Michael Colina is a multiple GRAMMY® winning composer and producer based in New York with deep musical roots in his father’s homeland, Cuba. In his works and recordings, Colina embraces classical, jazz and Latin music engaging in a distinctive style that embraces his love for the diversity of his musical influences.
Colina studied composition at the North Carolina School of Arts with Vittorio Giannini, Louis Mennini (brother of composer Peter Mennin) and Robert Ward. He continued studies at the Chigiana in Sienna, Italy with Thomas Pasatieri and Roman Vlad, and was the first recipient of the Vittorio Giannini Memorial Scholarship award.
The Cuban dance rhythms and percussive stylings that infuse his classical and jazz compositions have recently inspired such works as Shadow of Urbano and Cinco Clamas: The Shadow is a musical portrait of Colina’s father with three movements entitled Mambosa, Pavane, and Tango de Tangueros; and Cinco Clamas was commissioned for the Segovia Music Festival in Madrid as a work scored for guitar, acoustic bass, piano and percussion.
“Many of the groups I’m working with want something different from the standard repertoire,” says Colina. “Blending in classical music is no longer forbidden, and performers as well as listeners are excited, challenged and deepened by the creativity and spontaneity that’s occurring now in music.”
His works are published by Bill Holab Music.