MARÍA EUGENIA LEÓN

Born in Gran Canaria (Spain), María Eugenia León is an award-winning composer for concert and film music, as well as she has conducting experience. She studied at the  Music Conservatory of the Canary Islands  (Las Palmas of Gran Canaria) where she earned her Professional Music Certificate, specialty of Piano; also, she studied at the University of Gran Canaria where she specialized in Civil Engineering. Subsequently, she received a  European Tour scholarship  from Berklee College of Music (Boston, MA), where she continued her musical studies. Over there she completed a Dual Bachelor’s Degree in Classical Composition and Film Scoring, as well as she obtained a specialization in Orchestral Conducting. She had the honor to receive the Youth Concerts at Symphony Hall Composition Award during her time in Boston.

 

In 2022 she won the Inaugural Orchestral Composition Award for Female Composers from the Canary Islands with her piece “Busca la Alegría”. The premiere went hand in hand with the Gran Canaria Philharmonic Orchestra and Maestro Karel Mark Chichon at the Alfredo Kraus Auditorium. This work was also nominated at the Hollywood Music in Media Awards in the Neo-Classical category and in 2023 was included in the TOP 100 of the European Recording Orchestra Competition. Additionally, it's important to mention the recent collaboration with tenor Manuel Gómez Ruiz, mezzo-soprano Anna Tonna and pianist Isabel Dobarro in the concerts happening at Mendelssohn-Haus and Otto-Braun-Saal (Germany). 

 

During 2021, she premiered her piano piece “Astros” within the concert series Hoy, compositoras organized by SGAE, developed at the Museum of Science and Cosmos of Tenerife and programmed by Marisa Manchado; besides collaborating with her music for the short film “Hourglass” directed by Bara Kim and Chase Yi.

 

María Eugenia León won the second award "Juan José Falcón Sanabria" at the Concurso Internacional de Composición Coral de Canarias (Edition II) with her piece: "Lejos, cerca. Islas Canarias"; this premiered happened at the Pérez Galdós Theater in 2019 with the choir COMCanto. The same year, she also premiered her piece "Oleaje", a commission by the Gran Canaria's Women Band, at the Alfredo Kraus Auditorium, with conductor Pilar Rodríguez.

 

It should be noted her nominations for best film score in the following specialized festivals: Fimucinema (Fimucité), International Sound & Film Music Festival (ISFMF), Jerry Goldsmith Awards and the Hollywood Music in Media Awards. In addition, she obtained the best film score award at the Depth Of Field International Film Festival. Independently from the festivals already mentioned, her film scores have travelled the world: Cannes Short Film Corner, TLC Chinese Theatre, Roma CinemaDoc, Berlin International Cinefest, Woodstock Film Festival, London Film Awards, MiCe Festival, Coolidge Corner Theater, etc.

 

Her collaboration with opera Singer Blanca Valido deserves a special mention, because she won the award at the Singing Competition María Orán, premiering the piece “Duerme” by María Eugenia León. In addition, it’s important to remember the premier of her art song cycle “Nuestros Pequeños” at La Casa-Museo Tomás Morales, opera singers Marina León and Berenice Musa, accompanied by pianist Alberto Manzanares Núñez.

 

Her conducting adventures are related to the Berklee Silent Film Orchestra, Palisades Symphony and her work as assistant conductor and pianist accompanist with the Honor Choir and Elemental Choir (Santa Monica, CA). Although this is the main connection with these choirs, she has collaborated as composer premiering her choral pieces: “El Océano”, “Helios” and “La Paz”. Additionally, she has created the Composition Workshop for high school students at Elemental Music.