Abiram Brizuela
of Miami Beach, FL

Description

Abiram Brizuela

Bio 2011

Artistic Director/ Cultural Projects Director / Composer / Musical Director.

Abiram Brizuela was born on March 25, 1984 in Caracas, Venezuela. At the age of 5 he joined the National System of Youth and Children’s Orchestras of Venezuela and from the very beginning occupied the position of principal double bass, first in the Symphonic Children’s Orchestra of Venezuela (www.fesnojiv.gob.ve) and then in the Metropolitan Symphonic Youth Orchestra of Caracas; which at present is internationally known as the Simon Bolivar Symphonic Youth Orchestra.

In his formation as double bass player, received the teachings of maestros, Susan Siman, Milene Zambrano, Felix Petit, and was conducted by Maestros Gustavo Dudamel, Gregory Carreño, Irina Capriles, Ruben Cova and Gustavo Medina among others. In addition, he participated in all the international tours scheduled for the Symphonic Children’s Orchestra of Venezuela until the year 2000. 

In 1996, Abiram Brizuela, along with his friend Edgar Vivas, founded a band Parkas, of which he was the music director, keyboardist, main composer and producer for ten years. Under the guidance of Abiram Brizuela, Parkas reached the most important stages in Venezuela and performed with internationally renowned bands and artists such as Apocalyptica (Finland) or Gerry Weil (Austria), among others. The band took part in top-rated music festivals like Mozartfest, where Parkas played Mozart’s compositions arranged and conducted by Abiram Brizuela with the Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho Symphonic Orchestra.

In 2000, Parkas received an award as the Best Emerging Band and, in 2002, as the Best Alternative Rock Band, in the New Bands Foundation Festival in Caracas. In 2005, Parkas was nominated to the Premios de Metal “hecho en Venezuela” in the categories Best Alternative Rock Band, Best Keydoardist, (Abiram Brizuela) and Best Female Singer (Julibett Sosa). In 2006, the band was nominated to the Urbe Awards.

In 2004, Abiram Brizuela joined the National Department of Symphonic Orchestra Conducting (NDSOC), presided by Maestros José Antonio Abreu and Miguel Angel Monroy. After 6 months as a member, Abiram was invited by Monroy to join the faculty as teacher of the course Acoustics for Orchestra Conducting. While in the DNSOC, Abiram Brizuela conducted the Symphonic Youth Orchestra of Caracas on several occasions. In 2008, Abiram was appointed Musical Director of La Camerata del Sur, a chamber orchestra devoted to the transmission of classic music of South America.

Since 2005, Abiram Brizuela has held administrative positions as production assistant for outdoors events in the Museo del Teclado (FUNDARTE) and as artistic director in the Institute of Scenic and Musical Arts (ISMA) of the Ministry of the People’s Power for Culture.

In 2007, Gaelica, an acclaimed Venezuelan world music band invited Abiram Brizuela to take part, as accordionist, keyboardist and bassist, in the recording of its album I/O; later, in 2009, participated once more in the recording of Gaelica’s most recent album Paz. After the recording of I/O, Gaelica asked Abiram to become part of the fixed line-up of the band during the world tours of the albums I/O and Ibérica y Latina. Gaelica has performed in the most important stages in Latin America and it recently finished a successful tour in England, Ireland, Scotland, Spain, Portugal and the United States of America. Furthermore, Abiram participated as guest musician in the recording of Nana Cadavieco’s album Exposé (2009) and Roque Valero’s album 108kms (2010)

Abiram started his career as composer for scenic arts with the play Ajedrez, un cuento infantil (2007). Thenceforth, he has created the music for a big number of theatrical pieces including Peter Pan, Imagíname, El extraño caso de la mansión Dupín, Marcianos, Lo que dejó la tempestad, Improvisto, Journey to the Center of the Earth  (winner of the Municipal Theater Award 2009 and representative for several international Festivals), Mafiosical, Amantes del Imperio, Composición número 1, El Fantasma de Canterville, Las Aventuras de Súper Energético, Sin pelos en la lengua, Vicios, La Corporación X and Cuentos de Guerra para dormir en paz (winner of the Municipal Theater Award 2008).

In 2008 Abiram was awarded the highest prize given in Venezuela to talented artists in scenic arts, Municipal Theater Award in the category of Best Original Music for the play  Cuentos de Guerra para Dormir en Paz, and in 2009 in the categories of Best Original Music, best theatre play for children and Best Direction for the play Viaje al Centro de la Tierra (journey to the center of the earth).  

In 2008 and 2009 Abiram Brizuela was invited by Irreversible Magazine, an American art publication, to make presentations in Miami, Florida, on occasion of its anniversaries. Also, in those same years, Abiram performed in the USA along with Venezuelan singer and songwriter Jesús Hidalgo.

Abiram Brizuela was appointed Chairman of Fundación Arte del Sur for the term 2008-2010. This foundation is devoted to the divulgation of art and culture throughout South America. Abiram has acted as musical director in the following festivals La féte de la Musique (France), the International Festival of Tango 2009 (Venezuela – Argentina – Uruguay) and the Irreversible 100 Most (USA).

Recently established in the US, Abiram took film scoring classes with Rick Baitz in New York and orchestration courses with Scott Smalley in L.A. among others while he was producing the debut album of the American band Against The Girl and working as a Musical Director for Lifteco Productions.

During 2010 Abiram has directed theater plays for Colombia, Venezuela and Honduras, leading the composition program at Live! modern school of music, working as a composer and producer for the famous producer and Grammy Award Judge, Rodolfo Castillo and is currently one of the volunteer conductors and teacher of the youth symphonic orchestra of the Miami Music Project.