Roberto Sierra

Short bio Roberto Sierra

Birthday: 1953 in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico

Active: 1990s - 2020s

Genre: Classical

Period: 20th Century, Contemporary

Full biography Roberto Sierra

Roberto Sierra is a Puerto Rican composer of contemporary classical music. He was born on October 9, 1953, in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico. Sierra began his musical studies in piano at the age of six and later studied composition at the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music and at the Royal College of Music in London.

Sierra's music is known for its unique blend of Afro-Caribbean rhythms and classical music traditions. He has written numerous compositions for a variety of ensembles, including orchestra, chamber groups, and solo instruments. Some of his most famous works include his Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra, his Symphony No. 3, Sinfonía de Remolinos, and his Missa Latina.

Sierra has been recognized for his contributions to the world of classical music with several awards and distinctions. He has served as Composer-in-Residence with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra , The Philadelphia Orchestra, and The Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra. In 2017, he was awarded Spain's Toms Luis de Victoria Prize , the highest honor given in Spain to a composer.

Sierra's impact on the classical music world is significant , particularly in the realm of contemporary classical music. He has been hailed as one of the most important Latin American composers of his generation, and his music continues to be performed by orchestras and ensembles all over the world.

Compositions featuring Roberto Sierra

#	Name	Duration	Genre	Year
1	Sinfonietta for string orchestra	15:55 min	Symphony	2020
2	Sinfonía No. 6	22:17 min	Symphony	2020
3	Piezas (2) for orchestra	11:08 min	Orchestral	2017
4	Treinta y Tres Sueños, for voice & piano	50:41 min	Vocal Music	2017
5	Prelude, Habanera and Perpetual Motion, concerto for recorder & orchestra	13:55 min	Concerto	2016
6	La memoria, for cello	9:09 min	Chamber Music	2015
7	Triple Concierto, for piano trio & orchestra	27:55 min	Concerto	2015
8	Montunos (3), for cello & prepared piano	13:33 min	Chamber Music	2015
9	Cantares, for chorus & orchestra	23:32 min	Choral	2015
10	Loíza, for orchestra	10:58 min	Orchestral	2014
11	El Baile, for orchestra	9:37 min	Orchestral	2012
12	Piano Trio No. 4 for clarinet, cello & piano ("La noche")	17:08 min	Chamber Music	2011
13	Piano Trio No. 3 ("Romántico")	15:45 min	Chamber Music	2008
14	Sinfonía No. 4	23:16 min	Symphony	2008
15	Recordando una melodía olvidada, for violin, clarinet & piano	12:42 min	Chamber Music	2008
16	Suite de Canciones y Danza, for cello & piano	14:05 min	Chamber Music	2008
17	Toccata, for piano	6:59 min	Keyboard	2008
18	Carnaval, for orchestra	21:04 min	Orchestral	2007
19	Variations on a Souvenir, for piano & orchestra	30:41 min	Concerto	2007
20	Sonata for cello & piano No. 2 ("Elegiaca")	14:30 min	Chamber Music	2006
21	Sonata Elegiaca, for cello & piano	14:51 min	Chamber Music	2006
22	Sinfonía No. 3 ("La Salsa")	26:51 min	Symphony	2005
23	Serenata, for chamber orchestra	16:09 min	Orchestral	2005
24	Reflections on a Souvenir, for piano	8:30 min	Keyboard	2005
25	Borikén, for orchestra	14:14 min	Orchestral	2005
26	Treinta y tres formas de mirar un mismo objeto (Thirty-three Ways to Look at the Same Object) for piano, 4 hands	28:20 min	Keyboard	2005
27	Sinfonía No. 2 ("Gran Passacaglia")	16:08 min	Symphony	2004
28	Kandinsky, for violin, viola, cello & piano	19:53 min	Chamber Music	2003
29	Sonata for flute & piano No. 1	11:39 min	Chamber Music	2003
30	Beyond the Silence of Sorrow, for soprano & orchestra	22:11 min	Orchestral	2002
31	Turner, for flute, clarinet, violin, cello & piano	14:54 min	Chamber Music	2002
32	Piano Trio No. 2	13:18 min	Chamber Music	2002
33	Sinfonía No. 1	14:30 min	Symphony	2002
34	Bayoán, for baritone, soprano, chorus & orchestra	40:22 min	Vocal Music	2001
35	Sonata for cello & piano	9:48 min	Chamber Music	2001
36	Fandangos, fantasy for orchestra (or symphonic band)	10:51 min	Band Music	2000
37	Fanfarria, aria y movimiento perpetuo, for violin, cello & piano	4:55 min	Chamber Music	2000
38	Fantasia Corelliana, for 2 guitars & orchestra		Concerto	1999
39	Cancionero Sefardí, for voice, flute, clarinet, violin, cello & piano	15:18 min	Vocal Music	1999
40	Cello Concerto ("Cuatro Versos")	19:43 min	Concerto	1999
41	Concerto No. 2, for 2 guitars & string orchestra ("Fantasia Corelliana")	12:18 min	Concerto	1999
42	Tema y Variaciones, for clarinet & piano	6:55 min	Chamber Music	1999
43	Pequeño concierto, for guitar & chamber ensemble	9:45 min	Concerto	1998
44	Piezas Imaginarias, for piano	15:22 min	Keyboard	1998
45	Cuentos, for chamber orchestra	10:28 min	Chamber Music	1997
46	El Éxtasis de Santa Teresa, for voice & orchestra	14:33 min	Vocal Music	1997
47	Alegria, for wind ensemble	5:16 min	Band Music	1996
48	Homenajes Húngaros (Hungarian Tributes) (3), for 2 guitars	13:01 min	Chamber Music	1996
49	Eros, for flute & piano	2:36 min	Chamber Music	1996
50	Diferencias, for band	6:37 min	Band Music	1996
51	Ritmorroto, for clarinet	6:06 min	Miscellaneous (Classical)	1995
52	Fantasías (3), for clarinet, piano & cello	12:04 min	Chamber Music	1994
53	2x3, for 2 pianos	12:59 min	Keyboard	1993
54	Piezas Características	14:37 min	Miscellaneous (Classical)	1992
55	Segunda Cronica Del Descubrimiento, for flute & guitar	16:49 min	Chamber Music	1991
56	Joyous Overture	4:29 min	Orchestral	1991
57	Tropicalia, for large ensemble	22:56 min	Orchestral	1991
58	Tercera Cronica Del Descubrimiento, for flute & guitar		Chamber Music	1991
59	Cronicas del discubrimiento, for flute & guitar	20:19 min	Chamber Music	1991
60	Piano Trio No. 1 ("Trio tropical")	17:13 min	Chamber Music	1991
61	Con Tres, for clarinet, piano & bassoon	12:58 min	Chamber Music	1990
62	Idilio	7:01 min	Miscellaneous (Classical)	1990
63	Sasima	10:53 min	Miscellaneous (Classical)	1990
64	Preámbulo	10:00 min	Miscellaneous (Classical)	1989
65	Triptico for guitar & string quartet	12:36 min	Chamber Music	1989
66	Descarga, for piano & 10 instruments	12:38 min	Concerto	1987
67	Essays for wind quintet	9:06 min	Chamber Music	1987
68	Glosa a la sombra, for mezzo-soprano, clarinet, viola & piano	9:58 min	Vocal Music	1987
69	Piano Concerto ("Glosas")	15:46 min	Concerto	1986
70	Doña Rosita la Soltera, for soprano & wind quintet	5:12 min	Vocal Music	1985
71	Memorias Tropicales, for string quartet	12:34 min	Chamber Music	1985
72	Vestigios rituales, for 2 pianos	7:59 min	Keyboard	1984
73	Cinco Bocetos, for clarinet	8:19 min	Chamber Music	1984
74	Con Salsa	3:05 min	Keyboard	1984
75	Salsa Para Vientos for wind quintet		Chamber Music	1983
76	Salsa on the C String, for cello & piano	1:47 min	Chamber Music	1981
77	America (Suite Popular)	20:06 min		-
78	Bongo-O	3:38 min	Miscellaneous (Classical)	-
79	Cancion de amor olvidada, for voice & ensemble	3:10 min	Vocal Music	-
80	Caribbean Rhapsody, for soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone & string quintet	13:37 min	Chamber Music	-
81	Chloris & Zephyrus, for cello	5:37 min	Chamber Music	-
82	Tres pensiamentos, for bass clarinet & percussion	4:41 min	Chamber Music	-
83	Concerto for saxophones & orchestra	19:34 min	Concerto	-
84	Concierto Barroco, for guitar & orchestra	13:08 min	Concerto	-
85	Toccata y Lamento for guitar	4:44 min	Chamber Music	-
86	Conjuros, songs for voice & piano	10:16 min	Vocal Music	-
87	Dos tonos de verde	10:28 min	Orchestral	-
88	El mensajero de plata (The Silver Messenger), opera	66:20 min	Opera	-
89	Flower Pieces, for flute & harp	11:06 min	Chamber Music	-
90	Sonata for clarinet & piano	16:04 min	Chamber Music	-
91	Folias, for guitar & orchestra	13:11 min	Concerto	-
92	Guitar Sonata	13:26 min	Chamber Music	-
93	Julia, for voice & piano	17:34 min	Vocal Music	-
94	Mambo, for string quartet	2:12 min	Chamber Music	-
95	Missa Latina 'Pro Pace', for chorus & orchestra	68:12 min	Choral	-
96	Poema y Danza, concerto for 2 oboes & strings	12:00 min	Concerto	-
97	Poemas Aztecas (5), for voice & piano	12:49 min	Vocal Music	-
98	Rimas, songs for voice & piano	8:17 min	Vocal Music	-

Albums featuring Roberto Sierra

#	Name album	Year	Music label
1	Kernis, Piazzolla, Sierra, David Tanenbaum, Coco Trivisonno, Lisa Lee (11), The New Century Chamber Orchestra, Thomas Derthick – Double Echo (New Guitar Concertos From The Americas)(CD, )	2021	Naxos
2	Roberto Sierra, Trío Arbós, Cornell University Chorus, Cornell University Glee Club, Xalapa Symphony Orchestra, Lanfranco Marcelletti – Cantares(CD, Album)	2020	Naxos
3	Roberto Sierra, Continuum (4), Cheryl Seltzer, Joel Sachs (2) – Kandinsky - Chamber Music(CD, Album)	2018	Naxos
4	Roberto Sierra, John Haines-Eitzen, Matthew Bengtson – Works For Cello & Piano(CD, Album)	2017	Albany Records
5	Brouwer · Pujol · Sierra · Maier - Izhar Elias, Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, Matangi Quartet – Guitar Vibes: Music For Guitar And Strings(CD, Album)	2017	Brilliant Classics
6	Roberto Sierra, Martha Guth, Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra, Maximiano Valdés – Symphony No. 3 'La Salsa'(CD, Album)	2016	Naxos
7	Matt Haimovitz, Philip Glass, J.S. Bach, Du Yun, Vijay Iyer, Roberto Sierra, David Sanford (3), Luna Pearl Woolf – Overtures To Bach(SACD, Hybrid, Multichannel)	2016	PentaTone
8	Roberto Sierra, Nashville Symphony, Giancarlo Guerrero – Sinfonia No. 4: Fandangos - Carnaval(CD, Album)	2013	Naxos
9	Maslanka, Ellerby, Husa, Goto, Milburn, Sierra, North Texas Wind Symphony, Eugene Migliaro Corporon – Ciphers(CD, )	2012	GIA WindWorks
10	Roberto Sierra – Trío Arbós – Piano Trios • Fanfarria, Aria Y Movimiento Perpetuo(CD, Album)	2011	Naxos
11	The Newman & Oltman Guitar Duo, Daedalus Quartet, Dušan Bogdanović (2), Lowell Liebermann, Roberto Sierra, Augusta Read Thomas, Michael Karmon, Rami Vamos, Randall Avers – Music From Raritan River(CD, Album)	2008	MSR Classics
12	Roberto Sierra - Sinfonia Da Camera, Ian Hobson, Eduardo Diazmuñoz – Souvenirs(CD, Album)	2008	Albany Records
13	Roberto Sierra - Continuum (4) – Turner(CD, Album)	2007	New Albion
14	Roberto Sierra – Frost Symphony Orchestra, Thomas M. Sleeper – Three Sinfonias(CD, )	2007	Albany Records
15	Vivaldi, Roberto Sierra, Arvo Pärt, Manuel Barrueco, Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia, Víctor Pablo Pérez – Concierto Barroco(CD, )	2004	EMI Classics
16	Carlos Prieto (2) • Toussaint, Márquez, Sierra – Orquesta de Las Américas, Carlos Miguel Prieto – Conciertos Para El Fin Del Milenio(CD, )	2001	Urtext Digital Classics
17	Xak Bjerken, Christopher Theofanidis • James Matheson (2) • Steven Burke • Roberto Sierra • Sofia Gubaidulina • Karen Tanaka – High Rise(CD, Album)	2001	Composers Recordings Inc. (CRI)
18	Tropicalia, etc.(CD, Stereo)	1994	Koss Classics
19	Cuarteto Latinoamericano, Tello, Alvarez, Sierra, Garrido-Lecca – Memorias Tropicales(CD, Album)	1992	New Albion
20	Elisabeth Chojnacka / De Falla, Marco, Sierra, Halffter / Ensemble Erwartung, Bernard Desgraupes – Clavecin Espagnol Du XXème Siècle / Contemporary Spanish Music For Harpsichord(CD, Album)	1990	Adda
21	Bronx Arts Ensemble - Héctor Campos Parsi, Max Lifchitz, Roberto Sierra – Works By Héctor Campos Parsi, Max Lifchitz, Roberto Sierra(CD, Album)	1989	New World Records
22	Chamber Works / Musica de camara(CD, Album)	1987	VRAS Productions