Cristian Grases
Cristian Grases (born 1973) is an internationally known conductor/composer from Caracas, Venezuela. He completed his doctoral studies at the University of Miami Frost School of Music and received his Master Degree with honors in Choral Conducting with María Guinand and Alberto Grau in the Simón Bolívar University in Venezuela. Grases recently complied the most comprehensive catalog of Latin American Choral Music.
As a guest conductor, clinician, adjudicator and conducting pedagogue Grases has participated in numerous festivals, workshops and events in North and South America, Europe and Asia. In the summer of 2008 he was a guest conductor in France (Europa Cantat Jr.) and presented a workshop at the World Symposium on Choral Music in Denmark. Also in 2008 taught and adjudicate in Indonesia, and was commissioned to compose for ensembles in the San Francisco area.
Grases is the founder and artistic director of Amazonia Vocal Ensemble, based in Miami, which focuses on Latin American repertoire and is the conductor for the Women’s Chamber Ensemble of the University of Miami. Currently he is the assistant conductor of the Miami Symphony Orchestra under Maestro Eduardo Marturet and the Conductor of the Young Musician’s Orchestra in Miami.
Grases was elected in 2008 to the Board of Directors of the International Federation of Choral Music. He also serves on the artistic committee of Songbridge a project of co-operation between children's choirs and composers.
In 2008 Grases won first prize at the Emerging Composer Competition at Yale University in 2008 with his work Visiones del Llano - 2. Amanecer. His compositions/arrangements are published by Walton Music and earthsongs.