Paul Desenne

Desenne was born on 7 December 1959,[http://www.classicsonline.com/composerbio/Paul_Desenne/ Paul Desenne (b12/07/1959)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160508014308/http://www.classicsonline.com/composerbio/Paul_Desenne/ |date=8 May 2016 }}, Classics Online in Caracas, where he was also raised. In 1977, he was a founding member of the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra, for whom he later became the resident composer. He studied composition for 11 years in Paris.

Desenne's main instrument was the cello.{{cite news | url=https://www.radcliffe.harvard.edu/news/in-news/bean-i-sing | title=History of Coffee Inspires Radcliffe Fellow's Opera | work=Harvard Gazette | author=Corydon Ireland | date=2021-07-15 | accessdate=2023-06-18}} He won first prize in cello performance at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Paris.[https://www.radcliffe.harvard.edu/people/paul-desenne Paul Desenne, 2010–2011 Rieman and Baketel Fellow for Music], Radcliffe Institute After returning from Paris, Desenne joined the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra and was El Sistema's resident composer.[https://www.sphinxmusic.org/composer-paul-desenne Paul Desenne]

In 2002, Desenne took a sabbatical from teaching and performance to concentrate on composition. Desenne's works have been performed in major venues around the world, including Alice Tully Hall at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and Joan and Sanford I. Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. On 4 September 2016, Desenne's work Hipnosis mariposa was premiered at The Proms{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/apr/13/bbc-proms-2016-programme-preview-boulez-berlioz-david-bowie | location=London | work=Guardian | title=The BBC Proms 2016: few surprises, but a solid programme }}[http://www.royalalberthall.com/tickets/proms/proms-2016/prom-67-simon-bolivar-symphony-orchestra-of-venezuela-and-gustavo-dudamel/ Prom 67: Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra and Gustavo Dudamel], Royal Albert Hall by Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra conducted by Gustavo Dudamel.

In 2006, Desenne became a Fellow at Civitella Ranieri Center in Umbria, Italy,[http://www.civitella.org/fellows/fellow/paul-desenne Fellows: Paul Desenne], Civitella Ranieri and was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2009. From 2010 to 2011 he was a Fellow at the Radcliffe Institute at Harvard University.

Desenne was resident composer with FESNOJIV (El Sistema) in Venezuela.[http://www.qlfestival.org/paul-desenne/ Paul Desenne – Venezuela/USA], Quinteto Latino (QL) Latin American Chamber Music Festival He wrote a weekly column on music for the Venezuelan national newspaper El Nacional. In 2015-2016, he was Composer in Residence with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra.{{cite web |last1=Huebner |first1=Michael |title=This Orchestra Has Decided It Won’t Linger In The Past |url=https://classicalvoiceamerica.org/2018/11/05/this-orchestra-has-decided-it-wont-linger-in-the-past/ |website=ClassicalVoiceAmerica.org |access-date=27 May 2023 |date=5 November 2018 |quote= Alabama Symphony composers-in-residence: ... 2015-16 Paul Desenne ... }}

On 20 May 2023, Desenne died from a heart attack in Boston, Massachusetts, at the age of 63.{{Cite news |date=21 May 2023 |title=Falleció el músico y compositor venezolano Paul Desenne |language=es |trans-title=Venezuelan musician and composer Paul Desenne passed away |work=El Nacional |url=https://www.elnacional.com/entretenimiento/fallecio-el-musico-y-compositor-venezolano-paul-desenne/}} His widow Carmen Liliana Rojas Marulanda survives him.

Desenne wrote instrumental music for cello, flute, and combinations of instruments, and wrote an opera based on the story of coffee cultivation. His works include:

• Gurrufío for flute orchestra (1997)
• Solo Flute Sonata (2001)
• "Jaguar Songs" (2002), a sonata for solo celloRondón, Tulio Jose. [http://arizona.openrepository.com/arizona/handle/10150/267912 "Cultural hybridization in the music of Paul Desenne: An integration of Latin American folk, pop and indigenous music with Western classical traditions"]. University of Arizona Campus Repository, 2005.
• "The Two Seasons of the Caribbean Tropics" (2003), a violin concerto
• Guasa Macabra for flute and clarinet (2003)
• Sinfonía Burocratica ed’Amazzonica (2004), a "tropical symphony in five movements"[http://www.gustavodudamel.com/us-en/paul-desenne-s-sinfona-burocratica-ed-amazzonica-prokofiev-3-with-lang-lang-and-la-phil "Paul Desenne’s Sinfonía Burocratica ed’Amazzonica & Prokofiev 3 with Lang Lang and LA Phil"], Gustavo Dudamel, 7 May 2014
• Palenkumbé (2007), an overture incorporating Latin rhythms and folk songs{{cite web |first1=Michael |url=http://www.artsbham.com/on-the-classical-edge-aso-composer-paul-desenne/ |last1=Huebner |title=ASO's Classical Edge: Composer Paul Desenne on Thursday |website=ArtsBham |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160503155553/http://www.artsbham.com/on-the-classical-edge-aso-composer-paul-desenne/ |date=29 February 2016 |archive-date=3 May 2016 |format=Archived by the Wayback Machine }}
• Gran Cacelorazo (2010), a piece for piano, percussion, and strings
• La Revoltosa, two chamber works for clarinet
• Hipnosis Mariposa (2014){{cite news |last1=Hall |first1=George |title=Simón Bolívar SO/Dudamel review – Venezuela's finest on world-class form |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/sep/05/simon-bolivar-symphony-orchestra-venezuela-gustavo-dudamel-proms-2016-ravel-review |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=The Guardian |date=5 September 2016}}{{cite web |last1=Orga |first1=Ateş |title=Prom 67: Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra/Gustavo Dudamel – Desenne’s Hipnosis mariposa, Villa-Lobos’s Bachianas brasileiras No.2, Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé and La valse |url=https://www.classicalsource.com/prom/prom-67-simon-bolivar-symphony-orchestra-gustavo-dudamel-desennes-hipnosis-mariposa-villa-loboss-bachianas-brasileiras-no-2-ravels-daphnis-et-chloe-and-la-valse/ |website=www.classicalsource.com |access-date=27 May 2023 |date=4 September 2016}}
• "Life of Benjamin: a Monkey Symphony" (2015)[http://www.alabamasymphony.org/Classical-Edge-15-16.htm Composer Spotlight: Paul Desenne], Classical Edge, Alabama Symphony Orchestra
• Symphony No. 5 (2016)
• Guasamacabra for orchestra (2018){{cite web |last1=Rabold |first1=Stephan |title=Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela: Gustavo Dudamel conducts Mahler |url=https://www.eif.co.uk/events/simon-bolivar-symphony-orchestra-venezuela-gustavo-dudamel-conducts-mahler |website=Edinburgh International Festival |access-date=27 May 2023 |language=en |date=26 August 2023}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.pauldesenne.com Paul Desenne page.]
• {{discogs artist|Paul Desenne}}
• {{imdb name|1329251}}

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Category:1959 births

Category:2023 deaths

Category:21st-century Venezuelan classical composers

Category:Venezuelan composers

Category:Cellists

Category:21st-century cellists

Category:Musicians from Caracas