Robert Constable - What is Avant-garde Music?

Composer and Mérida resident Robert Constable will talk about composing music in the 21st century, tackling questions like “Am I expressing something through music?” “If so, what and how am I expressing?” “Are human composers necessary any more in a world of AI?” Robert will describe some of the philosophies and techniques he has developed for composition, and play examples of his music. Robert will also talk about the upcoming season of Mérida Clásica Moderna, a series of concerts of avant-garde music that is coming up in February and March at the Centro Cultural Olimpo here in Mérida.

Robert has been composing artistic music for nearly 50 years, and music has been performed worldwide. Educated at the University of South Florida and the Eastman School of Music, he received a Fulbright Scholarship to study with György Ligeti in Hamburg, Germany. From 1993 to 2005, he was active as a director and participant in the BONK Festival of New Music in the Tampa Bay area. Robert was commissioned to compose a brass fanfare to commemorate the opening ceremony of the new Salvador Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida. He has been a member of the Hermitage Artist Retreat since 2019. In 2023, Robert created the Mérida Clásica Moderna festival for avant-garde music, and the first concerts took place in February 2024. He is currently completing the soundtrack for the innovative documentary by Miguel Ventura Herrera, “Encontrando a Felipe Poot”.

MEL Talks are free and open to the public. See the entire season lineup here.