Biography

Puerto Rican composer William Ortiz-Alvarado was raised and educated in the United States, but his Latino identity plays a vital role in his music. Particularly, his experience as a Nuyorican in the 1970’s has informed the aesthetics of his music, which transforms the sounds of the streets into art music. Unique in that respect is the use of what Ortiz calls “sonic and vocalized graffiti”, that are integrated in Ortiz’ instrumental narrative.
His musical studies began at the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico where he studied composition with Héctor Campos Parsi. He received a master’s degree in composition from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and a Ph.D. in composition from S.U.N.Y at Buffalo, where he studied with Lejaren Hiller and Morton Feldman.
Within the last four decades, Ortiz has written over 150 compositions for almost all types of musical instruments; from simple percussion to opera, from chamber to orchestral works.
Among his numerous awards, grants and commissions is the Albert Nelson Marquis LifeTime Achievement Award - 2018, the Unesco Cultural Recognition for Music -2015, the 2001 Latin Grammy Nomination for the Baja California Orchestra’s CD “Tango mata danzón mata tango”, which includes his Guitar Concerto “Tropicalización”. The doctoral dissertation “The Percussion Music of Puerto Rican Composer William Ortiz” by Ricardo Coelho de Souza and “The Influence of Salsa in the Cello Works of William Ortiz” by Paula Santacruz, Ph.D. have been Published.
Ortiz is retired professor of music and humanities and Director of the University Concert Band at the University of Puerto Rico at Bayamón. He also has taught at the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico and is Music Director of the Ateneo Puertorriqueño.
He makes the following statement on his music: “I conceive of music as the ‘vibrant beauty’ of urban life; as the expressions of the cries and shouts of the street – cries and shouts that reflect the thoughts of those who are oppressed, of those who feel. It is my intent to convert the language of the street into a legitimate instrument”