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Manuel Velazquez is a Composer and Artist, creating Music for Film, Sound Design, and Production Portrait: Ilmė Vyšniauskaitė Manuel Velazquez, Music for Film, is a Composer.

I have a strong connection with music education. Over the years, I've delivered lectures and developed curriculum on composition, music theory, and film scoring for various institutions such as Centro de Creadores Musicales and SAE Institute Mexico in Mexico City. Additionally, I've spoken about the intersection of music and film at Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica (CCC) and at conferences at events like Sound Check Mexico. Through these experiences, I've developed a personalized approach to comprehending the language of music and teaching music theory and composition. The core of my approach revolves around understanding how musical language constructs discourse. This involves describing what is a musical idea, identifying the elements that can be involved in creating one, making a classification of these elements according to how they function within the music language, exploring the multiple ways in which these elements interact with each other, and understanding how to consciously develop musical ideas to construct pieces, songs or improvisations. I've implemented this method in my instruction with private students, using it to create personalized approaches to suit their individual needs, knowledge and abilities, covering subjects like composition, music theory, piano, and guitar. My students have varied backgrounds, ranging from individuals with advanced music degrees to complete beginners. I firmly believe that one doesn't necessarily need extensive theoretical knowledge to create music; rather, there's musical understanding within anyone who has spent years listening to music attentively. Music, along with the experiences and knowledge it brings, is something to be embraced, treasured, and shared. Manuel Velázquez Portrait: Ilmė Vyšniauskaitė

BACK TO TOP CRÍA PUERCOS THE PERFECT FIT TAKEDA PRIMOS KAKĖ MAKĖ: MANO FILMAS YUBAN SUPERVISORES DE NUBES HUELLITA QUÉ IMPORTA CORAZÓN? HORA ZERO SOMOS LA PIEL CRÍA PUERCOS Ehécatl García Original Music, Drama. With the death of her husband and the absence of her son, Esmeralda has lost her interest in life until she regains hope when a piglet comes into her life. PERFECT FIT Meinardas V alkevičius Original music, Sound Design. Family Animation . A short film about a shy boy Patrick, who lives in a children’s home. After a friendly parrot says Hello! to him in the zoo, he becomes obsessed with them, and it makes his life in the orphanage even harder. Despite that, Patrick continues to celebrate his true self. TAKEDA Yaasib Vazquez Colmenares Original music. Documentary . Takeda talks about the universality of the human being seen through the eyes of a Japanese painter that has adopted the ancient Mexican culture, merging in his art two apparently unknown and different worlds. Shinzaburo Takeda arrived to Mexico fifty years ago and has been shaping a great school of art in the city of Oaxaca for three decades, giving to his students not only his pictorial technique, but more importantly helping them discover their true identity, and in that way helping them to live and develop his own art. PRIMOS Federico Gutiérrez Music, Adult Animation. Primos is a story of binaries, leaded by fantastic apes. A tale of two visions of one place. Matter and spirit come together to transform the nature of these apes. KAKE MAKE: MANO FILMAS Meinardas V alkevičius Original music, Sound Design. Children Animation . Kake Make's six adventures, starting at home, will soon expand to various magical corners of the world where she will meet her imagined friends monsters, pirates and even travel to the Tooth Fairy's feast. YUBAN Yaasib Vazquez Colmenares Original music. Documentary . Yuban tells of the transformation of a Zapotec community; it portrays the nostalgia for a way of life that is about to become extinct and the effort of the villagers to keep their culture alive. SUPERVISORES DE NUBES William Aguilar Original music. Drama . Clouds Overseers, a short film produced by the National Corruption Council (CNA) in Honduras and supported by USAID, narrates the agony of patients in a public hospital as they simultaneously watch their oxygen supply dwindle and see government health officials receive praise. HUELLITA Ehécatl García Original music. Drama . Erica is obsessed with drawing with the palms of her hands: paint, paper and fingers are her whole world; but this could be diluted at any time by the world of unsatisfied, fearful and angry adults. ¿QUÉ IMPORTA CORAZÓN? Ehécatl García Original music. Drama . El Mudo, a solitary detective investigates a murder. Alicia is the main suspect, a beautiful woman whose only passion is dancing. The case takes them to a place where love and mystery are no strangers: a Mexico City night club. HORA ZERO William Aguilar Original music. Drama, Adventure.

BACK TO TOP ALBUMS DVYLIKA ABSTRACCIONES INTO MADNESS COMPOSTIONS SEA FOAM TILL I FORGET MY PRESENT ENTITY EACH PAUSE HOLDS THE ECHO OF OUR GESTURES SPIRA MIRABILIS LIFE MOLECULES THE FURIES PLASTICIDADES BOX SE LEVANTA TU VOZ POP MUSIC PROJECTS THE WRITER IS ALIVE POP HESSARG: THE KENDRICK EFFECT MUSIC WHERE THE MUSIC LIES INTERDISCIPLINARY PROJECTS IN ONE PIECE A YEAR OF WAR. SOUND JOURNEY DVYLIKA "Dvylika" is a musical Album inspired by the Lithuanian folk story "Dvylika brolių, juodvarniais lakstančių." It comprises six songs and six instrumental pieces, blending pop with contemporary music methods. Exploring the theme of departure, it delves into various interpretations: departing from places we call home, retreating from our sense of self through life's experiences, and facing mortality. Despite its somber tone, the album infuses hope, as seen in "Hope is a Thing with Feathers," based on Emily Dickinson's poem. It aims to inspire hope in listeners, presenting a multi-layered journey towards empathetic resilience, dignity, strength, and an eye that searches for beauty. Music / Words: Manuel Velázquez Voice: Gina Shee Violin: Lora Kmieliauskaitė Cello: Arnas Kmieliauskas Flute: Greta Pocevičiūtė Clarinet: Ignas Daniulis Piano / Guitar: Manuel Velázquez Recorded at Mama Studios Vilnius Recording Engineer: Vytautas Bedalis, Roberto Becerra Mixing and Mastering : Manuel Velázquez Produced by: Manuel Velázquez, Gina Shee Cover art: Amilcar Rivera Work supported by Lietuvos Kultūros Taryba ABSTRACCIONES "Abstraction is real, probably more real than nature" Josef Albers Abstracciones is a piano solo album , featuring three pieces by different composers and pianists, each of the pieces is a conscious abstraction: of a city, of a poem, of the idea of spirals. Suite de la Ciudad: Mario Santos Cierva Blanca: José Luís Esquivel Argentina Durán Spira Mirabilis: Manuel Velázquez Alex Mercado Produced by José Luis Esquivel, Manuel Velázquez & Rosino Serrano Recording engineer Isaí Araujo Santamaría, recorded at Estudio 13, piano Bösendorfer 290 Imperial Mixed at Estudios Noviembre by Ruben Rodríguez Mastered at Masterhead Lab Mastering by Luis Felipe Herrera. Cover illustration and 3D model - Federico Gutiérrez Cover Design - Genaro Ochoa. With the support of Lietuvos Kultūros Taryba, Centro de Creadores Musicales & Sala de Audio. INTO MADNESS Into Madness is an eclectic musical journey that brings together an array of instruments and styles, including a jazz trio, a string quartet, flute, oboe, and vocals. Seamlessly blending elements of chamber music, jazz, and pop, this record offers a nuanced exploration of the human experience amidst struggles with depression and anxiety. Rather than focusing solely on the clinical aspects of these conditions, Into Madness delves into the personal, introspective realm. It reflects on how these challenges influence our perceptions of ourselves and our lives. Muic and lyrics: Manuel Velázquez, Drums: Stefan Wienken Bass: Jort Terwijn Flute: Pau Vidal, Guitar / Piano: Manuel Velázquez, Oboe: Núria Moreno, Viola: Sergio Alegre, Violin: Aloma Ruiz, Violin: Irene Serrahima, Cello: Andrea Peirón, Voice: Laura Blanco. Recorded at: Rosazul Estudio y Escola Superior de Música de CatalunyaSound Engenieer: Sixto Cámara Mix and Master: Sixto Cámara Producción: Sixto Cámara y Manuel Velázquez SEAFOAM Sea Foam is a collaboration with the Pennsylvania State Viola Quartet, aiming to explore this viola ensemble's intricacies. It began with an invitation to expand the quartet's repertoire, allowing for a deep dive into viola music's unique qualities. Using techniques like timbral extensions, aleatoric writing, and layered melodies, Sea Foam gently evokes the ocean's essence. Each element blends smoothly, inviting listeners to immerse themselves in the tranquil rhythms and dynamic textures reminiscent of the sea's ever-changing landscape. Through their musical journey, the quartet weaves a narrative reflecting the fluidity and depth of their collective expression, capturing the timeless allure of the ocean. Performed by: Andrea Alvarado, Kate Brown, Sam Rothermel, and Taylor Shea. TILL I FORGET MY PRESENT ENTITY The title of this piece is inspired by a line from Emily Brontë's poem "The Philosopher." In the poem, Brontë explores the various and sometimes conflicting ways we search for meaning in our lives and in our finite existence (through reason, faith, or emotion). She suggests that it's senseless to deny that all of these methods play a part in how we perceive and understand ourselves and the world. This piece is a musical attempt to describe the same in music, by using a simple motif and twisting it through different “musical” perspectives, “’til I forget my present entity” reflects our lack of complete control over ourselves and how the ways we perceive, understand, and feel can differ depending on our perspective. And how embracing this lack of total control can lead to a beautiful sense of autonomy, offering a path to make sense of our lives and their finite nature. Premieer in festival Druskomanija 2024, performed by: Agnė Dūkštaitė Malukienė and Ignas Daniulis EACH PAUSE HOLDS THE ECHO OF OUR GESTURES Nothing exists alone. Every single object, action, thought, place, is an integral component of a unified world, where everything is interconnected. Each movement in our universe, either made by choice or by the laws of nature, creates a – sometimes more visible than others – ripple effect that resonates in everything around it. This piece aims to deliberately harness the inherent reverberations of the piano to make an acoustic metaphor of this idea where, in a sort of dancing unison, both pianos would gesture movements and statements that create echoes we can clearly hear and engage with. It is not just about the notes; it's about what those notes stir up. To achieve this, a simple extended piano technique will be employed. Using an object to anchor the lower piano keys, the lower strings are allowed to vibrate freely while performers manipulate the remaining keys, eliciting harmonics and initiating a cascade of resonance and echo. Simultaneously, the resonances of each piano will enhance those of the other, creating a symbiotic relationship of sound, and inviting us to engage with the profound interplay of our shared existence. Premieer in festival Druskomanija 2024, performed by: Marta Finkelštein, Julija Bagdonavičiūtė. SPIRA MIRABILIS Spira Mirabilis is a term attributed to mathematician Jakob Bernoulli, it captures the essence of the logarithmic spiral found throughout nature . Bernoulli's fascination with this geometric marvel led him to request its depiction on his tomb, accompanied by the phrase "Eadem mutata resurgo" (Changed, I resurge the same), reflecting his belief in identity through change. This composition, inspired by Bernoulli's insight, explores the concept of identity amidst transformation. Each movement embodies a unique definition of "Spiral", culminating in a final movement that revisits themes from earlier sections. Through its musical narrative, the piece reflects on the interplay between identity, repetition , and change, offering a personal exploration of these themes while translating geometric concepts into artistic expression. Piano: Alex Mercado Recorded at Sala de Audio Mixing and master Alonso Magaña LIFE MOLECULES Life Molecules is a string quartet, it employs the resource of musical harmonics (that form sound) to portray the wondrous odyssey of molecules (that form matter) transforming into life. Within this piece, we witness the solitary existence of molecules, their gradual interaction, the formation of complex structures, the emergence of life (a melody) , we accompany our molecules through life’s myriad experiences , and also, as the composition reaches its climax, we observe how the alchemy of life concludes, and how the molecules gracefully return to their elemental origins, completing the poetic cycle of decomposition and renewal. Life Molecules: Manuel Velázquez Chordos Quartet: Ieva Sipaitytė, Vaida Paukštienė, Robertas Bliškevičius, Arnas Kmieliauskas. THE FURIES In collaboration with the ensemble "Synaesthesis" and four composers, we crafted music to complement Guy Madden’s film “Cowards Bend the Knee.” Written for: Guitar, Percussion, Double Bass, Tuba, and Saxophone, my piece, “The Furies,” serves as the soundtrack for the film's conclusion, delving into the theme of shame. It underscores the importance of confronting this emotion when reflecting on behavior that evokes remorse . Inspired by the film's storyline, the music endeavors to dignify shame as a catalyst for personal transformation and redemption. It resonates with the ongoing necessity for introspection to foster compassion, recognize privilege, and empathize with the challenges faced by others. Performed by: Pranas Kentra, Simonas Kaupinis, Andrius Rekasius, Arminas Bižys, Donatas Butkevičius. Manuel Velázquez / Synaesthesis - The Furies Artist Name 00:00 / 08:14 PLASTICIDADES "Plasticidades" (Plasticities) is a collaboration with woodwind trio "Stereo Cluster" that delves into the concept of identity. Stemming from the understanding that our world is in a perpetual state of change, it emphasizes that when we assign something a name, it signifies its transformation. This opens pathways for fluid musical discourse and serves as a connection to musical composition. Developing a musical idea entails altering it while preserving its core identity. Thus, the language of music inherently acknowledges the constant evolution of the world. Perhaps engaging in the creation and appreciation of music enables us to evolve alongside it, adapting and evolving with each note. Performed by: Mariana Chávez-Lara, Ana Claudia Narváez y Pablo Ramírez BOX "Box" is an Orchestral piece following three different motives inter-relating with each other until they become the same thing, is a cinematic take on orchestra writing looking for minimalist yet effective atmospheres and textures. Music Supervised and Recorded at Escola Superior de Musica de Catalunya by Furius Music Orchestra (FMO) Conductor: Gerard Pastor. Orchestra production: Tomàs Alcaide. Orchestra production: Núria Garcia. Audio Engineer : Sixto Cámara. Manuel Velázquez / Orchesta Furious Barcelona - BOX Artist Name 00:00 / 15:05 SE LEVANTA TU VOZ In collaboration with Iraida Noriega, "Se Levanta tu Voz" is a heartfelt reflection on our bond with the world around us. It nudges the boundaries between ourselves and nature, encouraging us to recognize our place within the greater tapestry of our environment. Music and lyrics: Manuel Velázquez Voice: Iraida Noriega Violin: Karina Cortés Cello: Rodrigo Duarte Produced by: Manuel Velázquez Recording and mixing engenieer: Alonso Magaña Master: Alan García THE WRITER IS ALIVE A LOCK OF HAIR A lock of imbues melancholy with hope . It is also a game of quoting and referencing poetry milestones in pop music: Gilgamesh, Orpheus, Keats, Quevedo, and Alexander Pope all have their place in this song, which was created as a fresh look of old ideas and truths about our human condition as mortal beings. Music & Lyrics: Manuel Velázquez Voice: Elena Gaudiešiūtė Produced by: Manuel Velázquez Recorded at: Boyar Studio Recording engineer: Jaroslavas Bobrovas Mixing engineer: Alonso Magaña Mastering engineer: Alan García Video directed and animated: Federico Gutiérrez, Ink & paint: Andrea Estrada. POP HESSARG They know it. The title track is exceptional: "The Kendrick Effect". The guitar is remarkable, whether by absence or presence. The resonance of the piano, the slow vibratos of the bass, the vocal canon... the pauses... everything. In this band no one suffers for being silent. They know that when they have to sound they will have a necessary and brilliant place in the final picture. If only more musicians understood that. To play is also to be silent. Alonso Arreola Pop Hessarg: Alba Rosas, Paulina Fuentes, Rodrigo Tinajero, Manuel Velázquez, Ruben Limas. THE KENDRICK EFFECT ALBUM It is an EP with five tracks full of air, unhurried and unfeigned. A diaphanous work that, nevertheless, does not renounce sophistication and committed research. "Find Me", the opening track, could have been the last. In fact, one thing we like about it is that it feels like an album in reverse. In it, Pop Hessarg's virtues and gambles are immediately on display: the pursuit of vocals, the solo piano drops, the acoustic sound. "Break Me", in a six by eight metric, integrates the male voice with fortunate results. For its part, "Silver" proposes a careful rhythmic base with well-polished structures. The bass obsessively embroiders each beat of the drums, softening the syncopations. In the tremor of their keyboard float, once again, the words of Paulina and Alba who, if there is one thing they know how to do, it is to change dynamics. The strength is not in the addition but in the subtraction. "Magic Tricks" starts with a piano that anticipates tensions, endowing the track with bittersweet flavours. The triplets that stick to the voice, as well as the ostinato of the drums -almost bells- give us arrangements cooked with love, slowness and rehearsals. We applaud the amplifier at the end. Alonso Arreola Pop Hessarg: Paulina Fuentes, Alba Rosas, Manuel Velázquez, Rodrigo Tinajero, Daniel Rosas. All songs by Manuel Velázquez except: Magic Tricks by Alba Rosas. Guest musicians: Anna Aguirre, Gunther Martinez. Arrangements: Pop Hessarg Produced by Manuel Velázquez Mixing and Mastering: Alan García Cover art: Federico Gutiérrez MUSIC WHERE THE MUSIC LIES ALBUM "Music Where the Music Lies" is Pop Hessarg's second album, drawing inspiration from EE Cummings' poem "r-p-o-p-h-e-s-s-a-r-g" where words transcend their conventional form to craft a visual representation of a grasshopper. The album's essence is encapsulated in its second track, "To rearranginly become," mirroring the poem's exploration of anagrams through a melodic odyssey. In a bold endeavor, Pop Hessarg ventures to amalgamate pop sensibilities with more academic intricacies. From the rhythmic displacements of "Drumroll and a Melody" to the singular harmonic and melodic narrative of "Party and King," and the temporal shifts in "High Today" and "Music Where the Music Lies," the band ingeniously bends the confines of pop music, forging a path to personal and engaging sonic realms. Pop Hessarg: Alba Rosas, Rodrigo Tinajero, Paulina Fuentes, Manuel Velázquez, Daniel Rosas. All songs by Manuel Velázquez (except “Party and King by Alba Rosas). Produced by Alan García and Manuel Velázquez. Recorded at Naranjada Records, Animalito Records and Suno Records in Mexico City. Recording, Mixing and Mastering: Alan García. Cover art: Federico Gutiérrez. IN ONE PIECE All things are related to one another, and the bond is holy, and there is hardly anything unconnected with any other thing. Because things are coordinated together, and they combine to form the same ordered universe. Because there is one universe that consists of all things, and one God who pervades all things, and one substance, and one law, one common reason in all intelligent animals, and one truth. Marco Aurelio The piece In One Piece was created to accompany Amilcar Rivera’s long scale drawing of the same name. The piece, done in collaboration with Roberto Becerra, combines soundscaping with minimalist compositional techniques. Recordings of various people mumbling to themselves fragments of Marco Aurelio’s Meditations (In Spanish, Lithuanian and English) create an unintelligible, slightly rythmical backgound sound upon which short, delicate, and slow progressing hamonic and melodic elements will create an atmosphere upon which the expectator can inmerse to experience the visual work fully. This combined alliteration (of the voice and of the music) create a sound interpretation of what’s happening with the pencil and the paper, in which characters that are seemingly alone (that can’t touch) are sharing a mutual space, and that this mutual space is in a way, an extension of who they are, connecting them and beating in unison with them. Large Scale Drawing: Amilcar Rivera. Musical Composition: Roberto Becerra. Clarinet: Ignas Daniulius. Electronics: Roberto Becerra. Guitar / Piano: Manuel Velázquez. In One Piece Manuel Velázquez / Roberto Becerra 00:00 / 16:40 An electroacoustic spatial composition crafted specifically for the Lithuanian National Drama Theatre. This innovative project emerged from a collaboration between composers Roberto Becerra and Manuel Velázquez, alongside researcher Egle Murauskaitė. The composition draws inspiration from real war data (the attack of Russia against Ukraine), particularly focusing on aspects like territorial loss, international aid, civilian casualties, and more from the initial year of conflict. However, the project took a fascinating turn when Murauskaitė's insights highlighted the challenges of capturing all dimensions of war data accurately. She emphasized that amid the chaos of conflict, certain critical information may go unrecorded or prove unreliable. As a result, the composition evolved to incorporate not only quantifiable statistics but also elements that are currently impossible to measure statistically. These include the profound impacts of war such as city destruction, loss of cultural treasures, psychological trauma, and environmental devastation, including the extinction of plant and animal species. These intangible effects are represented in the sonification through contextual sounds, ensuring that the audience is reminded of the holistic and far-reaching nature of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. A YEAR OF WAR A SOUND JOURNEY Photo: I. Juodytė

One of the most revolutionary concepts conceived by humanity in recent centuries is the notion that only that which undergoes change endures. What is alive exists solely in motion, in a state of flux, of development, of change. This is a common musical idea. It's curious, then, that music hasn't been invoked more frequently in metaphors discussing it. No one speaks of natural evolution as akin to a melody, nor do they liken ecosystem development to symphonies, or equate memory with rhythm. Rarely do we hear the universe described as a crescendo, perhaps destined to repeat itself like the recurring motif of an aria. While the Pythagoreans did describe the firmament as "the music of the stars," their focus was more on enduring stability rather than transient change. In contrast, modern thinkers lean towards emphasizing continual transformation over ultimate stability, a stability they doubt. Manuel Velázquez's music emphasizes the transformations that permanence requires and tells us: to remain constant, everything must embrace change, utilize its plasticity, learn, grow, and mature. But he also understands constant transformation and stability as one and the same, perspectives of a world we inhabit but can never fully grasp, his pieces are sketches of our universe, and his music depicts (and narrates) how this world changes —and how, by changing, it changes us. Francisco Segovia Portrait: Ilmė Vyšniauskaitė Manuel Velázquez, from Mexico City, discovered his music passion early on. After earning a bachelor's degree in "Jazz Composition” and “Guitar Performance" at home, he pursued master's degrees in "Film Music" and "Composition" in Barcelona (ESMUC). Manuel has composed for various ensembles across Mexico, Barcelona, Vilnius, and the United States, and has crafted scores for diverse mediums including film, documentaries, animations, and theater productions. He's also engaged in interdisciplinary projects merging art and poetry. He has edited three albums – "Into Madness," "Abstracciones," and "Dvylika" – and has been involved in projects like "The Writer Is Alive" and "Pop Hessarg”. Currently based in Vilnius, Manuel continues to explore his musical passion as a composer, arranger, and producer, contributing his unique flair to the city's vibrant artistic community.

CONTACT Lukiškių skg. 6, 01108 Vilnius, Lithuania +37069234735 manuelvgd@gmail.com First Name Last Name Email Message Send Thanks for submitting!

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