Horacio Contreras has been featured as s soloist with orchestras in his native Venezuela, Colombia, France and the US, including the Simón Bolívar Orchestra, Caracas’ Municipal Orchestra, Virtousi of Caracas, Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho, the Symphony Orchestras from Mérida, Lara, Nueva Esparta, San Cristobal, Lawrence University Symphony Orchestra, the Music Institute of Chicago’s Academy Chamber Orchestra, the Camerata de France and Colombia’s EAFIT Symphony Orchestra. He has performed in festivals and series in the United States, Latin America and Europe including the Casals Festival, Salzburg Festival, Schubert Club, Chopin & Friends Festival in New York, Indiana University’s Salon Latino, Chicago’s Celebración de la Música Latinoamericana, Latin IS America, Celebrated Artist Teachers Series at the University of Denver, and other festivals in Spain, Argentina, Colombia, Brazil, Puerto Rico and Venezuela.

Horacio is passioned about New Music and lesser performed repertoire from Latin America. He has commissioned and premiered works by Latin American composers such as Reinaldo Moya, Carolina Heredia and Luis Ernesto Gómez. He was a founder member of Khemia Ensemble, and is a current member of the Four Corners Ensemble, a Pierrot ensemble that is devoted to the promotion of the music of living composers. He has worked or performed with composers Ricardo Lorenz, Paul Desenne, Reinaldo Moya, Reza Vali, Shuying Li, Derek Bermel, Bright Sheng, Steven Mackey and Paul Schoenfeld, among others.

Horacio is also a member of the all-Venezuelan Reverón Piano Trio, an ensemble devoted to combine the works of Latin American composers with canonic works in their programming.

His orchestral playing has included being principal cello of the Merida Symphony Orchestra (Venezuela), guest principal of the Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra, and guest cellist with the Simón Bolívar Orchestra under Sir Simon Rattle and Gustavo Dudamel.

ABOUT THIS RECORDING

This is the recording of the world premiere of Michael-Thomas Foumai's Wushu Duel for flute and cello. The work was the result of a collaboration with Michael and the flutist Erika Boysen, and it was premiered at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, on April 13th, 2014.

About this recording

This is the recording of the world premiere of Reinaldo Moya's Diaspora for cello and piano. The work was the result of a collaboration with Reinaldo and the pianist Ana Maria Otamendi, and it was premiered in Minnesota’s Schubert Club Courtroom Concerts Series, on May 2nd., 2019.