BIO
If someone had told this 10-year-old self that one day he would grow to become a composer, he would have said they must be insane. At that time, he really hated all music!
At that age, every schoolchild was expected to learn the basics of playing a plastic recorder, but he could not even manage a scale. Apparently, he was tone-deaf. The teacher showed no mercy, and music would be the only school subject he would ever fail, twice.
At 14, however, he had a much more likeable teacher, David Miret, who rekindled his love of music and eventually discovered that all his difficulties stemmed from a defective recorder.
He grew up in Vilafranca del Penedès (Barcelona province) in a family with neither a musical background nor any particular predilection for classical music. After rediscovering that music could actually be enjoyable, he began piano lessons at 16 with local teacher Assumpta Breda.
At 18, he started commuting daily to Barcelona to study industrial engineering and was forced to abandon all formal musical training. During that period, he began teaching himself music theory from books and made his first tentative attempts at composition at 19. Since then, he has continued autonomously, becoming a completely self-taught composer.
Nowadays, he is based in Barcelona, balancing his passion for composing with his work as an industrial engineering consultant and a university lecturer at his alma mater.
His musical style is rooted in classical forms and proportions, with a strong emphasis on melody. He strives to maintain a balance between emotion and intellectual rigour. He believes that humour is, unfortunately, an oft-neglected aspect of music and enjoys blending “high” and “low” art.
His harmonic language draws inspiration from French Impressionism, Slavic Neo-primitivism, and jazz. Some of his favourite composers include Schubert, Ravel, Bartók, Prokofiev, Poulenc, and Kapustin.
His works have been performed in Europe and the United States, and his YouTube channel has amassed more than 2,600 subscribers. Since 2024, he has also served as a board member of the Association of Catalan Composers.
Recognition (in case you care)
II Composition Competition of Cors Joves de Catalunya (Barcelona, 2020)
- SA choir with piano category: Winner (Op.17/1)
- SATB choir a cappella category: Winner (Op.17/2)
- SATB choir with piano category: Winner (Op.17/3)
- SATB choir with piano category: Honorable mention (Motet Nocte Surgentes)
VII Sant Antoni Composition Competition (Barcelona, 2022)
- Winner (Op.16)
- Selected composer fellow (Op.25)
II Saad Haddad Prize (New York City, 2024)
- Finalist (Op.15)
- Winner (Op.12)
- Finalist (Op.18)
Photographs
PRESS KITS
Albert de la Fuente is a composer from Barcelona (Catalonia, Spain). Born with synesthesia (the ability to perceive colors and sensations when listening to sounds), his music is guided by a strong sense of harmonic color and a distinct focus on melody. While his approach is mainly based on a deep knowledge of the classical tradition, he is also very receptive to modern trends and non-classical influences, including jazz and various folk traditions.
Despite being completely self-taught, since 2020 he has won several international composition awards, participated in masterclasses with renowned musicians, and his music has been performed in Europe and the United States. In 2024 he became a board member of the Association of Catalan Composers.
Albert de la Fuente és un compositor català resident a Barcelona. Dotat de sinestèsia (la capacitat de percebre colors i sensacions en escoltar sons), la seva música es guia per un fort sentit del color harmònic i una important èmfasi en la melodia. Tot i que el seu estil es basa en un profund coneixement de la tradició clàssica, també és molt receptiu a les tendències modernes i a les influències no clàssiques, incloent el jazz i diverses tradicions populars.
Malgrat ser completament autodidacta, des del 2020 ha guanyat diversos premis internacionals de composició, ha participat en classes magistrals amb músics de reconegut prestigi i la seva música s’ha interpretat a Europa i als Estats Units. L’any 2024 esdevingué membre de la junta de l’Associació de Compositors Catalans.
Albert de la Fuente es un compositor residente en Barcelona. Dotado de sinestesia (la capacidad de percibir colores y sensaciones al escuchar sonidos), su música se guía por un fuerte sentido del color armónico y un importante énfasis en la melodía. Aunque su estilo se basa en un profundo conocimiento de la tradición clásica, también es muy receptivo a las tendencias modernas y a las influencias no clásicas, incluyendo el jazz y diversas tradiciones populares.
A pesar de ser completamente autodidacta, desde 2020 ha ganado varios premios internacionales de composición, ha participado en clases magistrales con músicos de reconocido prestigio y su música se ha interpretado en Europa y Estados Unidos. En 2024 se convirtió en miembro de la junta de la Asociación de Compositores Catalanes.