Short bio Leonardo Balada
Birthday:
1933 in Barcelona, Spain
Active:
1960s - 2000s
Genre:
Classical
Period:
Contemporary
Full biography Leonardo Balada
Leonardo Balada is a Catalan-American composer born on September 22, 1933. He is a classical composer known for his operas and orchestral works. Balada moved to New York in 1956 to study at the Juilliard School and later earned a doctorate from Columbia University. He currently resides in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and has been a professor of composition at Carnegie Mellon University since 1970.
Balada's music is highly influenced by his Spanish heritage and often incorporates elements of surrealism, a movement he has extensively studied and written about. Some of his works include "Guernica," "Maria Sabina," and "Sinfonia en Negro - Homage to Martin Luther King Jr." He has also written several clarinet works, such as "Caprichos Nos. 6 and 7" and "Divertimentos Nos. 1 and 2," which were recorded by various artists.
Throughout his career, Balada has received numerous accolades and awards, including the Academy Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters for outstanding artistic achievement. He has been recognized for his contributions to music by organizations such as the National Endowment for the Arts, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the Guggenheim Foundation.
In addition to his work as a composer, Balada has also written extensively about surrealism in music and has collaborated with other artists in various forms of media. He is a well-respected figure in the world of classical music and continues to influence and inspire future generations of composers.
Compositions featuring Leonardo Balada
| # | Name | Duration | Genre | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Caprichos No. 12, for guitar ("Abstractions of 'El Amor Brujo' of Falla") | 11:40 min | Chamber Music | 2015 |
| 2 | Caprichos No. 11, for guitar ("Abstractions of Granados") | 11:18 min | Chamber Music | 2014 |
| 3 | Caprichos No. 10, for violin, cello & piano ("Fantasy of 'La Pastoreta'") | 6:21 min | Chamber Music | 2013 |
| 4 | Double Concerto, for oboe, clarinet & orchestra | 18:12 min | Concerto | 2010 |
| 5 | Mini-Miniatures (8), for piano | 10:08 min | Keyboard | 2010 |
| 6 | Caprichos No. 8, for guitar ("Abstractions of Albéniz") | 11:25 min | Chamber Music | 2010 |
| 7 | Concerto for viola & wind ensemble | 16:26 min | Concerto | 2009 |
| 8 | Caprichos No. 6, for clarinet & piano | 9:55 min | Chamber Music | 2009 |
| 9 | Caprichos No. 7, chamber concerto for clarinet & ensemble ("Fantasies of 'La Tarara'") | 23:45 min | Concerto | 2009 |
| 10 | Caprichos No. 5, for cello & string orchestra ("Homage to Isaac Albéniz") | 21:38 min | Concerto | 2008 |
| 11 | Caprichos No. 4 for solo double bass, clarinet, piano & strings ("Quasi Jazz") | 24:04 min | Concerto | 2007 |
| 12 | Alairving Variation, for piano | 2:54 min | Keyboard | 2006 |
| 13 | Concerto for 3 cellos & orchestra ("A German Concerto") | 21:22 min | Concerto | 2006 |
| 14 | A Little Night Music in Harlem, for string orchestra | 10:59 min | Orchestral | 2006 |
| 15 | Caprichos No. 3, for violin & chamber orchestra ("Homenaje a las Brigadas Internacionales") | 24:58 min | Concerto | 2005 |
| 16 | Symphony No. 6 ("Symphony of Sorrows") | 18:46 min | Orchestral | 2005 |
| 17 | Caprichos No. 2, for solo violin, strings & harp | 15:09 min | Concerto | 2004 |
| 18 | Contrastes, for piano | 9:30 min | Keyboard | 2004 |
| 19 | Caprichos No. 1, for guitar & string orchestra ("Homage to Federico García Lorca") | 23:03 min | Concerto | 2003 |
| 20 | Symphony No. 5 ("American") | 23:42 min | Symphony | 2003 |
| 21 | Ebony Fantasies, cantata for chorus & orchestra | 25:30 min | Choral | 2003 |
| 22 | Prague Sinfonietta | 10:52 min | Symphony | 2003 |
| 23 | Spiritual, for cello & piano (or orchestra) | 12:53 min | Chamber Music | 2002 |
| 24 | Passacaglia, for orchestra | 10:38 min | Orchestral | 2002 |
| 25 | Cello Concerto No. 2 ("New Orleans") | 23:04 min | Concerto | 2001 |
| 26 | Music for flute & orchestra, in 2 movements | 20:46 min | Concerto | 2000 |
| 27 | Piano Concerto No. 3 | 24:07 min | Concerto | 1999 |
| 28 | Concierto Mágico, for guitar & orchestra | 25:29 min | Concerto | 1997 |
| 29 | La Muerte de Colón, opera | 94:14 min | Opera | 1993 |
| 30 | Symphony No. 4 ("Lausanne") | 16:28 min | Symphony | 1992 |
| 31 | Escenas Borrascosas, for soloists, chorus & orchestra | 28:22 min | Chamber Music | 1992 |
| 32 | Celebració, for orchestra | 13:28 min | Orchestral | 1992 |
| 33 | Divertimentos (3) for string orchestra | 17:45 min | Orchestral | 1991 |
| 34 | Columbus, images for orchestra | 22:27 min | Orchestral | 1991 |
| 35 | Reflejos, for flute & strings | 17:11 min | Concerto | 1988 |
| 36 | Zapata, images for orchestra | 18:57 min | Orchestral | 1987 |
| 37 | Cristóbal Colón, opera | 112:21 min | Opera | 1984 |
| 38 | Preludis Obstinants (5), for piano | 11:25 min | Keyboard | 1979 |
| 39 | Persistencies, for piano | 12:59 min | Keyboard | 1979 |
| 40 | Transparencies of Chopin's First Ballade, for piano | 10:09 min | Keyboard | 1977 |
| 41 | Concerto for 4 guitars & orchestra | 21:10 min | Concerto | 1976 |
| 42 | Homage to Casals, for orchestra | 10:03 min | Orchestral | 1975 |
| 43 | Homage to Sarasate, for orchestra | 7:25 min | Orchestral | 1975 |
| 44 | No-res (Nothing), a symphonic tragedy for narrator, chorus, orchestra & tape | 40:04 min | Choral | 1974 |
| 45 | Steel Symphony | 19:46 min | Symphony | 1972 |
| 46 | Persistencies - Sinfonia Concertante, for amplified guitar & orchestra | 22:01 min | Concerto | 1972 |
| 47 | Symphony No. 2 for band ("Cumbres - A Short Symphony for Band") | 13:37 min | Band Music | 1971 |
| 48 | Symphony No. 1 ("Sinfonía en Negro - Homenaje a Martin Luther King") | 20:22 min | Symphony | 1968 |
| 49 | Guérnica, for orchestra | 11:12 min | Orchestral | 1966 |
| 50 | Concerto for cello & 9 players | 16:22 min | Concerto | 1962 |
| 51 | Ballet City, for chamber ensemble | 11:35 min | Ballet | 1959 |
| 52 | Música en Cuatro Tiempos, for piano | 10:09 min | Keyboard | 1959 |
| 53 | Apuntes | Vocal Music | - | |
| 54 | The Town of Greed, opera | 32:41 min | Opera | - |
| 55 | Torquemada for baritone, choir & instrumental ensemble | 24:29 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 56 | Union of the Oceans | 7:24 min | Orchestral | - |
| 57 | Violin Concerto No. 1 | 26:02 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 58 | Analogías, for guitar | 7:35 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 59 | Quasi un Pasodoble | 11:22 min | Orchestral | - |
| 60 | Song and Dance | 9:38 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 61 | Sonata for 10 winds | 15:34 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 62 | Sardana | 17:10 min | Orchestral | - |
| 63 | Concerto for piano, winds & percussion | 16:08 min | Concerto | - |
| 64 | Cuatris | 8:10 min | Orchestral | - |
| 65 | Dionisio - In Memoriam, for narrator, choir & orchestra | 30:41 min | Choral | - |
| 66 | Music for Oboe and Orchestra: Lament from the Cradle of the Earth | 20:45 min | Orchestral | - |
| 67 | Fantasías Sonoras | 12:39 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 68 | Mosaico | 11:23 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 69 | Folk Dreams | 19:21 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 70 | María Sabina, for narrator, choir & orchestra | 35:48 min | Choral | - |
| 71 | Geometrias No. 1 | 8:40 min | Orchestral | - |
| 72 | Hangman, Hangman!, opera | 44:04 min | Opera | - |
Albums featuring Leonardo Balada
| # | Сover | Name album | Year | Music label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Leonardo Balada, Ivan Ivanov (6), Leta Chin, Greta Mutlu, Sarah Lee (10), Annie Gordon (2), Kristine Rominski, Rebecca Bush, Jacob Polaczyk, Erberk Eryilmaz, Geoffrey Larson – Works For Clarinet(CD, Album) | 2020 | Naxos |
| 2 |  |
Leonardo Balada, Luis Fernández Castelló, Joan Sureda (2) And Óscar Oliver, Marcos Sanjuan, Pere Joan Carrascosa, Ensemble Col Legno, Robert Ferrer – Caprichos Nos. 6, 7 And 10; Ballet City(CD, Album) | 2018 | Naxos |
| 3 |  |
Morales-Caso, Vega, García Abril, Balada, Halffter, Greco, Adam Levin (4) – 21st Century Spanish Guitar • 3(CD, Album) | 2017 | Naxos |
| 4 |  |
Balada, Torres, Godoy, García Abril, De Pablo, Soutullo, Durán-Loriga, Casablancas, Ruiz, Adam Levin (4) – 21st Century Spanish Guitar • 2(CD, Album) | 2016 | Naxos |
| 5 |  |
Leonardo Balada, Enrique Graf, David Premo, Ashan Pillai, Carnegie Mellon Wind Ensemble, Denis Colwell, Stephen Story, Thomas Thompson (2), George Vosburgh (2) – Concerto For Piano, Winds And Percussion(CD, Album) | 2015 | Naxos |
| 6 |  |
Symphony No. 6 'Symphony Of Sorrows' • Concerto For Three Cellos • Steel Symphony(CD, Album) | 2014 | Naxos |
| 7 |  |
Brotons, Del Puerto, Morales-Caso, De Castro, Balada, Llorca, Vazquez, Adam Levin (4) – 21st Century Spanish Guitar • 1(CD, Album) | 2013 | Naxos |
| 8 |  |
Sinfonía En Negro: Homage To Martin Luther King(CD, Album) | 2013 | Naxos |
| 9 |  |
Leonardo Balada, Bertrand Piétu, Aldo Mata, Tatiana Franco, Iberian Chamber Orchestra, José Luis Temes – Caprichos Nos. 1 And 5(CD, Album) | 2012 | Naxos |
| 10 |  |
Leonardo Balada, Pablo Amorós – Piano Music(CD, ) | 2011 | Naxos |
| 11 |  |
Leonardo Balada, Andrés Cárdenes, Jeffrey Turner, Pittsburgh Sinfonietta • Lawrence Loh – Caprichos Nos. 2, 3 And 4(CD, Album) | 2011 | Naxos |
| 12 |  |
Leonardo Balada, José Carreras, Montserrat Caballé, Orchestra and Chorus of the Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona, Theo Alcántara – Cristóbal Colón = Christopher Columbus(2×CD, ) | 2009 | Naxos |
| 13 |  |
Leonardo Balada, Orchestra And Chorus Of The Comunidad De Madrid, José Ramón Encinar – María Sabina ● Dionisio: In Memoriam(CD, Album) | 2008 | Naxos |
| 14 |  |
Leonardo Balada, Seville Royal Symphony Orchestra, Eduardo Alonso-Crespo – Symphony No. 5 'American' • Prague Sinfonietta(CD, Album) | 2006 | Naxos |
| 15 |  |
Leonardo Balada, Orchestra And Chorus Of The Comunidad De Madrid, José Ramón Encinar – No-res (Nothing) (An Agnostic Requiem) • Ebony Fantasies(CD, ) | 2005 | Naxos |
| 16 |  |
Leonardo Balada, Barcelona Symphony And Catalonia National Orchestra / Salvador Mas Conde – Guernica / Symphony No. 4 / Zapata | 2004 | Naxos |
| 17 |  |
Leonardo Balada -- Michael Sanderling • Versailles Guitar Quartet • Barcelona Symphony & Catalonia National Orchestra • Colman Pearce – Cello Concero No. 2 'New Orleans' • Concerto For Four Guitars(CD, Album) | 2003 | Naxos |
| 18 |  |
Leonardo Balada, Carnegie Mellon Opera Theater, Colman Pearce – Hangman, Hangman! / The Town Of Greed(CD, Album) | 2002 | Naxos |
| 19 |  |
Symphonies(CD, Album) | 2002 | Albany Records |
| 20 |  |
Leonardo Balada - Rosa Torres-Pardo, Eliot Fisk, Magdalena Martínez, Barcelona Symphony And Catalonia National Orchestra, José Serebrier – Piano Concerto No.3 • Concierto Mágico | 2001 | Naxos |
| 21 |  |
The Abstract & The Ethnic(CD, Album, Compilation) | 2000 | Albany Records |
| 22 |  |
Leonardo Balada, Andrés Cárdenes, Barcelona Symphony Orchestra, Matthias Aeschbacher – Violin Concerto No. 1 • Folk Dreams • Sardana • Fantasías Sonoras | 2000 | Naxos |
| 23 |  |
Revolution & Discovery: Zapata, Columbus, Reflejos, Divertimentos(CD, Album) | 1999 | Albany Records |
| 24 |  |
Benjamin Lees, Leonardo Balada, Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Lorin Maazel – Benjamin Lees · Ellen Taaffe Zwilich · Leonardo Balada(CD, Album) | 1996 | New World Records |
| 25 |  |
Torquemada(CD, Album) | 1993 | New World Records |
| 26 |  |
Lorin Maazel, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, William Schuman : Leonardo Balada – Symphony No. 7 / Steel Symphony | 1987 | New World Records |
| 27 |  |
Roque Cordero / Leonardo Balada / Henry Brant - The Louisville Orchestra, Jorge Mester – Symphony No. 2 / Hommage A Sarasate / On The Nature Of Things(LP, Stereo) | 1979 | First Edition Records |
| 28 |  |
Narciso Yepes - Francis Poulenc / Leo Brouwer / Antonio Ruiz-Pipó / Bruno Maderna / Leonardo Balada / Václav Kučera – Gitarrenmusik Des 20. Jahrhunderts | 1977 | Deutsche Grammophon |
| 29 |  |
Quartet Tarragó, Leonardo Balada - Carles Guinovart – Apuntes Para Cuarteto De Guitarra / Leonardo Balada Introduccion Y Scherzo / Carles Guinovart(LP, Album) | 1975 | Interdisc (6) |
| 30 |  |
The American Brass Quintet, Kupferman / Balada / Lessard / Flagello – 4 Pieces For 5 Brass Players(LP) | 1974 | Serenus |
| 31 |  |
Leonardo Balada - América Dunham, The University Of Louisville Chorus, Richard Spalding, Jorge Mester, The Louisville Orchestra – María Sabina (Tragifonía / A Symphonic Tragedy For Narrators, Chorus And Orchestra) | 1973 | First Edition Records |
| 32 |  |
Charles Whittenberg, Leonardo Balada, Arthur Custer, Richard Moryl – Group Show(LP, Stereo) | - | Serenus |
| 33 |  |
The Music Of Leonardo Balada - Vol. 1.(LP) | - | Serenus |
| 34 |  |
Leonardo Balada, Gunther Schuller, Luigi Dallapiccola, The Louisville Orchestra, Jorge Mester – Guernica / Five Bagatelles For Orchestra / Piccola Musica Notturna(LP, Mono) | - | First Edition Records |
| 35 |  |
Leonardo Balada, Luigi Dallapiccola, Gunther Schuller, The Louisville Orchestra – Guernica, Five Bagatelles, Piccola Musica Notturna(LP) | - | First Edition Records |
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