TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2015–Present New York Jazz Workshop, private instructor composition & piano, New York, NY
2010 Adjunct Jazz Piano Professor, Queens College, New York, NY
2005–2008 Assistant Professor, Ensembles, Advanced Jazz Small Band, Contemporary Styles, Harmony, Advanced Afro-Cuban Jazz Ensemble, Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA
2000–2003 Piano and Harmony Teacher, Taller D’Musics, Barcelona, Spain
MASTER CLASSES
2014 Beyond tones and chord changes in jazz, California Jazz Conservatory, Berkeley.
2013 Fundamentals of Contemporary Jazz Composition, Novi Sad, Serbia
2012 Rhythms and Improvisation workshop, Fundació Can Geli, Girona, Spain
2012 Guest Artist, Percento Musica, Rome, Italy
2011 & 2012 Guest Artist, Royal Academy of Music, London, UK
2011 The Art of Abstract Rhythm and Its Generators, Trinity College, London, UK
2010 & 2011 Guest Artist: Rhythm and Improvisation, University of Albany, NY
2010 Guest Artist, Rutgers University, NY
2006 AfroCuban Jazz, Artist in Residence, Longy School of Music, Boston, MA
2005 Jazz Piano Master Class, Tanglewood Institute, Boston University, MA
2005 The Piano in the Popular Cuban Music, Wichita, KS
2004 The Evolution of Cuban Piano, Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA
2003 AfroCuban Music and its Influences, Nadia & Lili Boulanger Conservatoire, Paris, France
EDUCATION
2016–2018 Vermont College of Fine Arts, Contemporary Classical Composition, MFA
2002–2003 Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA, Jazz Piano
1996–1998 Conservatorio Municipal de Música de VilaSeca, Spain, Piano
1992–1996 Conservatorio Esteban Salas, Santiago de Cuba, Viola
PRIZES AND HONORS
2017 Mid-Atlantic Foundation, US Artist International
2014 Doris Duke Foundation Impact Award
2014 Composers Now Resident Artist
2013 Jerome Foundation Travel and Study Grant
2011 Arranger of the Year 2011, CD “El Cumbanchero,” Latin Jazz Corner
2000 Semi Finalist, International Jazz Piano Competition, Montreux Jazz Festival, Switzerland
2000 Best Jazz Performance, Vic Jazz Festival, Vic, Spain
MEDIA APPEARANCES AND INTERVIEWS
Bayley, Lynn René. An Interview with Aruán Ortiz. The Art Music Lounge. Online. August 10, 2017.
Solothurnmann, Jürg. Aruán Ortiz, Jenseits der restrictiven kategorien (cover interview). Jazz ‘n’ More Magazine. Print. March-April, 2017.
Wood, Beth. Translating life into music. San Diego Tribune. Online and print. August 10, 2016.
Grilli, Gian Carlo. Aruán Ortiz, gagá, tumba francesa e avangarde. Musica Jazz Magazine. Print. June, 2016.
Endress, Gudrun. Aruán Ortiz, Intellectuell, emotionell, originell. Jazzpodium Magazine. Print. May, 2016.
Campagna, Jamila. Aruán Ortiz. Hidden Voices’s Speech. Il Muro Magazine art and visual culture. Online and print. April 3, 2016.
Brady, Shaun. Roots Music. Jazziz Magazine. Print. April 2016.
Wagner, Christoph. Aruán Ortiz, Weiter Horizont. Jazzthetik Magazine. Print. March-April 2016.
Whitehead, Kevin. Ortiz's 'Hidden Voices' Mixes Cuban Strains With Modern Jazz. NPR Radio program Fresh Air. Radio. March 16, 2016.
Lesnicar, Tina. Geometrija, arhitektura in odsevi v glasbi. DELO Magazine. Online and print. March, 14, 2016.
Ackerman, Karl. Aruán Ortiz: Long-overdue recognition. Chicago Jazz Magazine. Online and print. March 9, 2016.
Garelick, Jon. Aruán Ortiz taps art, architecture for jazz expression. Boston Globe. Online and print. February 25, 2016.
Dimino, Joe. A Neon Jazz Interview with NYC Pianist and Composer Aruán Ortiz. Neon Jazz. Radio. February 22, 2016.
León, Tania. ARUAN ORTIZ, Composers Now Interview. Composers Now. Youtube. February 4, 2014.
AFFILIATIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS
2017 The Field
2012 American Music Center
2010 New York Foundation of the Arts
2009 Chamber Music America
2008 SESAC
1996 Sociedad General de Autores y Editores (SGAE), Spain
SELECTED COMPOSITIONS & COMMISSIONS
2018 Living in a midst of a twisted globe for violin, cello and piano
2017 Ogguere (when the soul of the earth dances around spectral motions…) for brass quintet; Pandemonium in clave for Percussion trio and piano
2016 Short Stories for string quartet (premiered at Vermont College of Fine Arts, August 4, 2016)
Nine pieces for piano (Included on the CD Cub(an)ism)
2015 Mutations, music for 2 singers, 2 percussion, cello, marimba, piano and tuba (performed as work in progress at Harlem Stage, February 7)
2015 Inside the rhythmic falls, Commission for Harlem Stage/Composers Now Festival (premier in the season 2016-2017)
2014 Commission for the feature film "Sin Alas," an original score.
Music for 444+1 Creative Musicians, for two alto saxophones, trumpet, voice, cello, guitar, two drum sets, and piano (premiered at Ibeam Brooklyn, as part of the Composers Now Festival).
2013 Textures and Pulsations, for prepared piano and symphony orchestra (premiered by the Albany Community Symphony Orchestra, soloist Bob Gluck, conducted by Aruán Ortiz)
2012 Commission from the University of Albany Symphony Orchestra to write an original score, Collage Variations, for their 2013 concert series
2012 Commission from Decontaminate Rome YOUME Program & Milena Zullo Ballet for the world premiere piece for ballet, Collage, Rome, Italy
2011 Commission from Ballet Folklórico Oyú Oró, to write a score for their world premiere piece, Rezo a Babalú Ayé, New York, NY
2011 Commission from José Mateo Ballet Theater for their 25th Anniversary to write a score, Santiarican Blues Suite for their ballet, "Pagano o No," Boston, MA
2010 Commission from Música de Cámara Chamber Orchestra for the premiere of Perla Marina, for string orchestra, premiered at the Metropolitan Museum, New York, NY
2009 Danzón de Liz, string quintet, piano, percussion and flute, 2009 (Commissioned and recorded by Mark Weinstein 2009)
1995 Danzón para las estrellas, woodwind quintet, Premiered at the Cuban Music Symposium, Kingston
SELECTED RECORDINGS AND PRODUCTIONS
Band Leader
“DUO”, Aruán Ortiz & Don Byron (Intakt) –release date fall 2018–
“Live in Zürich,” Aruán Ortiz Trio (Intakt 2018)
“Cuban Nocturne,” Piano solo (Newvelle Records 2017)
“Cub(an)ism,” Piano solo (Intakt Records 2017)
“Hidden Voices,” Aruán Ortiz Trio (Intakt Records 2016)
“Textures & Pulsations,” (Ictus, 2013)
“Orbiting,” Aruán Ortiz Quartet (Fresh Sound Records, 2012)
“Santiarican Blues Suite,” Camerata Urbana Ensemble (Sunnyside, 2012)
“Banned in London,” Aruán Ortiz Quintet (Whirlwind Productions, 2012)
“Alameda,” Aruán Ortiz Quartet (Fresh Sound Records, 2010)
“Aruán Ortiz Trio, Vol. 1,” Aruán Ortiz Trio (Ayva Música/Universal, 2004)
“Impresión Tropical,” Piano solo (Universal Music, 1996)
Producer / Arranger
“Live in Zürich,” Aruán Ortiz Trio (Intakt 2018)
“Cub(an)ism” (Intakt Records 2017)
“Cuban Nocturne,” (Newvelle Records 2017)
“My songs,” Grete Skarpeid (Neuklang, 2016)
“Hidden Voices,” (Intakt Records 2015)
“Rare Metal,” Francisco Mora-Cattlet & Afro-HORN (AACE, 2014)
“Latin Jazz Underground,” Mark Weinstein, (SOHO, 2014)
“Sin Alas,” original motion picture score (Franklin Film Studios 2014)
“Textures & Pulsations,” Aruán Ortiz and Bob Gluck (Ictus, 2013)
“7 Jardines,” Jazmin Prodan (Fondo Nacional de las Artes, 2013)
“Orbiting,” (Fresh Sound Records, 2012)
“Santiarican Blues Suite,” (Sunnyside, 2012)
“Banned in London,” Aruán Ortiz/Michael Janisch (Whirlwind Productions, 2012)
“Afro-HORN MX,” (The Third Encarnation), Francisco Mora-Cattlet, (AACE, 2012)
“El Cumbanchero,” Mark Weinstein (JazzHead, 2010)
“Alameda,” (Fresh Sound Records, 2009)
“Aruán Ortiz Trio, Vol. 1,” (Ayva Música/Universal/Pimienta, 2004)
“Por tu sonrisa,” Jose Aquiles (EGREM, 1995)
Sideman
“Maroon Cloud”, Nicole Mitchell (expected release 2018)
“Nerve Dance” Michaël Attias (Clean Feed 2017)
“Between the Nothingness and the Infinity,” Nasheet Waits (Laborie Jazz 2016)
“My songs,” Grete Skarpeid (Neuklang 2016)
“Moments of Fatherhood,” Nicole Mitchell + Ensemble Laborintus (RogueArts 2015)
“At the Edge of the Spiral,” AfroHORN (AACE 2015)
“23:54 Get moving,” Biagio Coppa (NFR, 2014)
“IRESI,” Carlos Fernández Averhoff (Inner Circle, 2014)
“Blue Divide,” Rob Derke & NYJazz Quartet (SOHO, 2014)
“Latin Jazz Underground,” Mark Weinstein (SOHO, 2014)
“7 Jardines,” Jazmin Prodan (Fondo Nacional de las Artes, 2013)
“Rare Metal,” Francisco Mora-Cattlet & Afro-HORN (AACE, 2013)
“Phantom Fish,” Sérgio Galvao (Pimienta Music Label, 2013)
“Afro-HORN MX,” (The Third Encarnation), Francisco Mora-Cattlet (AACE, 2012)
“Rise,” Raynald Colom (JazzVillage, 2012)
“Home,” Wallace Roney (HighNote, 2012)
“Woody's Delight,” Steve Turre (HighNote, 2012)
“El meu mundo e oje,” Ligia França (Caligula Records, 2010)
“El Cumbanchero,” Mark Weinstein (JazzHead, 2010)
“If Only for One Night,” Wallace Roney (HighNote, 2010)
“EARchitecture,” Jure Pukl Quartet (Session Work Rec, 2010)
“Paths to Union Square,” Russel Kirk (Inner Circle, 2009)
“Evocacion,” Raynald Colom (JazzVillage, 2009)
“Welcome to the Blues World,” Christoph Seigrist (Fresh Sound Records, 2009)
“Notes on Canvas,” Arturo Stable (Origen Records, 2007)
“Junjo,” Esperanza Spalding (AYVA Music, 2006)
“La Isla de la Música,” Various Cuban Artists (Universal Music, 1996)
“Por tu sonrisa,” José Aquiles (EGREM, 1995)