Biography

JUAN J. COLOMER

Award Winning Spanish composer and orchestrator, Juan J. Colomer, has collaborated with such artists as James Levine, Placido Domingo, Christian Lindberg, Vjekoslav Sutej and José Carreras.  His works have been performed by the Vienna Symphony, the Paris Orchestra, the Arena de Verona Orchestra and Choir, the Budapest National Orchestra, the Orchestra of Castilla y Leon, and Orchestra of the Valencian Community (Les Arts), among others. His works have traveled from Tokyo to Chicago, South Africa, Beijing, Washington, Sao Paolo, Las Vegas and Seoul. Commissioners of his works include the International Horn Symposium, the Center for Contemporary Music (CDMC), International Philip Jones Competition (Guebwiller, France), Valencian Institute of Music (IVM) and Spanish Brass. He was nominated for two consecutive years (2003 & 2004) for an Euterpe Award for best symphonic work by the Federation of Musical Societies in Valencia, Spain.

In 2008, the CD “Spanish Passion” by Plácido Domingo, featuring orchestrations by Colomer, won a Latin Grammy for Best Classical Album.

Juan J. Colomer was born in Valencia (Spain) in 1966. At age 8, he started his music studies in his hometown, Alzira and continued at the Conservatory of Valencia, where he graduated in Trumpet and Composition. At age sixteen, he became founding member of the National Youth Orchestra of Spain and presented concerts throughout Europe. In 1990 he moved to Boston to study Film Scoring at Berklee College of Music. At that time he began working as a film composer for documentaries and continued composing classical works, receiving an award for a Harp Composition in Madrid.

In 1992, Colomer moved to Los Angeles and continued his career composing soundtracks for films that have obtained numerous awards including a first prize in Monte Carlo and a nomination for an Ariel in México (the equivalent of the Oscars in that country).  In total, he has scored over 30 films.

Colomer combines film composing with arranging and producing for artists such as Juan Carlos Calderón, Bebu Silvetti, Alejandro Fernández and musicians like Alex Acuña and Vinnie Colaiutta. As an orchestrator, he has worked for Plácido Domingo in the series of concerts that the Tenor presents every Christmas from Vienna, as well as the Three Tenors Concert in Paris conducted by James Levine and Monterrey.

In 1999 Colomer released his own CD with Alternative Pop-Rock songs written and produced independently by him, some of which have been used in different movies in the USA. In September 2004, he was nominated for Best Soundtrack at the Shockerfest Festival in California for his work on the movie "The Crimson Hour. " Mr. Colomer has also been a guest speaker for the film students at the prestigious Pasadena Art Center College of Design.

Juan J. Colomer publishes his works with BIM Editions of Switzerland, Rivera Editores, Editorial Piles and Tritó Editions of Spain and currently resides in Los Angeles, CA.

“ ...the best concerto for Horn in many, many years, without doubt one of the best of all time.” - Hermann Baumann, on “Naturaleza Humana” for Horn, Choir of Horns and Orchestra.

“ ...his sound brings us back to the era of the great Russian composers of the last century.” - Placido Domingo, on his orchestrations.

“ ... the best contemporary concerto for trumpet.” - Pierre Thibaud, on “Viñetas Sinfonicas” for trumpet and orchestra.

“ ...a symphonic dramatism that hints at Shostakovitch... in the orbit of Stravinsky.” - Elisa Ramos, music critic, on “La Devota Lasciva” for brass quintet and orchestra.