Wilma Alba Cal

Wilma Alba Cal
Background information
Birth name	Wilma Alba Cal
Born	(1988-05-16) May 16, 1988 Cuba
Genres	Choir · Electronic music · Classical music
Occupation(s)	composer
Years active	2007–present
Labels	Colibrí

Wilma Alba Cal (May 16, 1988) is a Cuban composer of contemporary classical music. Her work has been recognized in several competitions in Cuba organized by National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (UNEAC), Instituto Superior de Arte, Asociación Hermanos Saíz and Instituto Cubano de la Música. Her catalog includes chamber, choir, electroacustic and orchestral music, in addition to soundtracks for theatre and audiovisual works.

Life

Wilma playing her pieces

Wilma Alba Cal was born on May 16, 1988, in Guanabacoa, Havana, Cuba. Since childhood she had the musical influence of her family and her diverse environment which made her start studies in music at the age of 10. In 2007 she graduated as Choir Conductor at Guillermo Tomás Conservatory. The following year she begins to study composition at the Instituto Superior de Arte guided by the professor Juan Piñera. She graduated in Musical Composition in 2012; she was selected one of the best graduates of the institution. After that, taking part of an exchange in 2012 Spring, she continues studies at the Academy of Music and Drama of the University of Goteborg, Sweden. Currently she is attending a master at the Instituto Superior de Arte

Career

As a consequence of her choir education Wilma has been closely linked to this kind of music. She was singer at the choirs: Juvenil del Coro Nacional de Cuba conducted by Digna Guerra and Ensemble Vocal Luna, conducted by Sonia McCormack. Her professional work includes musical adviser, arranger and producer. She has also participated as juror in prestigious events. She is a member of Laboratorio Nacional de Música Electroacústica.

Musical adviser

• Simplemente otras dimensiones. Dance Group "Así somos", director Lourdes Cajigal y Vladimir Peraza. (2009)
• Un hombre es un hombre by Bertold Bretch. "Compañía Teatral Rita Montaner", director Fernando Quiñones. (2010)
• Afuera by Liliam Ojeda. "Compañía Teatral Rita Montaner", director Amaury Ricardo. (2011)
• Verde verde, film of Instituto Cubano del Arte e Industria Cinematográficos, director Enrique Pineda Barnet. (2011)
• ¡Ay, Carmela! by José Sanchiz Sinesterra, director Pancho García. (2014)

Original compositions

• Sobre nuestro compañero Roque Dalton (2013) Documentary First Prize at International Festival "Santiago Álvarez in Memoriam" (2015).
• Armonia,^[1] short fiction written and directed by Sheyla Pool (2014).
• Beatriz y los Papas Malvas, radio children's novel produced by the Facultad de Arte de los Medios de Comunicación Audiovisual (FAMCA) (2015).
• Nuestra Haydee, documentary dedicated to Haydee Santamaria, produced by Casa de las Américas and Cubavision International (2015).^[2]

Musical arrangements

• Todo el mundo tiene su Moncada by Silvio Rodríguez, which identified the 2nd Congress of the Asociación Hermanos Saíz (2013) with Ivan Lejardi and Yadiel Bolaño.^[3]
• Escaramujo by Silvio Rodríguez for television program La Pupila Asombrada featuring DJ Lejardi.
• Alma CUJAE by Israel Rojas, Choral Arrangement Anthem for the 50th anniversary of Polytechnic José Antonio Echeverría (2014).
• Oraré by Israel Rojas and Ensemble Vocal Luna, included in the album "Soy" (2015) of the pop group Buena Fe.

Presentations and conferences

Her works have been performed at various events and festivals. He has lectured on his work and creative process:

• Festival of Contemporary Music of Havana, organized by the Association of Musicians of the UNEAC (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014).^[4][5]
• XII Choir International Symposium Choirs in Marktoberdorf (Germany, 2011).
• Harmonie Festival 2011 (Germany).
• World Choral Festival America Cantat 7 (Colombia, 2013).
• Academic Symposium of XVII International Fair Cubadisco (2013).
• First International Workshop of Choirs CorHabana (2013).
• XXX International Choir Festival of Santiago de Cuba (2013).
• National Festival of Chamber Music "A tempo with Caturla" (Villa Clara, Cuba. 2014 and 2015 editions).
• VI Festival of Chamber Music Leo Brouwer (Cuba, 2014).
• International Festival of Music and New Technologies Visiones Sonoras X (Mexico, 2014).
• Composition Latin American Workshop (editions 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015) organized by Casa de las Americas and the UNEAC during actions Composition Award.
• Flores y balas (San Juan, 2014 and 2015 editions) event organized by the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico.
• Opening of the exhibition "Cortázar, crossed letters" (2015), exhibited at the Latin American Gallery of Casa de las Americas.
• XII Havana Biennial: project “An Essay on Flow”; in collaboration with Mexican artist Hector Zamora. Sound and light intervention at the Music School building (El Gusano) Instituto Superior de Arte with 70 musicians: voices, string, wind, percussion students of music (2015).
• Les Voix Humaines Festival organized by Leo Brouwer office (2015).^[6]

Teaching experience

After her graduation from middle level, and at the same time she carries her creative work, she has been teaching at the middle level of the professional education of music in Havana in subjects such as: History of Cuban Music, Musical Analysis, Popular and Contemporary Harmony and Counterpoint at the Conservatories Guillermo Tomás, Amadeo Roldán and Escuela Nacional de Arte (ENA). As conductor, she attends (2010 to the moment), the Chamber Choir of the Conservatory Guillermo Tomás.

Discography

• El canto quiere ser luz (2011) – Coro Nacional de Cuba and Entrevoces – conducted by Digna Guerra – label MDG – Echo Klassik Prize of the German Phonographic Academy 2012^{[7][8][9][10]}
• Cantos de Cuba y del Mundo (2013) – Ensemble Vocal Luna – conducted by Wilmia Verrier – label Colibrí^[9]

Awards and nominations

Performances of her music

References