Known for his compelling, expressive and socially aware music, Puerto Rican composer Julio Elvin Quiñones (b. 1996) writes works that are imbued with visceral gestures, intuition and represent every aspect of his identity.
Being inspired by inspiration itself, by the passion it lends people and by the creative spark that turns accidents and pure abstract ideas into incredible feats of pure, honest expression which take many beautiful, visceral forms. Poetry moves me to consider the way in which language can be bent, stretched, expanded, and twisted to depict the most abstract ideas into succinct thoughts and expressions. Fictional literature makes him consider how worlds are built convincingly and how narrative structures are set in motion. Other music, but particularly the music from his native Puerto Rico, serve as a constant reference point when the needs to be authentic and honest in the expressions of his deepest thoughts are felt. It is the sum of all these parts that shape the vision for the music he feels the need to write. In short, writing that which reflects who he is and all the complexities and nuances that this identity brings.
His music has been performed by ensembles like the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico’s Symphony Orchestra and Concert Band, the Young Artists’ Concert Orchestra of Puerto Rico, the Omnibus Ensemble, the JACK Quartet, loadbang, Ensemble Dal Niente, Talea Ensemble and Tacet[i] Ensemble; additionally, he’s also been performed soloists: James Alexander, Hakeem Davison, Katherine Needleman, Joseph Staten, Alyson Kane and Christopher Agnew.
Recent residencies include those in festivals such as Divergent Studio 2021, DePaul Summer New Music Residency 2021, New Music on the Point 2021. In 2023 he was selected as Composer-In-Residence for the Massachusetts International Festival of the Arts 2023-2024 Puerto Abierto Residency with the Victory Players.
Julio studied composition at the Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico with composer/pianist Alfonso Fuentes (B.M.); moved on to study with Michael Hersch at the Johns Hopkins University Peabody Institute, where he was awarded a 2021-2022 Randolph S. and Amalie Rothschild Scholarship, (M.M.) and is currently pursuing doctoral studies at The Graduate Center CUNY, where he was awarded both a Graduate Center Fellowship and a Provost’s Enhancement Fellowship.
Julio Elvin Quiñones | Composer 