eddiemora

(1965 | COSTA RICA)

Short version:

From his trajectory in the instrumental field to his incursion into composition and orchestra conducting, Eddie Mora's path has been a constant artistic evolution. Maestro Mora stands out as a contemporary artist, whose multiple artistic projects have set the pace both nationally and internationally.

He recently made his debut as a conductor and composer at the prestigious Kammermusiksaal of the  Berliner Philharmonie in a musical project dedicated to ”Guernica» by Pablo Picasso. 

He currently serves as artistic director of the Heredia Symphony Orchestra (OSH) and as a professor at the School of Musical Arts of the Universidad de Costa Rica.

In 2017, he received the Latin GRAMMY® Award as a conductor. the “Carlos Enrique Vargas” National Award in 2018 and 2022 in the category of Orchestra Conducting, granted by the Ministry of Culture and Youth of Costa Rica.

His catalog of musical compositions totals nearly ninety works.

As guest conductor, Eddie Mora has participated with various orchestras in Latin America, the United States, Spain, Germany and Russia.

His recordings, as composer and director, include more than thirty productions.

Long version:

In 2017, he received the Latin GRAMMY® as conductor, along with the National Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica for the “Best Classical Music Album”. He has also been honored with the National Award “Best Classical Music Album”. «Carlos Enrique Vargas» in 2018 and 2022 in the category of Orchestra Conducting, awarded by the Ministry of Culture and Youth of Costa Rica.

He recently made his debut as a conductor and composer at the prestigious Kammermusiksaal of the  Berliner Philharmonie in a musical project dedicated to ”Guernica» by Pablo Picasso. 

His catalog of musical compositions totals nearly ninety works. As guest conductor, Eddie Mora has participated with various orchestras in Latin America, the United States, Spain, Germany and Russia. His recordings, as composer and conductor, include more than thirty productions.

His trajectory has led him to be nominated as composer and director for the Latin GRAMMY® on several occasions (2014 - 2016, 2018 and 2020 - 2022).

Artistic Director of the Orquesta Sinfónica de Heredia (OSH). With the OSH Mora has recorded an important number of compact discs: Tocatas entre vapores, pájaros y tambores (2024), Ventum (2023), Brujos (2022), COSTA RICA BICENTENARIA (2021), SOLOSH (2019), Ecos del silencio (2018), Fuego (2016), Abstracto (2016), Voces (2015), Heredia (2014), Tiempos (2013), Rompiendo moldes (2012), Retratos (2012) y Caminos (2011).

Professor at the School of Musical Arts of the University of Costa Rica. 

As guest conductor he has participated with the Chamber Orchestra of Württemberg - Heilbronn Germany, the German ensembles Lux Nova - Sinfonietta Vivazza, with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Costa Rica, Russian Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra, Moscow, the Autonomous University of New Mexico Symphony Orchestra (OSUANM), the Carlos Chávez Symphony Orchestra, the Fine Arts Chamber Orchestra (OCBA), the Guanajuato University Symphony Orchestra (OSUG), the Oaxaca Symphony Orchestra (OSO), the Boca del Río Philharmonic (OFBR),  the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra, the University of South Dakota Orchestra, the Minot Symphony Orchestra in North Dakota, la Banda de Conciertos de San José y la Banda de Conciertos de Cartago entre otros.

Resident Conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica (OSN) in the period 2014 - 2015. With this group he recorded in audio the following recordings «Música de compositores costarricenses – Vol. I  y Vol. II» and “Benjamín Gutiérrez, his music”. in a double album. Guest director and artist in residence at The University of South Dakota (2018 - United States).

Mora has participated in different contemporary music festivals, among them the V Leo Brouwer Festival, the Moscow Autumn in Russia, the Havana Festival, the I Latin American Composition Workshop (UNEAC - Casa de las Américas / Cuba), special guest of the XXXI Foro de Música Nueva - Manuel Enríquez in Mexico, the CDMC in Madrid, the Latin American Music Festival in Venezuela, the I Congreso Puertorriqueño de Creación Musical, the Fiesta Iberoamericana de las Artes (Puerto Rico), the V Festival de Música Contemporánea de Morelia and the Festival Darwin Vargas (Chile). 

As a composer, Mora has participated in multiple record productions, which include part of his catalog of works: Haikus (2023), El ruido del agua (2022), La voz del ave (2020), Plegaria (2016), Desde la tierra que habito (2015), Bosque adentro (2014), Mujeres (2012), String Quartets (2012), Opening (2010), Chamber music (2009), Incidental music (2008), Strings music (2007), Music by Eddie Mora (2001), Diálogos (1998), as well as a DVD with the interdisciplinary production Amighetti with the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Costa Rica.

In 2018 he recorded with the Banda de Conciertos de San José (BCSJ). «Punto de encuentro»In 2009, with the Russian Radio and Television Orchestra, he recorded one of his works for the recording project of the Spanish label Verso, which released in 2010 a monographic album entitled Eddie Mora - Chamber Musicboth productions are part of the  prestigious BBVA collection. 

The Quartz Music record label in England released a second monographic album, with its three string quartets performed by the Cuarteto Latinoamericano, “Sula'” with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Heredia and “Bocetos a Yolanda” with the Ensamble Contemporáneo Universitario (ECU). With the Ensamble Contemporáneo Universitario (ECU) and the Carthage Concert Band, he recorded a record production entitled «PERPETUMM»

Member of the Colegio de Compositores de Música de Arte, founder of the Instituto de Investigaciones en Arte (IIARTE) at the Facultad de Artes, as well as of the Seminario de Composición Musical (SCM). Founder of the Ensamble Contemporáneo Universitario (ECU) at the Escuela de Artes Musicales, where he teaches.

He served as Dean of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Costa Rica (2007 - 2015). 

As a composer he has been recognized on several occasions with the “Aquileo J. Echeverría” National Prize in Composition, the “ACAM” Prize (Association of Composers and Musical Authors) of Costa Rica and the “Áncora” Musical Prize (La Nación).

A graduate of the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow, Mora began his musical studies at the Castella Conservatory and at the School of Musical Arts of the University of Costa Rica.