Carlos Cordero – New Choral Music Advocacy

Hola, people! I am Carlos Cordero, New Choral Music Advocate, and Choral Composer. If you are looking for my bio, you are in the right place! Why did I write so many bios? Because so many organizations ask me for a different one, so I wanted all options on the table.

If you wonder, my favorite is the first one. If you are looking for third-person bios, they are at the end!

3 sentences bio and Artist Statement

I give (great) hugs : )
I write choral music and words : ))
I advocate for new choral music : )))

Personal Bio

Hola, People! My name is Carlos (Cordero). I give [great] hugs, write choral music and words, and advocate for new choral music 🙂 Yes, I have won awards, yet, that is secondary to the meaningful connections I continue to make in the choral hive. I called my brand “The Happy Choir,” where I share my music, texts, and stories. I am the founder of the New Choral Music Society, a non-profit that advocates for opportunities for new choral music composers, and artistic director of Un/Heard, a TTBB choir that advocates for LGBTQ+ rights through choral music. That’s cool!

Despite my family’s lack of support when I left med school for music, I’ve had the honor to work with wonderful organizations such as Chorus Austin, Salt Lake Vocal Artists, Conspirare, Ensemble Companio, ACDA, and many more! It’s ok! My family came on board with me being a musician— and gay 😉 I just happen to help people in many more ways now.

I am an early bird thanks to my two Chiweenies, Sweet Pea and Olive. I take the morning to take care of myself, whether that’s exercising, working, writing, singing, crocheting, or coding. I am also the Music Director at Central Presbyterian Church where I get to create meaningful moments with awesome people for our congregation in Austin, TX. Now unto food!

I was born in 1992 in Maracaibo, Venezuela. Sounds sexy? It is, especially its food. However, you might have heard there is a terrible humanitarian crisis in my country. Besides eating, I worked at El Sistema as a choral conductor and music educator while getting a BM and MM. Then I moved to Houston to get an MM in Music Composition at the University of Houston where I studied with Dr. David Ashley White and sang under the direction of Dr. Betsy Cook Weber… Choral heaven. If you are in Austin, let’s have some arepas 🙂

Personal (“formal-ish”) Bio in the first person (250 words)

Hola, People! My name is Carlos Cordero. I am a new choral music advocate, composer, hug-giver, and singer with a crazy mind. My passion for new choral music and connecting with others has led me to create meaningful experiences and relationships, including recently writing “Holding Our Breath” with poet Julie Flanders commissioned by ACDA’s Genesis Prize. I love writing music for choirs, which is why I created my brand The Happy Choir. Recent commissions include EXIGENCE, Conspirare, Chorus Austin, Salt Lake Vocal Artists, and Ensemble Companio, among others. I also write for instruments, just less often! My pieces have traveled around the world, including America, Europe, and Asia, allowing me to grow as an artist and collaborate with amazing communities.

I am currently working as a full-time composer, enjoying the journey of connecting with others through choral music, as well as advocating for choral composers and choirs through The Happy Composer Commission Project. Most of my scores are self-published on my website, The Happy Choir. MusicSpoke, Graphite Publishing, Hal Leonard, E.C. Schirmer, and more. I am originally from Venezuela, a beautiful country with delicious food where I was a choral conductor and music educator at El Sistema. I live in Austin, Texas, with my two Chiweenies, Sweet Pea and Olive. I hold an M.M. in Composition from the University of Houston, as well as a B.M. and a Specialization in Composition from Universidad Católica Cecilio Acosta.

Third Person (250 words)

Carlos (b. 1992) is an award-winning composer, including First Place in the International Choral Composition Competition Japan 2018, Vox Populi Winner in the I International Choral Composition Competition Alberto Grau, as well as the winner of the 2017 Chorus Austin Young Composer’s Competition. His passion for new choral music and connecting with others has led him to create meaningful experiences and relationships, including recently writing “Holding Our Breath” with poet Julie Flanders commissioned by ACDA’s Genesis Prize.  Cordero loves writing music for choirs, which is why he created his brand The Happy Choir. Recent commissions include EXIGENCE, Conspirare, Chorus Austin, Salt Lake Vocal Artists, and Ensemble Companio, among others. He also writes for instruments, just less often! His pieces have traveled around the world, including America, Europe, and Asia, allowing him to grow as an artist and collaborate with amazing communities.

He works as a full-time composer, enjoying the journey of connecting with others through choral music, as well as advocating for choral composers and choirs through The Happy Composer Commission Project. Most of his scores are self-published on his website, The Happy Choir. Hal Leonard, Panamusica, and E.C. Schirmer publish some of his scores too.  He is originally from Venezuela, where he got to be a choral conductor and music educator at El Sistema. He currently lives in Austin, Texas, with his two chiweenies, Sweet Pea and Olive. Cordero holds an M.M. in Composition from the University of Houston, as well as a B.M. and a Specialization in Composition from Universidad Católica Cecilio Acosta.