Today we’d like to introduce you to Carlos Rafael Rivera.
Carlos Rafael, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
As a kid growing up in Central America, I was always fascinated by the hummable themes of American Movies and Television. The work of Composers such as Jerry Goldsmith (The Great Train Robbery, The Twilight Zone Movie), and of course, John Williams (Star Wars, E.T.) were the soundtrack to my childhood.
I began taking piano lessons when I was six and stopped. When I was eleven, I began to study classical guitar. But as I turned thirteen, Randy Rhoads became the reason I decided to play electric guitar. I remember smiling uncontrollably when I first heard his solo for “Revelation (Mother Earth),” the next to last track on Ozzy Osbourne’s Diary of a Madman album. “The day I am able to play it note by note,” I thought, “I will be an amazing guitarist!” And after a few years, that fateful day came…but something unexpected happened. As soon as I’d nailed the last note in that solo, I was overwhelmed with the realization that I had not written it. Although I had mastered the notes, they were not truly mine. It was then that my attention would gravitate to writing music.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I tell story through music and have worked in both classical and contemporary music genres, receiving from the classical area commissions, and releasing recordings by, and for, major classical artists and labels, along with having orchestral performances in some of the major halls in the United States. In the area of contemporary music, I was signed to a major label, had songs placed in motion pictures as well as television series, and toured throughout the United States. More recently, my endeavors have brought me the fortune of scoring music for motion pictures and television.
Underneath it all, the glue is giving back. I have been a teacher in academia for over twenty years and am currently an associate professor at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music, where I direct both the contemporary music and media writing & production programs. I cannot think of a better platform to share the many mistakes I’ve made over the past few decades in music.
How can artists connect with other artists?
Being a composer, I like being alone for the most part, so I don’t see it as a hindrance. But I can see how you have to get the word out about the work you do. There are many groups and forums on Facebook where you can join and share with other like-minded folks, more importantly, Miami has a thriving art scene that is only a few google searches away from finding events that would suit your interests. I would encourage you to get out there, even if it goes against your nature.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
Please go to http://www.netflix.com/godless and http://www.carlosrafaelrivera.com – they can also follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook under my screenname @composer313.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.carlosrafaelrivera.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: composer313
- Facebook: composer313
- Twitter: composer313
Image Credit:
Anita Andrade
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