Alex Nante (1992, Buenos Aires, Argentina) is one of the most significant Latin American composers of his generation.
In his work, ranging from solo to orchestral pieces, there persists, on one ha
nd, a nocturnal and dreamlike atmosphere; on the other, an attempt to access a spiritual realm. The influence of Eastern and Western mystical poetry is particularly relevant in his compositions, as canbe seen in several of his vocal pieces.
Alex is the composer in residence of the Orchestre National de Lille for the seasons 2021-22 and 2022-23. The projects of the residence include three new works: an orchestral piece conducted by Alexandre Bloch, a piano concerto for Alexandre Tharaud conducted by Emilia Hoving and a large Mysterium for soloists, choir and orchestra. For the season 2021/2022 he will write an orchestral work for the LA Phil conducted by Gustavo Dudamel and a string orchestra piece for the Haydn Orchestra conducted by Kent Nagano. He is currently a scholarship holder at the Herrenhaus-Edenkoben.
Alex studied with composers Sir George Benjamin, Peter Eötvös, Stefano Gervasoni, Luis Mucillo, Santiago Santero and Daniel D’Adamo and holds diplomas from the Conservatoire de Paris (Prix de composition and Prix d’analyse), the National University of Arts of Argentina, Université Paris 8 and Conservatoire de Reims. He participated in the Mentoring Programme of the Peter Eötvös Foundation and is currently a PhD candidate in King’s College London. In addition to his composing activities, he is a trained guitarist, pianist and conductor.
His music has been performed around the globe in distinguished music festivals and concert halls, such as Teatro Colón, CCK, MÜPA, Liszt Academy, WDR-Funkhaus Köln, KKL Luzern, ElbPhilharmonie, Salle Gaveau and Abbaye de Royaumont. His compositions have been played by the ensembles Musikfabrik, Ensemble Intercontemporain, Accroche Note, Trio à Cordes de Paris, Ensemble of the Lucerne Festival Alumni, soloists of Ensemble Linea, the orchestras Hungarian Radio Symphony, Filarmónica de Buenos Aires, Sinfónica Nacional Argentina, Orchestre National d’Île de France, Sinfonieorchester Basel, Daegu Contemporary Music Orchestra and conductors Peter Eötvös, Jean Deroyer, Francesc Prat, Case Scaglione, Enrique Diemecke, among others.
His recent collaboration with Marianne Piketty and Le Concert Idéal led to the recording of “Le Fil d’Ariane: Locatelli/Nante” (Evidence Classics), celebrated by Le Monde: “each page of our young contemporary is a masterpiece of sensitive diffraction, as intelligently written as deeply felt […].” He currently works as well with the soloists Claude Delangle, Camilla Hoitenga, Lucile Boulanger and Maroussia Gentet.
Alex Nante’s works have won several distinctions and prizes, such as four first prizes in orchestral composition: “Premio Nacional de música sinfónica y de cámara” (2018) and “Île de Créations” (2015) for “La Pérégrination vers l’Ouest”, “Guillermo Graetzer” – SADAIC (2015), for “Tres Sueños Lúcidos” and “Daegu Contemporary Music Orchestra” (2010) for “Fulgor”. His orchestral work “Helles Bild” won the second prize of the “Basel Composition Competition 2019” and his “Estrella de la mañana” won the “Prix de composition de la Fondation Salabert 2020”.
Alex Nante recently composed the film score for Sebastian Alfie’s “Der Kaiser von Atlantis” and Alejandro Fadel’s “Murder Me Monster” (selected in “Un Certain Regard”, Cannes Film Festival 2018), for which he won a prize for best film music in Mar del Plata Film Festival.
His interest in contemporary music led him to cofound in 2010 the “Orquesta amigos de la nueva música” in Buenos Aires and in 2014 the contemporary music ensemble “Écoute” of the Cité Universitaire de Paris. Since 2018 he is the main conductor of Ensemble Awkas.
Alex Nante received the “Gisela Timmermann” grant from the Mozarteum Argentino and the Ibermúsicas grant for composers. He is a laureate of Fondation Banque Populaire, Académie Musical de Villecroze and Académie des Beaux-Arts – Institut de France.
His music is edited by Durand/Universal Music Publishing Classical and Éditions Henry Lemoine.