The moment when you knew you wanted to be a musician:

I always saw myself as a composer, even as a toddler, before knowing what that was I was “composing” music I sung or whistled or performed with pots and pans or anything available.

An important skill for a career in music that does not have anything to do with an instrument or making music:

languages, psychology

Two ways you stay motivated:

Know what inspires you and do more of it. Love what you do, think of the paycheck and your bills.

Latest Project:

Miguel del Aguila Orchestral Works album – Augusta Symphony, Albany Records

Miguel del Aguila Orchestral Works album CD 2022 2023 Augusta Symphony Orchestra Dirk Meyer conductor Guillermo Figueroa violin Albany

What inspired it:

The CD project was started by the conductor Dirk Meyer and my desire to record some unrecorded orchestral works.

Who’s on it:

Miguel del Aguila music, Augusta Symphony, Dirk Meyer conductor Guillermo Figueroa violin

How do you discover new music?

IMSLP.com Youtube searches, sight reading thousands of obscure pieces and composers

One living and one dead musician that deserves more attention:

Almost all Hispanic composers living and dead deserve more attention.

Where can we find you online?

https://migueldelaguila.com/

Upcoming Event you’d like to share? (optional)

hundreds of events listed here: https://migueldelaguila.com/events/

The moment when you knew you wanted to be a musician:

Freshman year of high school, I auditioned for a solo in jazz choir, the song was “Steam Heat” from “The Pajama Game”. I had been kind of shy before this, but I stood up and belted my face off and it felt amazing. The whole choir cheered for me, and I knew this was something pretty special that I wanted to keep doing.

An important skill for a career in music that does not have anything to do with an instrument or making music:

Punctuality, a good work ethic, being pleasant to work with, never stop learning, learn something from every single person you encounter or work with. But mostly – punctuality.

 Two ways you stay motivated:

Always be working toward the next thing, no matter how big or small.

Find a hobby that has nothing to do with music to give yourself breaks and prevent burnout. For me, it’s running, Red Sox, and baking.

Latest Project:

The New American Art Song series. Every year, Oren Fader, guitarist, and I present a concert of new works written for mezzo and guitar. We present the concert three times in New York City over the course of the season. It is our mission to promote new American art songs through commissions, concerts, and recordings. As of this year, we have presented the world premiers of 52 works written for us in the past seven years. We’ve released two albums featuring some of this music.

What inspired it:

Initially, the composer Paul Salerni. He wrote us four song cycles in a very short time span (about two months) several years ago and we thought – hey, this could be our thing, new American art songs for mezzo and guitar.

Who’s on it:

The players are Oren Fader and me. Each year, we feature 6-8 composers on the concert. This year, we are proud to play music by David Glaser, Joel Suben, Tim Mukherjee, Gene Pritsker, Jeff Young, and Victoria Bond.

How do you discover new music?

Recommendations from friends, social media, going to live concerts.

One living and one dead musician that deserves more attention:

Living – Paul Salerni. Obviously, I’m a little biased, but the man writes amazing music that everyone should be programming and playing. He writes songs, operas, ballets, chamber music, and orchestral works.

Dead – Dame Clara Butt. She was a contralto in the early 1900’s and her voice was a force of nature. Unfortunately, the recordings of her are not great because recording technology was not great. I would love someone to master some of her recordings.

Where can we find you online?

www.bowersfaderduo.com
Instagram
Spotify

Upcoming Event you’d like to share? 

Our third performance of this year’s concert will be on Saturday, May 6, 2023 at 7:00pm at Loft 393, which is at 393 Broadway, New York, NY

The moment when you knew you wanted to be a musician:

I began studying piano at age 7, as a hobby, focused on pop music. At the age of 12, however, with aspirations of becoming a scientist, our family moved to a different city, where the pop music teacher had a full class and the Director of the school suggested that I could “temporarily” study with the school’s classical teacher. After just two lessons, introduced to Bach and Chopin, I knew that the musician’s life lay before me.

An important skill for a career in music that does not have anything to do with an instrument or making music:

I never intended to have a “career” in music but knew that I would live my life in it.

Two ways you stay motivated:

As pianist, I sought, discovered and promoted lesser-performed music, by lesser-known composers. As composer, I have vowed never to repeat myself, be it the rhetoric of my successful works as well as my failures, seeking always to find a new creative pathway.

Latest Project:

I’m currently composing a microtonal guitar sextet, “Arcturus”, for the Danish ensemble CRAS, to be presented at the Mozarteum’s “Microtone: Small is Beautiful” Symposium in Salzburg this summer.

 What inspired it:

My collaborations with guitarists over the past 7-8 years, particularly with the Ukrainian members of the Kharkiv Guitar Quartet and New York guitarists Marc Wolf and Dan Lippel.

Who’s on it:

CRAS members: Peter Oldrup, Henrik Bay Hansen, Mikkel Egelund Nielsen, Jacob Nørrelund, Søren Eriksen, and Uffe Carl Hansen.

How do you discover new music?

I no longer search for music, but by associating with other composers and with new-music-focused performers, I have made many wonderful discoveries. [Actually, I prefer to think of my own composing process as “discovering” rather than “creating”.]

One living and one dead musician that deserves more attention:

Living musician: Ghanaian pianist William Chapman Nyaho.

Deceased: composer Franz Kamin.

Where can we find you online?

On the American Composers Alliance website 

VIDEOS:
Mirage d’esprit – guitar quartet
MeMarie – micro-opera for soprano alone
Kyrie(Mantra)IV – flute and guitar

Upcoming Event you’d like to share? (optional)

Two performances of my 2019 cello quartet “Telesthesia” –
1 – June 10 in Antwerp at the Love2Arts Gallery 

2 – June 12 in Brussels at the Wiertz Museum Citizens’ Garden (on a concert series sponsored by the European Parliament).

Bargemusic Eclectic Series:
“Look Bach, Listening Forward”/ Aaron Larget-Caplan
April 15, 2023

Look Bach, Listening Forward
Aaron Larget-Caplan, guitar

PROGRAM

sweet nuance (2022)                                                                        Aaron Larget-Caplan (b. 1978)

Prelude in C Major, BWV 846*                                                                   J.S. Bach (1685-1750)

Carnatic Prelude N. 1, After J.S. Bach* (2017)                                        Vineet Shende (b. 1972)

Two New Lullaby Project Solos

1. Remembering* (2021)                                                                   Laurie Spiegel (b. 1945)
2. Counting Backwards* (2020)                                                  Anthony R. Green (b. 1984)

moving still (2021)                                                                                                    Larget-Caplan

Chromatic Fantasy in D Minor, BWV 903*                                                                             Bach

In A Landscape* (1948)                                                                              John Cage (1912-1982)

Only Winter Certainties (2023)         World Premiere                         Daniel Felsenfeld (b. 1970)

1. America Gone Plastic
2. Night Becomes Everything
3. Just a Song at Twilight
4. Hours Pass, Darkness Comes
5. It Wasn’t Me

Mantilla de Feria                                                                         Esteban de Sanlúcar (1910-1989)

Sevilla*                                                                                                   Isaac Albéniz (1860-1909)

*Written for or arranged by Aaron Larget-Caplan
**All NYC Premieres except Sanlúcar

PR, Videos and Interview: https://alcguitar.com/bargemusic415/

BARGEMUSIC Info

Photos from the Bargemusic Concert with composers and friends

1 2 ►

On April 2nd I met with composer Anthony Green over zoom to speak about his solo Counting Backwards.

Written for my New Lullaby Project in 2020, it is featured on the album Drifting (Spotify).

I’m performing Counting Backwards in NYC on April 15 on the Eclectic Series of Bargemusic.

Anthony is an exquisite composer so I hope you’ll take the time to listen to the interview (~9min.) and dive deeper into his music. 

Anthony’s website

Score (pdf/paper) published by American Composers Alliance – HERE

The moment when you knew you wanted to be a musician:

There wasn’t one, I never asked myself the question. What started as a hobby became serious in high school, and I just wanted to follow in the footsteps of my piano teacher at the time because I thought she was very cool!

An important skill for a career in music that does not have anything to do with an instrument or making music:

Time management. Most of my problems on a daily basis could be avoided if I had better time management!

Two ways you stay motivated:

Listen to / watch good performances whether live or recorded, and keep learning new things.

Latest Project:

I’ve commissioned 7 amazing Brazilian / jazz pianists to write music for me to perform and record. I’ll be premiering the works in May and recording in June – stay tuned for more info!

What inspired it:

My feelings of artistic in-betweenness. I don’t consider myself a classical pianist, or a jazz pianist, or this or that. I wanted music that reflected my musical path so far and incorporated all the things I love about music without being one thing or another.

Who’s on it:

I’m the solo performer, and the music was written by Kerry Politzer, Jasnam Daya Singh, Jovino Santos Neto, Bianca Gismonti, Carmen Sandim, Cassio Vianna, and André Mehmari.

How do you discover new music?  

It usually comes from recommendations made by others, these days.

One living and one dead musician that deserves more attention:

There’s too many to name, but all 7 pianists on my upcoming project all definitely deserve a lot more attention, so check ’em out!

Where can we find you online?

www.aadpiano.com as well as on IG and Twitter. It’s mostly dog photos though!

Ladies and gentlemen, I am thrilled to announce the upcoming release of “Spanish Candy.” This album is set to drop on May 26, and is an absolute must-listen for all lovers of classical and flamenco guitar.

“Spanish Candy” features 10 tracks of classical and flamenco gems by some of the most celebrated Spanish composers, including Isaac Albéniz, Francisco Tarrega, Pascual Marquina, and Esteban de Sanlúcar. Click to reserve the singles on streaming and download services:

La Paloma • April 19
Recuerdos de la Alhambra • April 28
Lagrima • May 5
Mantilla de Feria • May 18
SPANISH CANDY • May 26

Being my first album dedicated to the music of Spain, I’ve included repertoire that grabbed the heart of a 16yo kid and completely changed his world. It is music of love, excitement, nostalgia, and peace, and I hope it brings all of that and more to you!

“Spanish Candy” marks my 10th album and fourth with the Tiger Turn. Since November 2021, my albums have earned over 4 million streams, and I am excited to add “Spanish Candy” to the mix.

We owe a special thanks to Steve Hunt for mixing and mastering the album, Kabir Sehgal for his guidance, Alex Fedorov for the stunning album design, and Catherine Larget-Caplan for her stellar photos (CD). A CD will be available through Bandcamp.

Reserve your singles and album, mark your calendars, and get ready to experience the exquisite artistry of “Spanish Candy.”

The moment when you knew you wanted to be a musician:

Age 12, encountering the music of Edgard Varese for the first time.  It sealed the deal.

An important skill for a career in music that does not have anything to do with an instrument or making music:

Learning to listen better.

Two ways you stay motivated:

Waking up, and listening.

Latest Project :

Finishing up a recording of all of Beethoven’s piano trios.

What inspired it:

The scores and performers.

Who’s on it:

Yael Weiss, piano, Mark Kaplan violin, Peter Stumpf, cello

How do you discover new music?

Listening to less old music.

One living and one dead musician that deserves more attention:

Living:  William Bland; Deceased:  Sandor Jemnitz; both composers.

Where can we find you online?

I don’t have a web page, but am on FB.

BONUS:

Gunther Schuller and George Crumb were both composers with whom I had a long working relationship. Both wrote guitar music for me, though a few years after this Tanglewood photo was taken.

David’s latest solo album celebrates the wonderful Regondi.

An album that greatly influenced Aaron’s New Lullaby Project. A must listen!