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Biography
Events
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Divertimento ensemble composer in residence 2023



 









New CD : Espiègle

C Barré & Neue Vocalsolisten

L'empreinte digitale

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"Expect straightforward rhythms, transparency of texture, maximal use of short motivic sequences, and a knack for making memorable music out of the unlikeliest combinations. But please do not expect him to repeat these concerns going forward." Dan Albertson


 

  BIOGRAPHY      
 

Mikel Urquiza (1988, Bilbao) writes lively, colourful music, where things are not what they seem : one idea hides another one, peripheral elements become central, and what looks serious pulls a face. Fresh and original, his voice has quickly found its place within the European scene, carried by the ensemble Intercontemporain, L'Instant Donné, C Barré, Musikfabrik, Mosaik, Ascolta, and the New European Ensemble at festivals such as Présences, ManiFeste, ECLAT, Acht Brücken, Gaudeamus, and the Venice Biennale ; in 2022 he receives the Composer prize of the Siemens Musikstiftung.

A choir singer all along his youth, he is passionate about voice and shows it in Alfabet, written for Sarah Maria Sun, I nalt be clode on the frolt, for Marion Tassou, Songs of Spam, for the Neue Vocalsolisten, and Howl, premiered by the vocal ensemble Exaudi at the Wittener Tage für neue Kammermusik 2022.

 

His chamber music pieces, full of imitative writing, bizarre associations, and all sort of tricks, are created by first-class partners such as Trio Catch, which performs Pièges de neige at the Cologne Philharmonie, Radial System in Berlin, and the Resonanz Raum in Hamburg, or the Diotima Quartet, which premieres his first string quartet Indicio at the Festival Pontino in Italy, and the second string quartet Index at the Festival Musica in Strasburg.

Mikel Urquiza (1988, Bilbao) studied composition first at Musikene (San Sebastian) with Gabriel Erkoreka and Ramon Lazkano, then at Paris CNSM with Gérard Pesson. In 2019-2020 he is first mentored by the Peter Eötvös Contemporary Music Foundation, then a fellow of the French Academy in Rome - Villa Medici. As a PhD student of the SACRe doctoral program, he writes a thesis under the direction of Laurent Feneyrou, Stefano Gervasoni, and Francesca Alberti.

 
         
 
CNSMDP
PSL University
Peter Eötvös Foundation
Siemens Musikstiftung
Villa Medici
 
           
 
 

 

 

 


EVENTS
   
       
   
2023
 


June
21

Les lueurs se sont multipliées

Ensemble Ulysses

Rondò 2023, Divertimento Ensemble

Fabbrica del Vapore, Milano



June
27

Lavorare stanca

Cancionero sin palacio

Ensemble C Barré

Toulon



June
30

Oiseaux gazouillants et hibou qui se retourne

Avanti! Chamber Orchestra & Bas Wiegers

Suvisoitto Festival



July
1

Les lueurs se sont multipliées

Ensemble Intercontemporain, Ensemble Ulysses & Lin Liao

Festival Manifeste, Paris



Septembre
7

Lavorare stanca

Cancionero sin palacio

Ensemble C Barré

Marseille



Septembre
11

Nouvelle pièce

Margherita Berlanda & Divertimento Ensemble

Fabbrica del vapore, Milano



Septembre
12

Nouvelle pièce

Margherita Berlanda & Divertimento Ensemble

Teatro di Moncalvo






LISTEN








Alfabet - Sarah Maria Sun & Musikfabrik










Oiseaux gazouillants et hibou qui se retourne - Ensemble Intercontemporain & Matthias Pintscher










Mis monstruos marinos - Euskadiko Orkestra & Ruth Reinhardt










Ars memoriae - Umze ensemble & Rémi Durupt












Cherche titre : CD by L'Instant Donné












+ See the catalogue











urquizamikel@gmail.com