NEWS
Orchestra commission for NY Phil and Juilliard MAP
Aug.16.2022
As part of the Inaugural Composing Inclusion Composer Commissions, my new orchestra work will be featured on the NY Phil’s Young People’s Concert: New Voices, on May 6, 2023, at David Geffen Hall’s Wu Tsai Theater, conducted by Paolo Bortolameolli.
WDR Sinfonieorchester performs "Detrás de un muro de ilusiones"
May 8 2021
Amazingly performed, and video recorded by the WDR Sinfonieorchester and Baldur Bronnimann.
Basel Sinfonietta performs "Detrás de un muro de ilusiones"
Oct 5 2021
"Detrás de un muro de ilusiones" is having its Swiss premiere by the cool Basel Sinfonietta.
"B-sides" premiere
Jan 27 2022
"B-sides" from 2018 is premiering on January 27 by the nice Orquesta Sinfónica de Colombia and Carlos Ágrega, conducting.
Washington Post Feature
Jan 22 2022
so honored to be featured on the Washington Post' 22 for ’22: Composers and performers to watch this year.
National Sawdust's Discovery Festival
Aug 24 2020
Excited to be one of the winners of the National Sawdust's Digital Discovery Festival New Works Commission. Looking forward to writing a new piece for National Sawdust Ensemble.
"Mirrors in the Void" selected by the Nashville Symphony
Jul 03 2017
Nashville Symphony Composer Lab Workshop 2017 (Next November, TN)
Giancarlo Guerrero, Conductor.
Aaron Kernis, Program Director and Jury Chairman.
James joins Schott PSYN
Jan 21 2021
Honored for joining Schott PSNY!
Since now, Schott administrates and publishes my chamber works worldwide.
Premiere "Cristales de Mercurio" for Percussion Trio
Jul 21 2014
Commisioned by International Winter Festival of Campos do Jordao.
Percussion Ensemble of Festival. Eduardo Leandro (Brazil), conductor.
nomusic21
Feb 12 2020
Two of my orchestral works are featured now on the Vienna-based portal, "nomus21."
It seeks out and presents symphonic music by living composers. Check it out!
"From Infinity" with the ACO
Jun 23 2017
26th Annual Underwood New Music Readings.
American Composers Orchestra. George Manahan, Music Director and conductor.
Cary Hall at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music.
Composer Portrait
Mar 15 2016
Talk about compositional process and influences.
Universidad Distrial FJC.
"Orion III" USA Premiere
Nov 14 2017
Concert Band, the State University of New York at Fredonia. Raymond Stewart, conductor.
"INFRASTRUCTURES" for string quartet at MSM
Mar 27 2018
MSM composers concert:
"INFRASTRUCTURES" for string quartet. Greenfield Hall, MSM
Molly Germer, violin
Julia Suh, violin
Lena Vidulich, viola
Thea Mesirow, cello
Orchestration Forum
May 06 2016
Talk about compositional process of Concerto for Percussion Trio and Orchestra.
Orchestration vs. Composition.
Javeriana University
"Infrastructures" for string quartet
Nov 14 2019
Member of the Medellin Phil will be performing my second string quartet "INFRASTRUCTURES". The program includes Beethoven's Symphony 1. On this occasion, the audience will be sitting very close to the orchestra, and also the full orchestra will be on the stage during the performance. Such a cool idea! I wish I could be there!
Colombian Composers Collective (C3) in Austin
Sep 20 2019
The inaugural concert of the Colombian Composers Collective (C3) will take place in Austin. Glad to be working with the ensemble, Hear No Evil. The program will include pieces by Sergio Cote, Diana Rodriguez, Felipe Henao, Nicola Aguia, Jose Martinez, and myself. The concert was possible thanks to the Rainwater Innovation Grant. The University of Texas at Austin. Stay tuned for more about our collective.
Underwood New Music Readings: Composer Spotlight
Jun 21 2017
"From Infinity" for orchestra,
American Composers Orchestra's Underwood New Music Reading.
2019 composer-in-residence for Medellin Phil
Jan 28 2019
So thrilled to be selected the 2019 composer-in-residence for the Medellin Philharmonic. The roles include composing a large piece, "Concerto for orchestra and electronics", and programming another orchestral and chamber pieces, plus workshops and lectures in the city of Medellin.
THROUGH THE NOISE Concert at Opera America
Mar 05 2018
THROUGH THE NOISE Contemporary Concert Series II at Opera America, NYC. "A song for" for solo violin, premiered by Julia Suh.
Composer Fellow for The Loretto Project, Longleash Trio
Apr 20 2018
Selected composer fellow for the Loretto Project 2018. I'll write a new piece for Longleash. Very looking forward to meeting Kate Sope and the other fellow composers"
Composition Prize: International Winter Festival of Campos do Jordao
Jul 23 2013
Composition Prize of the International Winter Festival of Campos do Jordao 2013.
Dynamics of a Meteorite for string quartet
"CADENZA" premiered by the MSM Composers' Orchestra
Feb 16 2018
"CADENZA" for orchestra was based on the Riverside Church Tower's structural design. The piece is dedicated to Reiko Fueting.
Performed by the Manhattan School of Music Composers Orchestra, conducted by Maestro George Manahan
Fellowship: International Winter Festival of Campos do Jordao
Jul 23 2013
International Winter Festival of Campos do Jordao 2013.
Fundation OSESP
Kalevi Aho (Finland), composer in residence.
Coral and Symphony Composition Award: "Stories and Shadows"
Nov 16 2015
Coral and Symphony Composition Award by the Bogotá Philharmonic
Stories and Shadows fWind Ensemble
Percussion Trio Comissioned by the International Winter Festival of Campos do Jordao
Apr 25 2014
Commissioned by International Winter Festival of Campos do Jordao and Symphony Orchestra of Sau Paulo (OSESP). Percussion Ensemble of Festival.
Eduardo Leandro (Brazil), Conductor.
"INFRASTRUCURES" for string quartet: Premiere
Oct 16 2017
THROUGH THE NOISE, composers
Riverside Church Hall
Molly Germer, violin
Julia Jung Un, violin
Jay Julio, viola
Thea Mesirow, cello
"her letters" digital premiere
Aug 06 2020
"her letters" for solo violin was composed as part of the #GLFCAMGigThruCOVID digital World Premieres.
"her letters" was recorded at home by Julia Suh.
Premiere "Infinity Lines"
Apr 04 2017
Infinity Lines for flute and piano.
Leia Slosberg, flute and Brian Daurelle, piano.
Composers Concert
Miller Hall. Manhattan School Of Music.
History Forum: "Mirrors in the Void"
May 18 2017
Talk about compositional process, notation and indeterminacy in
Mirrors in the Void for Orchestra.
National University of Colombia
"Eclosion" recorded by the EAFIT Symphony Orchestra
Jan 28 2017
"Eclosion" for Orchestra
Recording Session
EAFIT Symphony Orchestra. Cecilia Espinosa, conducting.
CD: New Colombia Music for Orchestra 2017.
Graduate Recital at MSM
May 05 2018
I'm so glad to invite you all to an evening of my music. One hour of music, four pieces and around twenty great and cool musicians.
Please join us!
"INFRASTRUCURES" for string quartet: Second place, Manhattan Prize
Apr 06 2017
Second Place and Honorable
Sponsorship by the Banco de la Republica de Colombia
Jun 14 2016
Selected the winner of the Young Music Talents 2016 by the Banco de la Republica de Colombia.
Read the interview (Spanish).
Frances Richard Fellow at GLFCAM
Jan 28 2018
Composer selected for the 2018 programs of the Gabriela Lena Frank Creative Academy of Music. Composition fellows will be working with Grammy-nominated duo ZOFO to create original new music over the span of this year with onsite readings and master classes provided in beautiful Boonville, CA, San Francisco, and Columbia, South Carolina.
Nicolas Flagello Award and Saul Braverman Award
May 11 2018
So thrilled to be awarded the Nicolas Flagello Award and the Saul Braverman Award for outstanding achievement in n Composition and Music Theory, respectively, by the Manhattan School of Music.
Premiere "REFERENCE" for orchestra
Nov 29 2012
"REFERENCE" for orchestra. National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia's Platform 28.
Baldur Brohnnimann, conducting.
Fabio Lozano Hall, Bogota.
"From Infinity" selected by the American Composers Orchestra
May 12 2017
American Composers Orchestra's Underwood New Music Readings.
The DiMenna Center for Classical Music.
"Concerto for Orchestra" Second Place, Bogotá Philharmonic's Composition Prize
Oct 31 2013
Ivory Tower, Concerto for Orchestra. Second Place and Honorable Mention
National Composition Prize 2013. Bogotá Philharmonic.
XV National Award for Musical Composition City of Bogotá
Sep 22 2012
"XV National Award for Musical Composition City of Bogotá" by the Bogotá Philharmonic.
"Iron Curtains" for chamber ensemble.
National Prize of Music in Composition
Julio 31 2015
by the Ministry of Culture of Colombia for his Concerto for percussion trio and orchestra
Premiere "Floating Mirrors"
Nov 13 2015
Young Performers Series 2015. Camilo Chaparro, cello and Sebastian Avendaño, piano. Luis Ángel Arango Hall, Bogota.
Tour in Germany with Apply Triangle
Oct 24 2019
Apply Triangle's program, New York Counterpoint includes several pieces for flute, clarinet, piano, and electronics. I'm so glad I'll be touring with this amazing ensemble and group of friends.
Tour: New York, Magdeburg (SinusTon Festival), Weimar, Leipzig, and Dresden. </span></span></p>
Premiere "Catarsis" for orchestra
Nov 29 2013
"Catarsis" for orchestra
National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia,
Alejandro Posada, conducting.
Young Colombian Composers Workshop: Platform 28-2013.
Fabio Lozano Hall.
"RETRO" premiere by Medellin Phil
Nov 23 2019
Last but not least concert as the 2019 composer-in-residence for the Medellin Philharmonic. The orchestra will be performing my 25-minute long piece "RETRO". I'll be again performing the electronics on stage. The program includes Beethoven's Triple Concerto and Dvorak's Symphony 9.
Premiere "Orión III" for Large Wind Ensemble
May 07 2015
Opening Concert of Contemporary Music Festival of Pereira. Wind Ensemble of Pereira, and Mateo Sepulveda, conductor.
Premiere "Lines of Acid Dreams"
Dec 17 2015
by Camará Ensemble
Commissioned work for
Closing Concert of Música de Agora na Bahia-Brazil.
"Never was the way" on scorefollower
Mar 02 2020
"Never was the way" for amplified ensemble was selected as one of the followMyScore 2019 Call for Works. The piece was premiered by TAK Ensemble + cellist Meaghan Burke on March 23, 2019, at the ARCH, UPenn.
Orchestra of St. Luke's DeGaetano Composition Institute
Jan 22 2019
As part of the institute, I will write a new piece for the Orchestra of Saint Luke's to be performed at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music, New York City on July 19th.
"Eclosion", for orchestra: CD Digital Release
Feb 02 2018
CD New Colombian Music for Orchestra, Vol 6 by the EAFIT Symphony Orchestra.
Cecilia Espinosa, conducting.
"Eclosion" (2014)
CD Release: Composers of the National Conservatory of Colombia
Jan 13 2017
New Music Ensemble,
National University of Colombia.
Lienzo - Eliana Echeverry
Tres Aforismos - José Guillermo Martínez
Dinámicas de un meteorito - James Diaz
Cavatina - Gustavo Parra
Petits entreteniments subtils - Moises Bertrán
Composition Forum at MSM
Nov 03 2016
Talk about form, orchestration and process of "Catarsis" for orchestra
Manhattan School of Music.
Recording "Saturn Lights"
Dec 09 2015
Concerto for percussion trio and orchestra, Saturn Lights. Recording Session.
Mateo Sepulveda, conducting.
REC Symphony
Javeriana University
"Simulacrum" multimedia opera: Official Trailer
Dec 15 2017
A collective of composers, musicians, choreographers, and visual artists, Path New Music Theater, curates and produces contemporary new media theater.
Our first project, Simulacrum is an opera based on the libretto Loved for parts by playwright Marianna Staroseklsky.
Selected on Plataforma 28-2012
Oct 30 2012
by the National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia for his work REFERENCE for Orchestra Reading Sessions of New Colombian Composers: Plataforma 28-2012.
multimedia opera "Simulacrum" Premiere
Jun 08 2018
"Simulacrum" was premiered in the 3LD Arts & Technology Center.
Featuring music by Peter Kramer, Yangzhi Ma, Meng Wang, Longfei Li, Reiko Fueting, and James Diaz. Librettist Marianna Staroselsky.
"Mirrors in Void" selected by the National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia
Mar 01 2017
Young Colombian Composers Workshop: Plataforma 28-2017.
Mirrors in the Void for Orchestra.
"Behind a wall of illusion" premiered by Orchestra of St. Luke's
Jul 19 2019
The inaugural DeGaetano Composition Institute culminated with world premieres for chamber orchestra by participants Viet Cuong, José Martinez, Liza Sobel and myself.
"CADENZA" for orchestra, Colombian premiere
Jun 01 2019
So excited for my inaugural concert as the 2019 composer-in-residence for the Medellin Philharmonic. The orchestra will be performing my piece "CADENZA". The Brazilian conductor Alexandra Arrieche will be conducting. The program includes Higdon's Percussion Concerto and Villalobos' Bachianna No. 7.
Premiere: "Sidereal Inflections" commissioned by the DUO Percutrom
Nov 26 2014
Sidereal Inflections for trumpet and vibraphone
Commisioned by the DUO Percutrom, Juan Fernando Avendaño, trumpet and Gabriel Galvis, vibraphone
Olav Roots Hall
"Mirrors in the void" by Xalapa Symphony
April 05 2019
So excited for the upcoming Mexican premiere of my piece "Mirrors in the Void" (2017) by the Orquesta Sinfónica de Xalapa and maestro Eduardo Leandro
What a cool program: Xenakis' "Peaux, de Pleyares" and Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring."
"Behind a wall of illusion" Colombian premiere
Oct 10 2019
Medellin Phil will be performing my recent orchestral piece "Behind a Wall of Illusions". The program includes Beethoven's Symphony 8.
"Azul" for orchestra and Medellin Phil
Aug 03 2019
"Azul", the second movement of my concerto for orchestra and electronics, will be pre-premiered by the Medellin Philharmonic, with Colombian conductor Juan Pablo Valencia. The first time ever I'll be performing electronics on stage! The program includes Beethoven's Symphony 5 and Strauss' Horn Concerto with outstanding Stefan Dohr.
Selected on Plataforma 28-2014
Nov 24 2014
by National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia for his work "Reflections of a Radioactive Sky" for orchestra.
Thomas Goldka, conducting.
Reading Sessions of New Colombian Composers, Platform 28.
Latin-American Composition Prize Piero Bastianelli
Apr 12 2015
Mention of honor and commission of new chamber music work.
"Saturn Lights" percussion concerto: CD Release
Feb 03 2018
The Colombian Ministry of Culture has released the CD National Prizes in Composition 2015-16, featuring James' Concerto for percussion trio and orchestra, "Saturn Lights".
Premiere "Mirrors in Void"
Mar 24 2017
"Mirrors in the Void" for orchestra. National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia, Jose Luis Dominguez, conducting.
Fabio Lozano Hall.
"Mirrors in the voids" review
Feb 28 2020
The piece was reviewed by composer/writer Itza Garcia, to be included in the special edition of the magazine "La palabra y el hombre" was made to celebrate the 90th year anniversary of the Xalapa Symphony, who did the Mexican premiere of my work "Mirrors in the voids".
National Prize of Music in Composition for the Reopening of Teatro Colón
Jul 31 2015
by the Ministry of Culture of Colombia, Teatro Colón, National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia for his piece Eclosión
Selected on Plataforma 28-2013
Sep 01 2013
by National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia for his work Catarsis for Orchestra.
Reading Sessions of New Colombian Composers: Platform 28.