Maria Alejandra

Castro Espejo

Composer

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Vocal (chamber music and ensemble)

 

¡Viva la Vida!
Dramatic song cycle for soprano and ensemble

Inspired by social activist María Elena Moyano

2022 - 40 minutes

Scoring: S - fl ob cl bn hn - hp - vn va vc db

 

Commissioned by Sinfonietta VivazzA with support of the Nederlands Fonds Podiumkunsten. First performed by Sinfonietta VivazzA and soprano Marcia Lemke-Kern at Kulturbunker in Köln-Mülheim, 14 May at the Ev. Kirche Isselburg in Isselburg and 15 May in Palais Wittgenstein in Düsseldorf.

 

 


 

Para no olvidar

for soprano and string orchestra

2021 - 11 minutes

 

Commissioned by Gran Teatro Nacional, Lima, Peru for the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

 


First performance on 25th of November 2021 by Paqari Camerata, María del Carmen Rodríguez (soprano), conducted by Maria Foust. Second performance on 21 June 2022 by Paqari Camerata, conducted by Fernando Valcarcel and soprano María Rondón in the Gran Teatro Nacional, Lima.

 

 

Reloj de Amor

For Mezzo-Soprano and Guitar

2010 - 11 minutes

 

Song cycle on Dutch and Spanish poems by Hans Andreus, Jacques Hamelink, Juan Ramón Jiménez, Emilio Adolfo Westphalen.

Commissioned by Duo Cajón with support by the Nederlands Fonds voor Podiumkunsten.

First performance on 26th of February 2010 at Birkerød Contemporary Music Festival, Denmark, performed by Duo Cajón, Carina Vinke (mezzo-soprano) en Jonas Skielboe (guitar).

 

 

Subsequent performances:

2010 - Bibliotheek Den Haag Carina Vinke, Jonas Skielboe.

17 june 2012 - Podiumkunsten Emmakade, Natascha Morsink (mezzo-soprano), Santiago Lascurain (guitar).

 

 

RISA
For Soprano, mezzo-soprano and wind ensemble

2007 - 8 minutes

Scoring: S MS - 2fl cl 2sax hn tp/flug 2tbn tb pf perc e-guit e-bass

 

‘Risa’ from “Memoria del Fuego, los nacimientos” by Eduardo Galeano (Spanish). Written for Orkest de Ereprijs.

First performance on the 1st January 2007 in Theater de Gigant, Apeldoorn. Performed by Orkest de Ereprijs, Wim Boerman (conductor), Lilith Verhelst (soprano) and Inbal Hever (mezzo-soprano).

 


 

Duet

For Soprano, Marimba and small ensemble

2006 - 9 minutes

Scoring: S, perc solo- 2fl(picc/alfl), perc, hp, 2vl, 2vlc, cb

 

On a text by Sappho (Greek).

First performance on 20 April 2007 at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague.

 

La Creación

For Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano and chamber orchestra

2005 - 5 minutes

Scoring: S, MS solo - 1.1.2(bcl).1. – 1.1.1.0. – 1perc hp pf – str (1.1.1.1.1.)

 

"La Creación" from "Memoria del Fuego 1. Los Nacimientos" by Eduardo Galeano (Spanish).

First performance in February 2005, Lantaren/Venster, Rotterdam. Performed by students from the Rotterdam Conservatory (Codarts) conducted by Bas Wiegers.


 

Zeemorgen

Een lyrische voordracht

2003 - 16 minutes

Scoring: mezzo-soprano and piano

 

First performance November 1st 2004, Regentenkamer The Hague. Performed by Leonore Engelbrecht (mezzo-soprano) and Wouter Padberg (piano). On the poem “Zeemorgen” by Jacques Hamelink (Dutch).

 

Chamber Music

 

String Quartet no. 1

Wat stilstaat deelt zichzelf misschien het meeste mee

2007-2019 - 11 minutes

Scoring: 2vn va vc

 

Inspired by a poem by Dutch poet Elly de Waard.  The first part of this piece was commissioned by Mar-Lin Schut (Linneric productions).

First performance during a poetry performance with life music. The first concert performance took place on 3 May 2016, Korzo Theatre, Den Haag and 6 May 2016 in Dokzaal, Amsterdam. Performed by Oerknal! Ensemble: Mariana Hutchinson-Siemers (violin I), Raphaella Engelsberg (violin II), Lidwine Dam (viola) and René van Munster (cello).

 


In 2019 the pieces was expanded and reached its completion. The first performance took place in Orlando Festival 2019 on 11 August 2019 in Rolduc, Kerkrade. Performance by Innsaei Quartet.

 

 

Inhibited

for violin solo

2015 - 4 minutes

 

Solo piece from the music theatre production EICHMANN.

Performed by Tessel Hersbach (violin) on 20 September 2018 at CC Amstel in Amsterdam. Video registration by Marieke Rodenburg/ Philming.

 

 

Movements for Ruperta

2013 - 9 minutes

Scoring: harp and percussion

 

First performance January 17th 2013, Dakota Theater, the Hague. Performed by: Sarah Nichols (harp) and Aldo Aranda (percussion).

 

 

Parallel / Non Parallel, part I, Inalare, esalare

For pipe organ

2013 - 9 minutes

 

Commissioned by Johan Luijmes, Orgelpark, Amsterdam.

First performance on 13 April 2011, Orgelpark Amsterdam performed by Una Cintina (organ).


Subsequent performances:

July 2011 - Leipzig, Conservatory

 

 

Parallel / Non Parallel, part II

For pipe organ

2008 - 10 minutes

 

First performance on 28 July 2008 at the International Organ Festival Haarlem on the Mueller organ in the Sint Bavo Cathedral. Performed by Dorien Schouten (organ).

 



Subsequent performances:

2009 - Westerkerk, Amsterdam (NL)

23 January 2010 - Nicolaikerk Utrecht (NL)

July 2010 - St. Bavo organ, Haarlem (NL)

July 2011 - Conservatory in Leipzig (DE)

27 February 2019 - in St. Salvators Chapel, Sint Andrews (UK)

10 August 2019 - in Rolduc Chapel, Kerkrade (NL)

 

 

Élargie (from: Echo & Narcissus)

For harp solo

2010 - 5 minutes

 

 

De Installatie

For trombone and live electronics (quadraphonic speaker setting)

2010 - 6 minutes

 

Composed for the occasion of the instalment of Lecturer Klaas Molenaar at Haagse Hogeschool (University of The Hague).

First performance performed by Klaas van Slageren and Casper Schipper (live electronic sounds).


 

Huairuro

For guitar

2004 - 7 minutes

 

First performance on 25 April 2005 at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, perfomed by Martijn Buijnsters (guitar).

 

Subsequent performances:

December 2005 - César Quevedo (electric guitar), Lantaren Venster, Rotterdam


 

Marginale Ruimte

For recorder

2000 - 6 minutes

 

First performance on the 1st of November 2000, Karnatic Lab Amsterdam. Performed by Erik Bosgraaf (recorders).

 

Ensemble

 

Lando, lando siempre contigo

2008 - 9 minutes

Scoring: 2 guitars, harp, 2 percussionist, violin, double bass and singer (last movement)

 

Composed as part of my Master’s final exam.

First performance in September 2008 at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague.

 

 

Ruperta is a Landscape

2008 - 9 minutes

Scoring: fl(alto picc) ob cl1(Bflat/Eflat) cl2(bass/saxBar) tr/picc tbn pf 2vl vla 2vc

 

Commissioned by Ensemble Reconsil.

First performance on 16t January 2008 in the Arnold Schönberg Center in Vienna performed by Ensemble Reconsil and Roland Freisitzer (conductor).

 

Een stapje dichterbij de tijdelijke waarheid

2005 - 17 minutes

Scoring: fl/picc cla tp 2perc hp guit pf v vc cb

 

Composed for Bachelor’s final exam of Rotterdam Conservatory (Codarts).

First performance December 2005, Lantaren/Venster Rotterdam. Perfomed by Modelo62, Ezequiel Menalled (conductor).

 

 

Ay! Ruperta

2005 - 6 minutes

Scoring: fl ob guit mand hp perc pf vl vla vc cb

 

Written for Nieuw Ensemble.

First performance 23 April 2005, Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ Amsterdam, performed by Nieuw Ensemble and Arie van Beek (conductor).


Music Theatre, Performance and Dance

 

Het Gouden Haantje

2016

Scoring: violin, viola, cello, Soprano

 

Songs for theatre play Het Gouden Haantje, on texts by Wim Veltman.

 

 

EICHMANN; Muziektheater over de vrije wil

Music theatre on the free will

2015 - 75 minutes

Scoring: harp 1 (soprano), harp 2 (mezzo), 1 percussion, guitar/trumpet (tenor), violin, cello (bariton)

 

Text by Bo Tarenskeen.  Commisioned by De Diamantfabriek with financial support from Fonds Podiumkusten.

First performance on 9 December 2015 at the Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ, Amsterdam. Performed by: Eva Tebbe (harp/vocals), Ekaterina Levental (harp/vocals), Niels Meliefste (percussion/zang), Harald Austbo (cello/vocals), Stijn Vervoort (guitar/ trumpet/vocals) Tessel Hersbach (violin/vocals), Tomer Pawlicki (snare/zang). Production: De Diamantfabriek.

 

Excerpt 'Lied over de Engel' (Song about the Angel).

Performed by Ekaterina Levental (Mezzo-Soprano/ Harp), Eva Tebbe (harp), Tessel Hersbach (violin), Harald Austbo (cello), Stijn Vervoort (gitaar), Niels Meliefste (percussion), Tomer Pawlicki (snare).

 

 

Echo & Narcissus

Theatre based on the myth of Narcissus for actor and harpist

2010 - 35 minutes

 

Concept: Bo Tarenskeen and Maria Alejandra Castro Espejo. Commissioned by De Diamantfabriek.

First performance December 2010, performed by Bo Tarenskeen (actor) and Eva Tebbe (harp).


 

CorpComposition

Contemporary dance with live music

2009 - 40 minutes

 

Concept: Allison Shir, Jorge Tovar (choreography) and Maria Alejandra Castro Espejo (composition).

First performance in dance studio K’dans and Amsterdam. Performed by Allison Shir (dance), Marjatta Fehres  (harp), Jorge Tovar (dance).

 

 

Wave ~ break ~ wave

A music / light installation performance

2007 - 6 minutes

Scoring: recorder, trombone, violin, double bass, electric guitar and mezzo soprano

 

Light design: Floris Schaefer.

First performance 6 January 2008, Korzo Theater in The Hague performed by: ensemble MAE.


Electronic Music

 

Requiem for a man, dying

2006 - 5’30’’

 

Premiere: june 2006, Chassé Theater Breda. Tape piece part of the Music Theater Production final exam of Joost Gevers

 

 

 

Kassa’s, een hoorspel

2006 - 5'36"

 

Premiere: 2 February 2006, Nederlandse Muziek Dagen Vredenburg, Utrecht. Radio play for tape.

 

Chiquian en Holanda

2003 - 10'29"

 

Premiere: November 11th 2003, Lantaren/Venster, Rotterdam.

 

 

Vocal (chamber music and ensemble)

Chamber Music

Ensemble

Music Theatre, Performance and Dance

Electronic Music