Composer Spotlight-Alejandro Basulto

Get to Know...Alejandro Basulto

Mexican composer and conductor Alejandro Basulto’s work Sonatina "a 2" for flute and cello was chosen by our members as the honorable mention in the flute duo category in 2018. Sonatina "a 2" is another in a series of excellent duos for flute and cello including Asha Srinivasan’s Dviraag and Cherise Leiter’s Chroma which have found great success in our competition. Flute and cello is such an excellent combination, the richness and depth of the cello works as a great partner for the flute.
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Alejandro is a busy conductor, currently pursuing a Doctoral Degree in Orchestral Conducting at the University of Houston, under the guidance of Dr. Raymond Harvey, thanks to the support of a Schissler Foundation Fellowship and the Mexican National Funds for the Arts. As a conductor, Alejandro is engaged his second season as Assistant Conductor of the Moores Symphony Orchestras.

This season featured several significant performances of his music including the New including premieres of his works by the Houston Symphony, River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, Unitas Ensemble, engagements with the states orchestras of Xalapa and Yucatan, and a commercial recording of his music released by Toccata Classic (UK). We hope you’ll enjoy learning more about Alejandro and his music!
 

Q&A with Alejandro…

What about new music for the flute appeals to you?
The flute is capable of an extraordinary gamut of colors, dynamics, effects, and expressive possibilities. I think that is one of those instruments that, in the hands of an expert, can do it all.
 
Who is/are your favorite “new music” composer/s and why?
It is impossible to give you a single name, there is so much beautiful music that it is impossible to just pick one. Nonetheless, I would like to mention Samuel Zyman and Salvador Brotons (who is a world-class composer, conductor and flutist!)
 
What is/are your favorite “new music” piece/s and why?
Just one? Aullis Sallinen Flute Concerto ("Harlekiini") is really engaging and the Zyman Flute Sonata is one of those piece in which everything works beautifully.
 
Describe your musical background and current activities
I am a composer and conductor. I started playing popular music just for fun, and somehow I found a wonderful classical guitar teacher (Manuel Rubio) that introduce me to the discipline and joy of classical music. As a composer, I have written orchestral, chamber, vocal and solo music, and a lot of media music. Currently, I am studying a DMA in Orchestral Conducting at the University of Houston, where I am the assistant conductor of the Moores Opera Center.
 
Do you have any upcoming events that you would like our friends and followers to know about?
I wrote a piece for the Houston Symphony based on the testimony a transgender central american woman that lives in Houston as a refugee. The concert, called Resilient Sounds, include music by other up-and-coming Houston based composers. I feel really proud to amplify the story of this brave woman through my music.
 
Is there anything else you would like to share with our members?
If you would like to play one of my pieces or to learn more about my music, feel free to contact me through my website: www.alejandrobasulto.com 

More about Alejandro…
I was born (1984) and raised in the Yucatan Peninsula, in the southeast of Mexico. I started my music education as a classical guitarist but gradually discovered my true love in composing music. Pursuing my passion for music has led me to live in the Pacific and Atlantic Coast of Mexico, the Catalonian Mediterranean, and the southeast of the United States. During that time, I have collected experiences that have shaped the way I write and understand music. Among the most influential are playing several styles of popular music, conducting, and composing for film. My music is deeply rooted in my Latin-American upbringing, the current world, and my love for both concert and popular music. Foremost, I consider myself a storyteller whose mission is to write music that is exciting, engaging, and relevant for concertgoers and musicians alike. As an emerging composer, I have been the recipient of several awards and commissions, and I have been lucky to work with outstanding musicians, institutions, and artists in several different countries. I have also studied with exceptional mentors, including Javier Álvarez, Salvador Brotons, Raymond Harvey, Franz Krager, and Rob Smith. If you would like to know more about me, please visit: www.alejandrobasulto.com 
 
If you liked Sonatina "a 2"…
 
Divertimento for Woodwind Quintet
Instrumentation: fl, ob, cl, bn, hn
Date of Composition: 2014
Duration: 9:00

Metalectura: sobre un cuento de Elena Garro
Instrumentation: flute, clarinet, violin, cello, and piano
Date of Composition: 2010
Duration: 13:00

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