Composer and percussionist Luis Tabuenca was born in Zaragoza, Spain. His music integrates elements from other disciplines, with compositions ranging from opera, installations, sound sculptures, films, ballet, chamber music and solo works.
He studied at the Conservatories of Zaragoza, Barcelona, Amsterdam and the University of California at San Diego with Steven Schick, Philippe Manoury and Mark Dresser, also attending workshops with Tristan Murail, Carola Bauckholt, Rebecca Saunders and Alexander Schubert, among others .
He is celebrated for his incomparable virtuosity, mastery and an extraordinary ability to blend composition and improvisation in his work. He has performed nationally and internationally with his own ensembles, as well with artists such as Peter Veale, Séverine Ballon, Naomi Sato, John Edwards, Hans Tammen, Dafna Naphtali, and Imre Thormann, among many others. The Wire magazine has praised Tabuenca for his instrumental creativity, “Tabuenca’s colourful percussion is involving, beautiful and immaculately sequenced.” The All about Jazz magazine noted that Tabuenca’s music is “full of nuanced drama, arresting tension and vibrant colors”.
As a leader, he has released seven critically acclaimed recordings that feature his work as a composer and percussionist. He has recorded for Mode Records, Aural Terrains, Diatribe, Verso, Sinkro, Naucleshg and Acheulian Handaxe Records. He is co-founder and Artistic Director of the International Experimental Music Festival (FAT) and he has been Artist in Residence at the New York University, Electroacustic Music Days (Portugal), Canterbury University, and the Phonos Foundation, among others.
Tabuenca has received awards and support for his creative projects from the Fulbright Commission, the Ministry of Culture of Spain, Government of Aragon, Institut Ramon Llull and the ICUB from Barcelona. Tabuenca has given lectures and workshops on composition, percussion and improvisation in numerous universities and cultural institutions, such as Goldsmith University, National University of Colombia, American University in Cairo, Bulgaria National Conservatory and New York University.