COMPOSER

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Bio

Carlos Bandera is a composer whose music is characterized by a glacial unfolding of sonic landscapes. He often expands simple elements into large-scale musical structures, through which he explores the interplay of harmony, noise, and texture.

Bandera's orchestral work Materia Prima, premiered in 2023 at Carnegie Hall by the American Composers Orchestra, was described by the New York Classical Review as having “one of the most immersive and elegant transitions from nothingness to complexity that one has heard.” His music has been performed by groups such as the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, the American Composers Orchestra, the Albany Symphony, the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra, Dogs of Desire, ~Nois, Hotel Elefant, Earspace, Hebrides Ensemble, Nebula Ensemble, Omnibus Ensemble, and Now Hear This. He has been a fellow at Copland House’s CULTIVATE, Orchestra of St Luke’s DeGaetano Composition Institute, Composers Conference, and the Underwood New Music Readings, and he has attended the Delian Academy for New Music and Time of Music (Musiikin aika). Recently, his piece Meristem was performed by the Hastings Philharmonic Orchestra during their “On the Road” tour across South East England and his piece Spirare II was recorded by Yarn/Wire. 
 
Bandera holds a Master of Music degree from Peabody Conservatory and a Bachelor of Music degree from Montclair State University. He is currently based in Chicago where he is pursuing his PhD in Composition and Music Technology at Northwestern University.