Contemporary
Guatemala
Composition Festival
Dates for the 2025 festival will be announced shortly!
Guatemala Contemporánea
Festival de COMPOSICIÓN
Las fechas para 2025 pronto se anunciarán!
 

​Created by composers Xavier Beteta (Wheaton College) and Josh Rodriguez (Elmhurst University), the “Contemporary Guatemala” Musical Composition Festival in its first edition aims to promote musical creation in Guatemala and establish new relationships between teachers and students from the United States and Guatemala. The festival took place June 12-15, 2024 at the National Conservatory of Music and Universidad del Valle. The festival featured composition workshops, lectures, individual classes, open rehearsals and a final concert where the works of participating students and teachers will be performed. The classes were taught by Dr. Xavier Beteta (Guatemala/USA), Dr. Josh Rodriguez (Colombia/USA), Daniel Dominguez (El Salvador) and Diego Guzmán (Guatemala). Lectures explored the marimba (national instrument of Guatemala), the music of Latin American composers, filmscoring techniques, and much more.

 

To submit a work for performance consideration even if you don't plan to attend, please use this LINK. There are no age limits for applicants for festival and call for scores. For festival details, read below and email us: musicacontemporaneaguatemala@gmail.com

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Interested in supporting this festival, please donate HERE and through our GoFundMe Campaign.

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Festival will be offered at no cost to all applicants who are accepted.

International applicants will only need to cover hotel, food, and transportation (approx. 1,000 USD).

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Festival Schedule 2024

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Wednesday June 12, Location: Universidad del Valle

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10:30a, Coffee Break & Welcome

11a-12p, Session 1: Tikal Nocturna - an Exploration of New Latin American Music by Xavier Beteta

12-1p, Lunch

1-2p Session 2: Introduction to the Music of Alberto Ginastera by Josh Rodriguez

2p, Coffee Break

2:15-3:45p Session 3: Composition masterclass 

4:30-5:30p, Session 4: Inspiration in the Arts: a Conversation with a Poet and Visual Artist

5:30-7p, Dinner Break

7p Concert 1: Pierrot Ensemble, Club Alemán 

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Thursday June 13, Location: Universidad del Valle 

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10:30a-12p Session 5: Composition Private Lessons & Rehearsals for "Open Mic" Concert

12-1p, Lunch

1-2p Session 6: Filmscoring: Diego Guzman

2p, Coffee Break

2:15-3:15p Session 7: Genre Crossing in Contemporary Classical Music

3:30-5:30p Rehearsals for "Open Mic" Concert

5:30-7p, Dinner

7p Concert 2, "Open Mic" Concert

 

Friday June 14, Location: Conservatorio Nacional

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10:30-11:30a Session 8: Writing for Viola

12– 1 pm Lunch 

1-2p Session 9: Study in US Schools - A Conversation for Latin Americans (panel) 

2-2:15p, Coffee Break

2:30-3:30p Session 10: Music Business Entrepeneurship (panel)

5:30-7p, Dinner

4-7p: Recording session 

Concert 3, String Quartet 

 

Saturday June 15, Location: Conservatorio Nacional

10-11a Session 11: Discovering & Promoting Latin American Music Classical Music by Josh Rodriguez 

11-12p, Session 12: Writing for Guitar by Joseaugusto Mejía

12-1p, Lunch

2-3p Session 13: Writing for Marimba 

3-4p Session 14: Composition Masterclass (music based on poetry or painting) 

5:30-7p, Dinner 

5p,  Concert 4, Pierrot Ensemble

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Recommended lodging possibilities: 

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1.  Biltmore Hotel, about $70 per night 

https://www.hotelbiltmore.com.gt/en/ 

 

2. Hostel Quetzalroo http://quetzalroo.com 

It is a Hostel, so most rooms are shared, but they have two private rooms (the owners are friends of the festival directors). 

 

3. Local Airbnb locations (recommendations coming soon)​

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en español

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Creado por los compositores Xavier Beteta (Wheaton College) y Josh Rodriguez (Elmhurst University), el Festival de Composición musical “Guatemala Contemporánea” en su primera edición tuvo como objetivo promover la creación musical en Guatemala y entablar nuevas relaciones entre profesores y alumnos de Estados Unidos y Guatemala. El festival se llevó a cabo del 12 al 15 de junio de 2024 en las instalaciones del Conservatorio Nacional de Música y la Universidad del Valle de Guatemala. El festival contará con talleres de composición, conferencias, clases individuales, ensayos abiertos y un concierto final donde se tocarán las obras de los estudiantes y profesores participantes. Las clases serán impartidas por Dr. Xavier Beteta (Guatemala/EEUU), Dr. Josh Rodriguez (Colombia/EEUU), Daniel Dominguez (El Salvador) y Diego Guzmán (Guatemala). Las conferencias exploraron la marimba (instrumento nacional de Guatemala), la música de compositores latinoamericanos, técnicas de composición cinematográfica y mucho más.

 

Para enviar un trabajo para consideración de desempeño incluso si no planea asistir, utilice este ENLACE. No existen límites de edad para los solicitantes de festivales y convocatorias de partituras. Para detalles del festival, lea a continuación y envíe un correo electrónico: musicacontemporaneaguatemala@gmail.com

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Si está interesado en apoyar el festival, haga una donación aquí.

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El festival se ofrecerá sin costo a todos los solicitantes que sean aceptados.

Solicitantes internacionales solo deberán cubrir hotel, comida y transporte (aprox. 1,000 USD).