Role

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Composer  

Birth

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1959 in Venezuela

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Keyboard

 

Paul Desenne is a Venezuelan composer and cellist who has made significant contributions to the world of classical music. Born in Caracas in 1959, Desenne grew up in a family of musicians and was exposed to music from a young age. His father was a composer and conductor, and his mother was a pianist. Desenne began playing the cello at the age of six and quickly showed a talent for the instrument. Desenne's musical education began at the Conservatorio Nacional de Música in Caracas, where he studied cello and composition. He later continued his studies in the United States, first at the University of Miami and then at the Juilliard School in New York City. At Juilliard, Desenne studied with the renowned cellist Leonard Rose and the composer Milton Babbitt. Desenne's early compositions were influenced by the music of his native Venezuela, as well as by the European classical tradition. He was particularly interested in the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, and his early works often incorporated elements of Baroque music. One of his early compositions, the Suite for Cello and Piano, was written in 1982 and reflects this influence. In the years that followed, Desenne continued to develop his unique style, which blended elements of classical music with folk music from Venezuela and other Latin American countries. He also began to incorporate elements of jazz and other popular music into his compositions. One of his most famous works, the Suite for Cello and Maracas, was written in 1990 and showcases this fusion of styles. Desenne's compositions have been performed by orchestras and ensembles around the world, including the New York Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Berlin Philharmonic. He has also collaborated with a number of prominent musicians, including the cellist Yo-Yo Ma and the conductor Gustavo Dudamel. One of Desenne's most significant contributions to the world of classical music has been his work in promoting the music of Latin America. He has written extensively about the music of his native Venezuela and has worked to bring attention to the music of other Latin American countries as well. In 2007, he founded the Orquesta de Instrumentos Autóctonos y Nuevas Tecnologías (Orchestra of Indigenous Instruments and New Technologies), which is dedicated to performing and promoting the music of Latin America. Desenne's compositions have been recognized with numerous awards and honors. In 1995, he was awarded the National Prize for Music in Venezuela, and in 2009 he was awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship for Music Composition. He has also been a fellow at the Rockefeller Foundation's Bellagio Center and the MacDowell Colony. Despite his success as a composer, Desenne has remained committed to his work as a cellist. He has performed as a soloist and chamber musician around the world and has recorded several albums of classical and folk music. He has also worked to promote the cello as a solo instrument in Latin America, where it is not as widely recognized as it is in Europe and North America. In recent years, Desenne has continued to push the boundaries of classical music with his innovative compositions. He has experimented with new forms and techniques, incorporating electronic music and other modern elements into his work. One of his most recent compositions, the Cello Concerto No. 2, was premiered in 2019 and showcases his continued evolution as a composer.

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