My biography
Ricardo Mollá’s music has been premiered by some of the best orchestras in the world. Thus, Los Angeles Philharmonic, performed his Fanfare for a New Beginning under the direction of Tianyi Lu at the Hoollywood Bowl; and the The New York Philharmonic played his piece The Guiding Star at the Wu Tsai Theater, David Geffen Hall (Lincoln Center) in Nueva York.
He studied composition at the Conservatorio Superior de Música Oscar Esplá in Alicante (Spain) with Joan Enric Canet and the Hochschule für Musik, Theatre und Medien Hannover (Germany). He was awarded a scholarship by the Artists’ Society of Spain (AIE) and Foundation JONDE-BBVA to study at the prestigious The Juilliard School of New York where he is pursuing his Master’s Degree in Classical Music. At this school he had the opportunity to study Musical Production and Musical Technology with Greg Kalember and Mari Kimura, respectively.
As a member of the Lucerne Festival Academy Orchestra (Switzerland), Ricardo had access to a numerous amount of conferences, courses and exhibitions about contemporary and electronic music, with masters such as Pièrre Boulez, Péter Eötvös, Philippe Manoury, Tristan Murail, Michael Jarrel and Matthias Pintscher. Moreover, he was invited to the Contemporary Music Festival ManiFeste-IRCAM in Paris (France), where he received tutoring from Heinz Holliger.
This series of influences have shaped his personal style, which is constantly evolving. Modern techniques such as indeterminacy and musical technology coalesce into a style that blends into Neo-Romanticism and jazz. Rhythmic experimentation and melody play significant roles in his works.
He has composed for many different musical ensembles, including solo pieces with and without piano accompaniment, chamber music, music for choir, wind band, and symphony orchestra. Some of his works have been played by musicians from the best orchestras in the world, such as Joseph Alessi (New York Philharmonic), Jörgen van Rijen (Concertgebouw Orchestra), David Rejano (Los Angeles Philharmonic), Pacho Flores (International Trumpet Soloist), Miroslav Petkov (Principal Trumpet of Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra), Riccardo Carvalhoso (Principal Tuba of Munich Philharmonic), Esteban Batallán (Principal Trumpet of the Chicago Symphony), Alberto Menéndez (BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra), etc.
Ricardo has captured a special predilection for the brass in his works. This way, in his repertoire, a wide range of pieces destined to this family, is included. Among them, it is worthy to point out the following compositions: Concerto for two trombones and orchestra, a commission by the International Trombone Festival 2015, performed in its opening by Jörgen van Rijen, Michel Becquet and the Valencia Orchestra; Awakening, for two trombones and orchestra, dedicated and performed by Ian Bousfield, Jeremy Wilson and Cairo Symphony Orchestra; Finisterrai, for trumpet, trombone and orchestra, dedicated and premiered by Esteban Batallán, Alberto Urretxo and the Bilbao Symphony Orchestra (BOS); The Unknown Soldier, for euphonium and windband, dedicated and premiered by Bastien Baumet.
“He is one of the most complete musicians I’ve ever met […] I can say that his talent as a composer is not far from his talent as a trombone player”.
— J. David Rejano (Principal Trombone of the Münchner Philharmoniker).
“Ricardo Mollá Albero is a unique musical talent […] a composer with endless creativity”.
— Jonas Bylund (Trombone Professor at the Hochschule für Musik Theater und Medien Hannover)
“The piece is great! It is beautiful, diverse and challenging and I think it is a big contribution to the repertoire of our instrument”.
— Jörgen van Rijen (Principal Trombone of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra).
In 2019, Ricardo Mollá brought together more than a hundred trombone players (both jazz and classical) around the piece “Pieter’s Song”, dedicated to the PVW Brain Tumor Foundation and Pieter Vance Wyckoff, former bass trombone of Hong Kong Philharmonic who unfortunately passed away due to this terrible disease. This piece aimed to raise awareness of brain tumors in the community and provide support to those affected by brain tumors.
Among other upcoming projects, it is worthy to point out a Concerto for tuba and orchestra, dedicated to Carol Jansch, Principal Tuba of the Philadelphia Orchestra; and a Concerto for bass trombone and orchestra, dedicated to Martin Schippers, bass trombone of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.
Finally, he is usually invited as a guest conductor in different windbands and orchestras all around the world. In this sense, he has conducted several soloists such as Miroslav Petkov (Principal Trumpet of Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra), Perry Hoogendijk (Principal Tuba of Royal Concergebouw Orchestra), Constantin Hartwig (Principal Tuba of the Staatskapelle Dresden), Alberto Menéndez (Principal Horn of BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra), Felix Klieser (international horn soloist), Selina Ott (Trumpet Winner of the ARD Munich Competition), Kris Garfitt (Trombone Winner of the ARD Munich Competition), etc.
He is currently part of the Sociedad General de Autores y Editores (SGAE), organization which is in charge of protecting his compositions and musical arrangements’ rights at a national and international level. His music and arrangements are available at www.ricardomolla.com.
