Emilio Colón

Emilio Colón (born in Puerto Rico) is an American solo cellist, chamber musician, conductor, composer and pedagogue.^[1] He is an international artist, concertizing in Canada, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, France, Germany, Guatemala, Hungary, Japan, Korea, Malta, the Netherlands, Puerto Rico, Spain, Switzerland, and the United States.

He has performed as guest conductor and soloist of the Classical Symphony Orchestra of Guatemala and the Orquesta de Camara Concerto in Puerto Rico; for Barge Music in New York City; at the Casals Festival of Prades and for recital tours of Malta, Italy, the Netherlands, Korea and Japan.

Colón recordings are featured on the Enharmonic, Centaur, Zephyr, and Lyras labels. Colón currently records for Klavier as solo cellist, chamber musician, conductor, and composer under the label. Colón’s arrangements, editions and original compositions are published by Masters Music Publications and H.P. Music Publications.

As the second youngest faculty member to be appointed in the history of the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, Colón is also known as a pedagogue.^[1] He has offered courses at the Paris Conservatoire, the Geneva Conservatoire, the Franz Liszt Academy of Music, and Toho Gakuen in Tokyo, Japan. He is also on faculty at the International Festival-Institute at Round Top in Texas^[2] and Chamber Music Unbound at the Mammoth Lakes Music Festival in California.^[3]

Colón received a bachelor’s degree from the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music in 1986 as a student of Joaquín Vidaechea, where he won the Pablo Casals Medal upon graduation. As a student and teaching assistant to the distinguished cellist and pedagogue Janos Starker, Colón earned a master’s degree from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in 1989.^[4] He won first prize at the Las Americas Festival Solo Competition. Colón plays on a J.B. Vuillaume Cello from 1844 and a Dominique Peccatte bow.

Recordings

• Title: Esencia, Klavier label

Co-producer for the album, arranger, and cello soloist

Description: All new arrangements by Emilio Colón for cello and piano

Program: Lecuona: Danzas Afro-Cubanas Ginastera: Danzas Argentinas Piazzolla: Nuevo Tango: Oblivion, Tzigane Tango, Milonga del Angel, Muerte del Angel Danzas Célebres Puertorriqueñas Morel Campos: Felices Días Mislán: Tu y Yo Miranda: Impromptu, Op.10 Colón: Armando's Waltz for Cello and Piano (premiere)

• Title: Alma Latina, The Latin Soul of the Cello, Klavier label, international distribution

Emilio Colón, cello and Sung Hoon Mo, Piano. Cello and piano pieces from Spain and Latin America

Program: Ginastera: Pampeana No. 2, Op. 21 Ponce (arr. Cassadó): Estrellita Falla (arr. Colón): Siete Canciones Populares Españolas Piazzolla: Le Grand Tango Villa-Lobos: Pequena Suite Morel-Campos (arr. Colón): Bella Illusión Tavárez (arr. Colón): Un Recuerdito Danza capricho Turina (arr. Colón): Tres Sonetos, Op. 54: 1. Anhelos (Desires) Sarasate (arr. Colón): Zigeunerweisen, Op. 20

• Title: Obseción, Klavier label

Emilio Colón: Co-producer for the album, cellist, arranger, composer

Trio Amadé debut recording

Program: Copland: Vitebsk Bernstein: Trio Piazzolla: Las Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas Colón: “N” Tango for Piano Trio

Compositions

• Los Jolgoriosos (2007)

Salmetón para Violin y Piano

Dedication: for Jessica Mathaes on the occasion of her Cuypers 200th birthday; inspirado por mis queridos amigos Rafi y Ramonita

Premiered on December 9, 2007 by Jessica Mathaes & Rick Rowley at Bates Recital Hall in Austin, Texas.

• Los Niños y las Minarets (2007)

Suite Miniatura para Violin, Cello y Piano

1. Ari y Sofía: El Juego de las Sillas
   
2. Bodie at Horshoe Lake
   
3. Erratics
   
4. Iris y Naomi: Libros de Niños
   
5. Ana y Elisa: Par' de Camisas

Commissioned by Ellen Siegal and the Felici Trio

Dedication: A mis queridos amigos The Felicio Trio y Ellen Siegal

Premiered on August 1, 2007 by the Felici Trio at the Mammoth Lakes Festival in California

• Dana la Colorá (2007)

For Double Bass & Piano

Commissioned by James Vandemark

Dedication: A mi querido amigo JB and his lovely daughter Dana

Premiered on June 9, 2007 at the International Festival-Institute in Roundtop Texas by James Vandemark and Nariaki Sugiura

• Recuerdos de Tata (2007)

Poemas Borincanos para Cello y Orquesta

1. La Casa Grande: La Casa Vieja de Maresúa
   
2. Tinayarí
   
3. Bonita
   
4. El Combate

Commissioned by the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra

Dedication: A lamemoria de dos seres queridos Elsie Ramírez de Roque y Evelina Cucalón de Fougeres

Premiered on May 4, 2007 by Emilio Colón and the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra, Thomas Lowenheim, conductor

• Antecedentes (2005)

For Cello & Piano as companions to Armando’s Waltz
Premiered on April 10, 2005 recital at the Centro de Bellas Artes in San Juan, Puerto Rico

Doña Bele y Don Enrique
Armando’s Waltz
Pambel

• Armando’s Waltz (2002)

For Cello and String Quartet

• “N” Tango for Violin, Cello, and Piano (2001)

Premiered by Trio Amadé on 8/23/2001 at the Sommerabendmusik Series, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Delray Beach, Fl

Recorded by Trio Amadé for Klavier Records 8/2001

• Renaten Satz (1995)

For Cello and String Quartet

Commissioned by and premiered at the Cedar Arts Forum String Camp, Waterloo, IA

• Romanza Para Emma (1995)

For Cello and String Quartet

• Tres Recuerdos (1994)

For Piano Trio and String Orchestra

Commissioned by and premiered at the Cedar Arts Forum String Camp, Waterloo, IA

• Fantasías Boricuas (1987)

For violin and piano

Guánica
Jíbaro
Impro sobre un seis
Madre

• Pena en Frustración (1986)

Prelude for Piano

• Amor: Tu y Dos Cuadros (1986)

For medium voice and piano

• Pensamiento (1985)

Prelude for Piano

• El Ladrón (1985)

For medium voice and piano

References

External links

• Official website
• Indiana University Jacob School of Music Faculty Profile
• International Festival Institute at Roundtop Faculty Profile