BIOGRAPHY
Abel Paúl was born in Valladolid, Spain in 1984. He studied composition (BMus and
MMus) at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam with Fabio Nieder and Richard Ayres as
main professors, and at the Universität der Künste in Berlin with Walter Zimmermann.
From 2009-2011 he followed a postgraduate program at that institution, where he
graduated with distinction. He holds a PhD from the University of Huddersfield (UK),
where he studied under the supervision of Aaron Cassidy and Peter Ablinger.
Additionally, Paúl has attended master-classes by composers such as Pierluigi Billone,
Salvatore Sciarrino, Helmut Lachenmann, Peter Ablinger, Beat Furrer, Brian
Ferneyhough, Chaya Czernowin, Ivan Fedele and others.
Paúl’s music has been awarded with the following prizes: 2008 Salvatore
Martirano Composition Award (USA), National Prize of the CDMC (Spanish
Contemporary music center, 2010), SUAL Award (Vienna, 2014), the “BBVA Ayudas a
Creadores Culturales Award” (Spain 2014), the Internationaler Musiktheaterwettbewerb
Darmstadt (Germany 2015, selected composer) and the 2016 SGAE- CNDM Young
Composers Prize (1st prize). He has received honorable mentions at the 2013
Gaudeamus Muziekweek (The Netherlands), Mauricio Kagel Wettbewerb in Vienna
(jury: Helmut Lachenmann), INAEM-Colegio de España Award (Paris, 2013) and the
Anything Goes Prize (London, 2013). Additionally, he has been a finalist at the
Gaudeamus Muziekweek (2011) and at the Henriette Bosmansprijs (2008).
Abel Paúl was also named composer in residence at the 4th forum for young
composers of the Ensemble Aleph. He was a composer in residence at the Ligeti
Academy (project in collaboration with the ASKO-Schoenberg ensemble) and his music
was selected for the ISCM’s 2009 World Music Days in Sweden. Additionally, he has
been an active participant in Acanthes, Tzlil Meudcan 2014 and Impuls-Graz
(Klangforum Wien reading panel). Abel Paúl was granted a fellowship at the
Künstlerhaus Lauenburg (Germany 2014). He was a fellow of the Royal Academy of
Spain in Rome in 2017-18.
Abel Paúl has received commissions from several international festivals and
ensembles such as the Münchener Biennale, Darmstadt Ferienkurse or the Holland
Festival.
Paúl’s music has been performed by internationally renowned ensembles such as
ASKO- Schoenberg ensemble, Nieuw Ensemble, Ensemble Nikel, Ensemble Ascolta,
Neue Vocalsolisten Stuttgart, Slaagwerkgroep den Haag, Distractfold ensemble,
Ensemble Aleph, Klangforum Wien, mdi ensemble, Plural ensemble, Adapter, Insomnio
Ensemble, Norrbotten NEO, ETET, Sond’Arte electric ensemble, Vertixe Sonora,
Tamgram, Ensemble Platypus, Neopercusión, Zahir ensemble, Staatsorchester
Darmstadt and several others.
His music has been performed at numerous international festivals, including the
Holland Festival, Nederlandse Muziekdagen and Gaudeamus Muziekweek (Holland);
Darmstadt Ferienkurse, Münchener Biennale, Kunstforum Hellerau, Crescendo Berlin,
Unerhörte Musik (Germany); ISCM World Music Days (Sweden); Mixtur, EMA
Festival, Festival de música religiosa de Cuenca, Festival SON (Spain); Aspekte
Salzburg, Klangspuren Schwaz and Impuls (Austria); Tzlil Meudcan (Israel); Festival
Cervantino (Mexico); Spor Festival (Denmark); Time of Music (Finland); Sound of
Wander (Italy); Festival MANCA, Theatre Dunois and Centre Acanthes (France); Forum
Wallis (Switzerland); Biblioteca Nacional (Argentina), etc.
Dutch radio AVRO4, Radio France, Deutschlandfunk and Radio Nacional de
España have broadcasted Paúl’s music. His works are published by Edition Plante Berlin
(www.editionplante.com). He currently teaches at the Higher Conservatory of Music in
Malaga (Spain)
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