Belén Arjona
(born in Madrid, Spain, 10 May 1981) composer and singer. She has three studio albums plus a special reissue of the first that has received rave reviews from the press. She graduated in History from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid and an MBA in Cultural Management from the University of Salamanca. The themes of her songs are basically of love and hate, but there is also a component of social and political criticism. The influence of her music includes big names like Janis Joplin, Alanis Morissette, Skunk Anansie, Guano Apes, Ella Fitzgerald, The Prodigy, Garbage, Muse or Alicia Keys.
CD recordings: O te mueves o caducas, 2003; O te mueves o caducas, 2004 (Special edition)
Infinito, 2005; Alas en mis pies, 2008.
Awards: nominated for a Latin Grammy
Birgitte Alsted
(born in 1942, in Odensee, Denmark, resident in Copenhagen), composer. She studied violin in 1962-71 at the Royal Academy of Music, Coph, and the Academy of Music in Warsaw. Self taught, until the period 2004 2006, she studied and obtained a Master's Degree in composition and in electronic music on the Royal Academy of Music, Aarhus. Apart from music for theatre, her oeuvre includes works for soloists and chamber orchestras. She was a member of the Danish Music Council and a member of the society Kvinder I Muzik (Women in Music).
Selected works: Smitheries in Granada, 1976, for mixed ensemble; String Quartett in cd 1977; Break up 1988, for symphony orchestra; Hvals 2007 for Saxophone Quartett.
Selected Recordings: Zu versuchen, die Fragen, 2002, part of : Electronic Music produced at Diem, Dacapo Records publ 2012; Zweigeigen 2001, part of : Duo Gelland Violin Duos, Nosag CD publ 2007; Sorgsang II 1995 part of Planetarium Music Dacapo Records pub. 1997; Haiku-We,1995 part of Mater Mea Danacord, pub 2000; To Sange til Dden (Two Songs for Death) 1990, part of New Nordic Chamber Music, Dancord publ 1994. Solo Cd: Agnete's Laughter Dacapo Records released 2013.
Awards: Grant and awards:: The 3 year grant from the Classical Music Committee of the Danish State Arts Foundation 1980 and 2006, The Major Prize for a Woman composer awarded by the Danish State Arts Foundation 2011, The Life Annuity from the Ministry of Culture, 2011. This award is assigned to artists, who have delivered an artistic production of such caliber, that she has positioned herself crucially as an artist.
Contacts: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | www.alsted-music.dk
Carolina Ayuda Montañes
(born in Zaragoza, Spain, 17 Marz 1938) composer and conductor. She studied piano, harmony and composition at the Conservatory of Music in Zaragoza under the direction of Ramon Salvador Castro and Victor Good Belenguer and violin studies under the direction of Manuel Payas. She started her activity in conducting in Zaragoza in 1983 as assistant principal of the Coral del Boterón and remained until 1988. Between 1985 and 1990 she was conductor of the Orfeón Puerta del Carmen and between 1988 and 1989 at the College APA Coral "Jesus Maria-El Salvador". Since 1999 she has been conductor of the Coral Savia Viva of the Club Cultural 33 of Zaragoza. As a composer she has written much choral music, regionalist aragonese music, jazz, children's music among other genres.
Selected works: A Belén: villancico, choir 5 vm; Blanca flor, choir; Camino de las estrellas; Canta, canta tu ruiseñor, choir; Cuarteto en Sol Mayor; Cuarteto en Sol menor; Cumbres aragonesas, 1973, choir 5 vm; Ding- Dong: villancico a 4 voces mixtas; Edelweis (pequeña flor), choir; Fuga vocal, choir 8 vm.
Awards: Diploma VII Semana de la canción hispanoamericana, silver medal Ayuntamiento Badalona (1972), Premio a la musica Ayuntamiento of Badalona (1973) and Silver medal II Concurso Masas Corales Ciudad de Arnedo.
