez is representing the University of Missouri and the Mizzou New Music Initiative at this year’s MICF.

Originally from Cali, Valle del Cauca, Colombia, José earned his diploma at the Conservatory of Music at the National University of Colombia in Bogotá, and currently is studying for a master’s degree in composition at Mizzou. For the festival, he has written a new work, “Dances Torridas” that will be one of eight world premieres performed by resident ensemble Alarm Will Sound at the Festival’s grand finale on Saturday, July 26 at the Missouri Theatre.

José is the winner of the 2014 Sinquefield Composition Prize, Mizzou’s top honor for composers, for which he received a commission to write a new work, “Interferencias,” for the University Philharmonic to premiere at the annual Chancellor’s Concert in April

That was the second orchestral performance of José’s work this year, as the Columbia Civic Orchestra also played his composition “Mutaciones I” as part of the annual Missouri Composers Orchestra Project (MOCOP) concert in March.

Before coming to Mizzou, José’s honors included winning the National Cultural Prize for “Mutaciones I” from the Universidad de Antioquia in Medellín; receiving Colombia’s national composition prize for young composers from the National Ministry of Culture in 2009; and winning a Colombian national composition contest in 2011.

A percussionist as well as a composer, José was co-founder of the Bogotá Conservatory’s Contemporary Music Ensemble and is music director for the percussion ensemble Ictu5. As a percussionist, he also won a national performance contest in 2004; has been a member of the percussion ensembles Contempo, Sinergia Ensemble, and Octopus; and for five years was timpanist for the Bogotá Symphonic Orchestra Foundation (FOSBO).

You can hear some of José Martínez’ music via the SoundCloud player embedded below.