Today we’d like to introduce you to Maria Alejandra Quintanilla.
Hi Maria, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My story is laced with moments that have shaped me into who I am. I have been molded by my mother’s courageous choice to leave Peru and seek a better life in America. The resounding tenor of my Abuelito’s voice, the songs he taught me as a child echo in my gut.
Witnessing the transformative journey of my students as they explore their voices in lessons has been a source of profound inspiration. In moments of healing, my husband’s unwavering encouragement has empowered me to explore life and art with a net made of all that I’ve been through and am overcoming.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It hasn’t always been smooth, but it has been crucial to my growth and evolution as an artist and human. No matter the obstacle, I have sat with my deepest pains and made art with it. We all stumble. We all wear scars.
We all question ourselves, but after we’ve sat with these emotions, what do we do with them? Do we allow the challenges to keep us stuck? When we can transform our experiences through expression, we find healing and compassion for the shared experience of being human. We transcend our stories into nutrients for the soul, which is incredibly humbling and empowering.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a transdisciplinary auteur, co-director, and recording artist at W&J Productions (NYC).
I am a Peruvian-born and Los Angeles-raised woman and artist who has produced work in a broad spectrum of styles and settings that stem from spontaneity and experimentation. I sing, write, move, and paint. I am not bound to specialization. My morning tea ritual translates into my way of improvising, exploration of extended vocal techniques spills into my paintings, and my vulnerability when watching a film by Ozu supports my poetry.
I have released two albums as a co-leader with a primary focus on improvisation. Distance Chemistry (2016) is a live recording built upon improvised arrangements of timeless standards and several spontaneous compositions. Breathing Taiwan (2017) is a blend of through composed and spontaneous compositions that tell mythical stories of Taiwanese tribes and hidden traditions.
I have had the privilege of headlining on prominent stages such as the Kinshasa International Jazz Festival in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the International Portuguese Festival in Montreal, Canada, the NAMM Conference in Anaheim, California, and Summerstage in New York’s Central Park, to name a few.
I have participated in various transdisciplinary projects such as Vozes na Névoa (documentary soundtrack), at a volume only you can hear (poetry research and recording), and Portugal: Sonic Paths and Possibilities (commissioned concert presentation by Instituto Camões and the Portuguese Embassy in the United States). My original composition, “Shade of White,” was selected out of 26,000 entries as a 2020 semi-finalist in the International Songwriting Competition.
After living in New York City for eight years, I have come to Miami as a Doctorate of Musical Arts candidate, a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of Miami, and a Henry Mancini Fellow at the Henry Mancini Institute. I also have a thriving private vocal studio of U.S., E.U., and Asia-based students.
I am very proud and humbled by my debut solo project (album + art book), Irrefragible Laws (2023), which explores acoustic/electronic relationships, field recordings, percussion, extended vocal techniques, and spoken poetry while blending elements of jazz, visual artwork, open improvisation, photography, and contemporary classical music.
This project took five years to complete with the love and care of extraordinary artists such as Renato Diz (piano and synths,) José Diogo Neves (engineering, mixing, and mastering,) Pedro Marnoto (photography,) and Lizzie Suh (graphic design). You can find it exclusively on Bandcamp, and I invite you to experience it!
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love the lush greenery all around, the wide winding trees, especially. I love being wrapped in sunlight most days. I love enjoying a delicious whole foods plant-based meal at Love Life Cafe. I love visiting the Butterfly Garden at the Tropical Botanical Garden. I don’t appreciate how aggressively people drive and how congested traffic can get, but I love long walks on the South Beach boardwalk and enjoying a homemade veggie sandwich by the ocean.
Contact Info:
- Website: mariaalejandraquintanilla.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariaqauteur/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariaqauteur
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@wjproductionsllc
- Other: https://wjproductionsllc.bandcamp.com
Image Credits
Pedro Marnoto, Sammy Yonjais, and Savannah Methner
