Pedro Vilarroig

Pedro Vilarroig (born November 8, 1954) is a professor of physics and cosmology at the Universidad Politécnica of Madrid and a former Spanish composer. He is a proponent of neotonalism, having founded and led the Asociación Española de Compositores Neotonales (Spanish Association of Neotonal Composers).

Biography Vilarroig was born in Madrid in 1954. His mother was a violinist and his father a painter. As a child, he often used to paint while listening to music. By this means, he heard a great deal of music by the great masters of classicism, who noticeably influenced him. While going for long walks, he would often hear new music in his head. Vilarroig graduated with a doctorate in Mining Engineer, and entered the Real Conservatorio Superior de Música of Madrid in 1973 when he was 19 years old (most of the Conservatory's students enter as young children).

When Vilarroig had finished his studies, he joined the Laboratorio de Interpretación Musical (Music Performance Lab) LIM for two years acting as a collaborator, performer and composer in electroacoustics.

Founder of the Asociación Musical Verda Stelo, he conducted a choir and a chamber orchestra for seven years. He read choral studies with the Czech professor Petr Fiala, participated in a composition workshop conducted by Carmelo Bernaola, conducted choirs in courses organized by the Federación Coral of Madrid, and wrote incidental music for courses led by Eduardo Armenteros and José Miguel Martínez at the SGAE in Madrid.

He has composed chamber and symphonic music, soundtracks for shorts, and has had other commissions for soundtracks, among them an audiovisual for the Spanish Foreign Office and two for the Natural Sciences National Museum of Madrid. Though he has composed numerous works for electroacoustics, his style is neotonal with many influences, including Mahler, Prokofiev, Shostakovich and Sibelius.

He is founder and president of the Asociación Española de Compositores Neotonales Recordings of his third and eight symphonies took place in Moscow (2008) performed by the State Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra of Russia (conducted by Victor Ivanov), and his Concerto for piano and Orchestra in Prague was recorded by the pianist Luis Fernando Perez in 2006 and premiered in Madrid in November 2008. Later works, such as his Concerto for Saxophone and Orchestra, were performed in the first decade of the 21st century (Rivas, performed by Joaquín Franco).

He quit writing music in 2018 and he does not have any relationships with the music world at the present time.

Style Pedro Vilarroig has a style that merges several tendencies. He does not repudiate tonality, atonality, modality nor fusions with other modern music such as jazz, new age, film music and electroacoustics. It is difficult to label him as neo-romantic or neo-classical since his works can differ radically from each other. One commentator described his musical style as one of "genre mixing", while reviewer Andrés Ruiz Tarazona notes that his musical style follows an "eclectical concept", with "variegated aesthetics, almost always inside the tonal area". There are people

Records Three symphonies for orchestra published in audio tape. Coauthor of the collection «Happy Baby» in CD for babies, with adaptations of classical pieces, as well as his own works with the general title Variations about six child songs. CD titled "Venite Adoremus" by the choir Matritum Cantat with the carol Camino de Belén va una estrella. Anniversary of the creation of the choir Villa de las Rozas with the work Wo leia sawola ni. CD titled "Ave María" by the choir Surá of Costa Rica with his Ave María. CD titled "Concerto for Piano and Orchestra" with the Praga Symphony Orchestra with the works: String Quartet Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, Luis Fernando Perez, pianist CD together with the Russian composer Andrei Petrov and Eddie Mora (from Costa Rica) with his Symphony nº 3 "Philosophical" recorded in Moscow with the State Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra. Both are under the record label Verso.

Appraisal, press releases and radio University radio (Costa Rica) Aldeas infantiles''' review Valladolid daily Las Rozas Tribuna review Press release of Wake up & dream Soria Herald El Pais ABC Toro Scherzo review Radio Universidad Clasica, (Costa Rica) with the full broadcasting of his String Quartet nº 1 and his Concerto for Piano and Orchestra Voice of Russia (interview) Radio Clásica Broadcasting in Radio Clásica of his whole work Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (the same day). Tonality comes back Cadena Ser (Guadalajara) COPE Radio Clásica Mas espectáculo (web site) Cadena Ser (Jaén)

Courses and lectures Computer Generated Sound and Music Fractals (electroacoustics) and Consciousness Geometry at the Civil Engineer Association. Introduction of the software Ondaedit, for the generation of arbitrary shaped sound, at the Contemporary Music Spreading Center (CDMC). This software was created by himself.Application of Astronomical data for the Musical Composition, at the CDMC also. He took part in the Film Music Workshop carried out at the SGAE facilities with the introduction of the software TCFilm, also developed by himself and used for image and score synchronization in a film.

Books 1. Cosmology: Title: Principles of Cosmology and Astrophysics. Applications of the General Theory of Relativity (Spanish language), 2. Physics of sound: 1. Title: Fourier Theory from its applications' point of view (Spanish language). 2. Title: Physical harmony. The scientific basis of music (Spanish language).

Commissioned and compulsory Works I Festival Coral de Las Rozas. Compulsory work: Wo leia sawola ni. XIV Certamen de Canción Castellana Villa de Griñón. Compulsory work: Campos de Castilla (2005). II Competition Rivas en Canto. Compulsory works: Si me hallaras vacío, based on a poem by the poet José Luis Morante (2007), Course about chamber music. More compulsory works have been Sonata for Strings and his String Quartet in the Chamber Music Course organized by Angel del Palacio, regular conductor of the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos orchestra, that took place in Toro in August, 2006. Compulsory work: Sonata for Strings and String Quartet. (references: King Juan Carlos University, ) Matritum Choral meeting. Compulsory work: Ave María. The Sonata for Piano and alto Saxophone is included and recommended by the Real Conservatorio Superior de Música of Madrid in the repertoire for saxophone. Two works for boy voices, The Garden and Bells of Madrid ordered by Félix Redondo, conductor of the Children Choir of the Comunidad de Madrid. Two sacramental works: In Paradisum and Dies Irae requested by the Cantiere Vocale Utrecht Choir. Symphony poem Mercury, requested because of the Almadén mines anniversary.

Concerts and premieres

1983 First premiere with the LIM for the work Ondas 1 (Waves I), for audio tape and three synthesizers.

1991 He participated in the theatre and music show «Hydros», that took place in Segovia, with several snippets of his composition for electroacoustics 1980S26 The Saturn’s New Satellite.

1992Zodiac Suite performed by the pianist Javier R. Van-Baumbergen in 1992 at the Mining School of Madrid.

1994 his work Lux Æterna for choir and brass ensemble was premiered in the concert of the First Choir Conducting Course by the Grup Reial de Metall conducted by Francisco Serra. First cantata for choir and orchestra La Profil´de viaj spuroj in Esperanto language, that was performed for the first time by the choir Verda Stelo and the Valencia Symphony Orchestra at the Palau de la Música of this town.

1995Esferas (Spheres), for string quartet and electroacoustics, at the Auditorio del Centro de Arte Reina Sofía.

2000 A piano and saxophone sonata was performed by Joaquín Franco and Blanca Calvo, both of them teachers at the Conservatory of Madrid. From this event, and ordered by the saxophone professor, Joaquín Franco, he composed a concerto for saxophone and orchestra.

2004 A sonatina for violin and piano ordered by the duo Blanca Calvo (piano) and Joan Espina (Second violins Principal of the National Orchestra of Spain). Premiere at the cinema hall of Hervás (Cáceres) with the work Cosmological Suite, an audiovisual presentation by means of computer generated animation, also introduced in the new technologies festival Maquinarte at the Auditorium of Cáceres, Alcobendas, Museo de las Ciencias de Castilla La Mancha (Cuenca) and Centro Cultural Gaya Nuño (Soria).

2005 The choral meeting Matritum Cantat, organized by the city council of Madrid, took place. There, the participating choirs sang his Ave Maria for mixed choir as the compulsory work. 25th Anniversary of the creation of the Laboratorio Oficial José María de Madariaga. Closing concert with his Saxophone Quartet performed by the Joaquín Franco Quartet.

2006 He organized a concert in the chamber hall of the Auditorio Nacional. In this concert his Wind Quintet was performed among works of several Spanish composers. The event was a great success. Two concerts with the String Quartet performed by the group «Cuarteto Neotonal» (Centro cultural Nicolás Salmerón and Junta de Distrito Centro). The Sonata for alto saxophone and piano was also performed in October 2006 at the Instituto Cervantes of New York by Joaquín Franco and Jesús María Gómez.

2007 Soundtrack of the show Más Abajo del Aire, a theatre work with the same name by Sergio Masís. It took place in May 2007, at the Universidad Nacional of Costa Rica. Premiere of Paisajes (Landscapes) (flute and guitar version) by the guitar player Claudio Ferrer and the flautist Helena Ramos at the Conservatorio Teresa Berganza of Madrid Electroacoustics concert in the auditorium of the Reina Sofía center with the works “Black hole” y “Supernova” from the Cosmological Suite, both broadcast by Radio Clásica. Intervenes in the Chamber Orchestra Conducting Course with his work “Interlude” (Toro, Spain). Performance of his string quartet nº 1 in two concerts in the Classicals in Summer cycle of the Comunidad de Madrid. Premiere of his work Variations about the gloss by Alonso de Mudarra, performed by the chamber ensemble “Arpista Ludovico”, with Mª Rosa Calvo Manzano, at the Museo Nacional de Artes Decorativas. Premiere of his First Sonata for Piano at the General Studies School of the San José Faculty of Arts, Lincoln School and Music School Auditorium of Turrialba (Costa Rica). Premiere of the work Panegiricum Cupro, a request for the VII Science Week in Madrid. Assembly-room of the Mining School. Premiere of the work Bells of Madrid. Introduction of the disk by the Madrid Community Children Choir, accompanied by performers from the Madrid Community Orchestra and broadcast by Telemadrid.

2008 Premiere of his Concerto for saxophone and orchestra at the Pilar Bardem auditorium of Rivas, performed by the Neotonarte Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Antonio Palmer and Joaquín Franco as a soloist. Once more Panegiricum Cupro was performed at the mining congress celebrated in Peñarroya-Pueblo Nuevo. Performance of The Odyssey overture at the National Auditorium of Music by the Juan Carlos King University Symphony Orchestra conducted by Angel del Palacio. Premiere of the work Two Christmas Motetes at the Federación Coral de Madrid closing concert of the XXI Choral Music Programme by the Juan Carlos King University Symphony Orchestra and Matritum Cantat and Comillas University choirs, conducted by Javier Blanco. Recording of 3th and 8th symphonies by the State Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra of Russia (Moscow). Performance of pieces from the cantata “Profil’ de viaj Spuroj” by the Arequipa Symphony Orchestra (Perú). Premiere of the two works Dies Irae and In Paradisum in the Pieterskerk in Utrecht. The second performance took place in the Achelse Kluis in Valkenswaard (Netherland). Both concerts were performed by the professional chamber choir Cantiere Vocale Utrecht conducted by Wilko Brouwers. Premiere of his Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in Madrid, Monumental Theatre with the Neotonarte Symphony Orchestra conducted by Antonio Palmer and Luis Fernando Pérez as soloist. Concert at the El Pardo Royal Chapel with his works The Odyssey (oberture) and Two Motetes or Christmas. King Juan Carlos University Symphony Orchestra and Matritum Cantat choir. Conductors Angel del Palacio and Javier Blanco. Broadcasting of his Concerto for Piano and Orchestra on Spanish Television, Conciertos de la 2. Concert at the Basílica de Atocha with his works: Ave María and Obertura and Interludio.

2009 Screening of the Cosmological Suite in Córdoba and in Madrid at the program of Prem Rawat Foundation “Peace is possible”. Premiere of the last piece from the child Opera: Tierra de Todos, (Earth for everybody) National Auditorium, symphony hall, by the King Juan Carlos University Symphony Orchestra. Premiere of the work Añoranzas (Yearnings) for alto saxophone and piano, Ateneo of Madrid, performed by Jesús María Gómez and Joaquín Franco. Broadcasting of his Concerto for Piano and Orchestra on Spanish Television, Conciertos de la 2''. (Repetition)

List of works Work Instruments Opera prima (Op. 1) Piano Three sonatas Piano Sonata for two pianos Piano Bells of the night Piano Zodiac Suite Piano The black cliff Piano Studio in E Piano Sonata for violín and piano Piano and violin Sonatina for violín and piano Piano and violin Sonata for piano and alto saxophone Piano and saxophone Work for piano and cello Piano and violoncello String quartet Chamber Saxophone Quartet Chamber Wind Quintet Chamber Two fantasies Organ Landscapes Guitar Landscapes Guitar and flute version Variations for harp and string quartet from a theme by Alonso de Mudarra Harp and string quartet Symphony chamber poem Panegiricum cupro Brass, saxophones and percussion 12 choral works: Ave María Wo leia sawola ni Campos de Castilla Looking for the paradise (spiritual) Jesus redemptor Kaj la neĝo kovris la valoj Esu Salmo 103 Camino de Belén va una estrella (Christmas carol) Si me hallaras vacío The night of the olive tree (4 similar voices) The Andromeda nebula Choir a capellaChildren's choir The Garden Bells of Madrid Missa brevis: Kyrie Gloria Sanctus Benedictus Agnus DeiChoir a capellaLieder Lied for soprano and piano Vocal Two songs: Azulejos de colores (Mezzo-soprano and piano) Canto del no morir: Aria for Bajo and pianoVocal El nia nio inta Tenor and guitar/piano Lux Æterna Choir and brass ensemble Sonata for strings String orchestra Dream Classical orchestra Symphony nº 1 Symphony orchestra Symphony nº 2 Symphony orchestra Symphony nº 3 "Philosophical" Symphony orchestra Symphony nº 4 "Cosmos" Symphony orchestra and choir Symphony nº 5 "Rebirth" Symphony orchestra Symphony nº 7 "Storm" Symphony orchestra and choir Symphony nº 8 Symphony orchestra Symphony nº 9 "Genesis" Symphony orchestra choir and soloists Concerto for piano and orchestra Symphony orchestra and soloist Concerto for saxophone and orchestra Symphony orchestra and soloist Concerto for violín and orchestra Symphony orchestra and soloist Suite "Ages of Music" Symphony orchestra Symphony-Poem “The Odyssey” Symphony orchestra, choir and a soloist Symphony-Poem “Mercury” Symphony orchestra Dies irae Symphony orchestra In paradisum Symphony orchestra and choir La profil´de viaj spuroj Cantata Choir, soloists and orchestra Earth for everybody (Child Opera) Symphony orchestra, soloists and Children's Choir Two motetes for choir and orchestra: O Magnum Mysterium Hodie Christus Natus Est Choir and orchestra Work for audio tape and three synthesizers Electroacoustics Esferas (Spheres) String quartet and audio tape Symphony nº 6 Electroacoustics Two suites for electroacoustics: 1980S26, The Saturn's New Satellite Cosmological Suite Electroacoustics Concerto for sound card Electroacoustics Several pieces for electronics Electroacoustics Variations for six child songs Electroacoustics Red planet Electroacoustics