“Composing is Like Giving Birth:”
A Conversation with César Alejandro Carrillo
Photo by Laura Morales Balza
César Alejandro Carrillo is a visionary in the world of choral music, known for his emotionally rich compositions and masterful arrangements. In this insightful interview with one of our favourite composers, we explore his journey—from discovering his love for music as a teenager in Venezuela to shaping the global choral landscape.
With a career spanning over four decades, Carrillo continues to compose, teach, and innovate. As he prepares for his upcoming performance at Venezuela Viva on May 16, 2025, his passion for music remains as strong as ever.
By Jacinto Salcedo
No matter which song Carrillo has written or arranged, every time we sing it, we can't help but say, "It's so beautiful." His music always moves us deeply.
His musical vocabulary mirrors emotions impossible to access through another art form: tenderness, reverence, nostalgia, exquisite harmonies, dynamics, nuances, surprising twists, and a sense of romance and beauty.
Today, we have the incredible privilege of speaking with César Alejandro Carrillo – a true force in the world of choral music. Throughout his career, Cesar has worn many hats: conductor, composer, arranger, and educator. His journey started with formal music studies in the late '70s, and since then, he’s been shaping the choral landscape across Latin America and beyond.
Orfeón Universitario UCV, 2010. Photo by Germán Rojas
As the founder and musical director of many acclaimed choirs, including Cantarte, Bolanegra and the Orfeón Universitario de Caracas, César has led ensembles to international recognition and contributed significantly to the evolution of Latin American choral music. His compositions have won numerous national and international awards, and his music is performed worldwide. Beyond the stage, he’s been an influential teacher, mentoring the next generation of musicians at prestigious institutions.
From conducting workshops in Spain, Costa Rica, and France to serving as a jury member in top international choral competitions, César’s impact on the global choral scene is undeniable. Today, we’re excited to dive into his experiences, inspirations, and the magic behind his music.
Upper Canada Choristers and Cantemos has commissioned Carrillo to compose two songs – La rosa de los vientos (The Wind Rose) with words by Jacinto Salcedo; and El pájaro que espero (The Bird I Await), set to poetry by Laura Morales Balza. We also premiered his major work Missa Sine Nomine (1999/2008) for Canadian audiences in 2012.
Cantarte in concert, 2023
When did you decide to dedicate yourself to music, specifically choral music?
I've always loved music, but it truly captivated me when I was 11 years old. However, it wasn’t until I was 16 or 17 – after singing with some folk music groups (gaitas) in my hometown of Guarenas – that I decided to fully dedicate my life to music. Those groups were mostly vocal ensembles, and I intuitively started arranging vocal harmonies by ear, without any formal knowledge of music.
In your essays about the Venezuelan Madrigals, we get a sense of the nationalist movement and the work of Sojo, Calcaño, and Plaza in collecting, arranging, and harmonizing folk and popular music. Their contributions to Venezuelan choral culture are immense. What does identity mean to you? Do you see yourself as a "Venezuelan" composer? Where do you place your work in the tradition-innovation spectrum?
I consider myself a Venezuelan composer in the sense that I can't deny my country’s musical heritage, my environment’s influence, and the fact that I was born in Venezuela. However, I don’t see myself as a nationalist composer or as someone continuing a specific local aesthetic. While the national aesthetic did shape the early stages of my career, my musical language leans toward a more universal approach because my influences are incredibly diverse, spanning many different styles of music, from classical (especially Renaissance) to jazz, rock, tango and salsa. In that sense, I don’t feel tied to any particular artistic movement.
Photo by Leo Alvarez
Can you tell us about your student-mentor relationship with Modesta Bor? At what age did you study with her? What did you learn from her?
I started studying composition with Modesta when I was 22. But she wasn’t just a teacher—she was an unconditional friend. Beyond all the technical skills she taught me as a composer, she also helped me understand the light and darkness within human nature—our strengths, our flaws, and the deep sensitivity that an artist and creator must have. She was more than a friend; she was almost like my second mother… my "musical mother."
What inspires you? What comes first, the lyrics or the melody?
Most of the time, I compose music based on a text that I choose. The text acts as a trigger, sparking musical ideas that often emerge from the text’s psychology—whether it’s sacred or secular. Sometimes, melodies just pop into my mind unexpectedly, and if I'm lucky, I manage to write them down—though many ideas are lost in the process. More recently, Laura has added lyrics to some of those musical fragments. In fact, a significant number of my recent works are based on her poetry.
Laura Morales Balza
How do you create such beautiful and intricate harmonies? Do you use an instrument, or is it all in your head?
A lot of my pieces begin with a melody that already carries an implicit harmony. I let my imagination run wild, without self-criticism, allowing ideas to flow freely. Then comes the craftsmanship—the process of refining and polishing that raw material. To paraphrase Michelangelo, a melody (or a text) is like a block of stone containing a hidden sculpture; my job is to bring that sculpture to light.
Of course, sometimes "the sculptor’s chisel" doesn’t work as expected, and that’s when craftsmanship comes into play. A true artisan understands their raw material. In most cases, they don't invent; they shape and refine.
This creative process is never the same—it can be smooth, challenging, or a mix of both. It’s like giving birth: sometimes natural, but sometimes requiring forceps or even a C-section!
When I was younger, I played several instruments— (Venezuelan) cuatro, guitar, recorder, quena, charango, mandolin, and percussion. Nowadays, I only play the cuatro and occasionally the guitar (though I’m a bit rusty). I also dabble in the piano.
I should mention that I taught myself to play all those instruments – no one taught me.
However, without a doubt, for many years, my main instrument has been the choir.
What role does sacred music play in your life?
A lot of people assume I’m profoundly religious or that I practice Catholicism in a strict way. But the truth is, I’m not religious in the conventional sense – I don’t follow any specific religion. My connection to sacred music is more spiritual than religious. Many religious texts contain universal truths that resonate across different faiths.
From a purely musical perspective, I feel that sacred music has the power to move anyone, regardless of their beliefs, anywhere in the world. Setting sacred Latin texts to music allows me to express myself in a near-universal language.
Can you tell us about your artistic collaboration with Laura Morales Balza?
Our collaboration has led to the creation of many works. Laura writes incredibly powerful and inherently musical poetry. I feel fortunate and grateful to be able to work with her poetic energy and vision. And I’m sure our artistic journey is far from over!
After 45 years dedicated to choral music and directing 15 choirs, what’s left for you to do?
Of those 45 years in choral music, 34 have been dedicated to Cantarte, my choir since 1991, which I consider one of my most outstanding achievements, and where I’m active to this day.
On the other hand, I haven’t stopped learning. I just finished my master’s degree in Latin American Musicology in December.
I still have many things to do. I plan to continue writing music, making arrangements, doing editorial work, and so forth. I also have a project in development – it’s a book on choral conducting in which I address many aspects that have nothing to do with gestural technique. It looks at those aspects of choral work that are not learned in the academy, but in the arduous daily work with the choir, to achieve a beautiful sound with which to make music in the best possible way.
Cantarte, 2024
Cesar's talent, craft and discipline are fully complemented by his warm demeanour, sense of humour, uprightness and humility. We can't wait to have him with us at Venezuela Viva on May 16th, 2025.
LINKS:
Blog
YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/c/C%C3%A9sarAlejandroCarrillo
Published music
https://beta.jwpepper.com/s?q=cesar+alejandro+carrillo&sort=score_desc&page=0
https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/en/explore?q=cesar+alejandro+carrillo