Guillermo Laporta Castillo

Guillermo Laporta Castillo

Spanish flutist, composer, designer, multimedia creator, and entrepreneur based in New York City and Asturias, Spain. Laporta’s artistic work presents multidisciplinary connections between music, theater, dance and video.

CreArtBox

Guillermo is the co-founder, executive director and co-artistic director at CreArtBox, Inc,  a nonprofit arts organization specialize in creating and producing live art performances that seamlessly blend classical and contemporary music with original concepts driven by multidisciplinary collaboration. Its initiatives are designed to support professional artists, encourage the creation of new meaningful work, make world-class performances accessible to everyone regardless of background or economic circumstance, inspire and educate future generations, revitalize local communities, and nurture new ways of human expression.

Distinguished as one of The New Yorker’s “art and music top picks,” This organization celebrates its 10th anniversary season and has solidified its presence as a leading force in the world of classical and contemporary music and a hub of creativity in New York City. With a broad catalog  of performances and innovative collaborations, including chamber music performances, opera, ballet and community project.

Guillermo founded the organization in New York City in 2013 with pianist Josefina Urraca. The CreArtBox’s originated in Europe in 2006 as “Cre.Art Project” founded by  Guillermo Laporta and the clarinetist and performance creator, Tagore Gonzalez.

Festival ADAR

In 2020, he founded The Association for the Development of the Arts in Rural Areas (ADAR) a platform dedicated to cultivating musical projects in rural Spain. Their objectives encompass revitalizing rural areas through internationally impactful cultural projects, bringing music and the arts to these regions, promoting the use of underutilized rural spaces, encouraging rural tourism through cultural initiatives, connecting rural areas with global audiences.

Their flagship project Festival ADAR involves organizing an itinerant arts festival featuring classical music concerts, talks, interviews, conferences, commissions for composers, and the creative work of multidisciplinary artists who transform rural landscapes into visual canvases that harmonize with music.

Creative Career

At the heart of Laporta’s identity lies the concept of the “visual concert.” These multimedia performances intricately weave visual art and theatrical design techniques into the fabric of live classical and contemporary chamber music, enhancing the audience’s auditory experience while respecting the essence of the original musical compositions. These productions envelop the audience in an immersive atmosphere created through innovative lighting and projections.

An  archive or these type of performances can be found at CreArtBox’s website..

Opera/ballet/film creations

  • “Architecture of a Common Man” (2023, Music, dramaturgy, libretto and screenplay) An opera-ballet-film performance that follows the journey of a world-recognized photographer working on a documentary about his own life, aiming to teach others how to be successful. While creating this documentary, he unveils a fascinating retrospective of his life.
  • “Fragile Form” (2022, concept and design): A trilogy consisting of “Equilibrium,” “Rupture,” and “Metamorphosis,” presented as a “visual concert” at Blue Gallery NYC. This immersive experience delves into the fragility of our surroundings, influenced by actions and the passage of time.
  • “Queens Preludes” (2021 music): A multimedia chamber music concert for flute and piano, lasting 40 minutes, presented at Culture Lab, NYC, Madrid and Tokyo.
  • “Two Roads” (2019 Music, dramaturgy and libretto): An opera/ballet production presented at the Culture Lab Theater and the Tank Theater, exploring the genesis of choices and the conscious and unconscious decisions we make in life.
  • “Awave” (2018-2019 music): A solo album accompanied by immersive video presentations, showcased at Ryogoku Monten Hall in Tokyo and Renee Weiler Concert Hall in New York. This work features a collection of nine pieces composed for flute, piano, electronics, and video, inspired by Guillermo’s travels around Europe.
  • “Visuality” (2014-2016 dramaturgy and libretto): A concert/theater production. This piece was presented and funded by the Queens Theater in the Park and supported by the Queens Council on the Arts. It was also presented by ArDsphere in Arlington, Virginia, as part of the 2014 season, with funding from the Spanish Embassy.
  • “Noctum” (2011 dramaturgy): An opera production with music by Marcos Fernandez presented in September 2011 and funded by Audiencia Theater (Soria, Spain), Barakaldo Theater (Bilbao, Spain), and San Francisco Concert Hall (Huesca, Spain).
  • “London “The Show” (2009 dramaturgy): A musical theater production featuring over 100 artists. It combines cinema and live theater with live jazz, drum & bass, Indian, classical music, contemporary dance, acrobatics, video mapping, and narrative. This captivating show celebrates the vibrancy of London and its diverse people. It was presented by Audiencia Theater (Soria, Spain), San Francisco Concert Hall (Huesca, Spain), and Palacio de Congresos (Huesca, Spain).

Flute repertoire development

Deeply committed to expanding the flute repertoire, particularly in chamber music, Guillermo dedicates himself to creating original compositions and transcribing pieces originally composed for other instruments. He has released three studio albums, two of which showcase his original compositions for flute and piano:

  • Debussy & Respighi Violin Sonata (2019) Spotify, Apple Music, Youtube Music
  • AWAVE (2020) Spotify
  • 12 Preludes (2020) Spotify
  • Enrique Granados  – Piano Quintet in G Minor Op.49 (live with CreArtBox))
  • Tatiana Nikolayeva – Trio for flute viola & harp Op​.​18  (live with CreArtBox)
  • Joseph Haydn – Symphony No. 94 Chamber version (live with CreArtBox)
  • J.S. Bach Brandenburg – Concerto No. 5 (live with CreArtBox)
  • Gustav Mahler – Symphony No. 4 Chamber version (live with CreArtBox & Le Train Bleu)
  • CreArtProject I Music by Debussy, Dana Wilson, Anders Nilson & Jennifer Higdon (live with CreArt Project)

Collaborations

He was co-principal flute of the Oviedo Filarmonía Orchestra from 2009 to 2012 and throughout his career as a flutist he has performed a wide repertoire of symphonic, opera and chamber works, with the BBC Orchestra, Orquesta del Principado de Asturias, Le Train Bleu Ensemble, New York International Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfónica de Euskadi, sharing the stage with renowned musicians such as Sir. Roger Norrington, Andrew Litton, Pablo González, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Truls Mørk, Natalia Gutman, The Labèque sisters, Ainhoa Arteta, Jiri Barta or Heinrich Schiff, in prestigious venues around the world including Carnegie Hall or Lincoln Center.

Since 2020 he works as Associate Producer for the Aspect Chamber Music Series an innovative concert experience, known as ‘Music in Context,’ that invites audiences to discover new dimensions of music. Each concert blends refined programming with captivating talks by world-renowned speakers and musicians, transforming traditional recitals into intimate and thought-provoking performances that seamlessly integrate speech and imagery. Aspect Chamber Music Series offers a unique and enriching exploration of the diverse aspects of music, fostering connections among music lovers and performers alike.

Beyond his musical endeavors, Guillermo has ventured into the realms of lighting design, set design, and video artistry, contributing to numerous off-Broadway productions in the United States and Canada such as the opera As One (2018), 8 Million Protagonists (2014), the musical Pedro Pan (2016 and 18) and Painted Alice (2019) among many others. He also worked as a sound designer and composer for virtual reality experiences like Inspirit, Puzzle Rain, The Dreamsons, Alice, Letris or Blupt! With companies like Mozilla, Unboring, Barrabes Internet, and Ivanovich Games.

Awards and Recognition

Guillermo Laporta has garnered several awards and recognitions throughout his career, including honors from the NYSCA, Queens Council on the Arts, The Amphion Foundation, The Ditson Fund, the Promete Foundation, SMA Chamber Music Competition, Caja Madrid Scholarship,  Avaloch Music, Ibercaja Foundation & Monterhermoso Creation Award.

Press Quotes

  • “art and music top picks” (New Yorker)
  • “a new ensemble devoted to multidisciplinary events designed by flutist Guillermo Laporta” (Time Out)
  • “a shocking staging” (El Pais)
  • “you should check out this amazing presentation of Guillermo Laporta’s AWAVE” (Times Ledger)
  • “a unique take on classical music” (Times Ledger)
  • “impeccable sound design by Guillermo Laporta” (Mozvr)
  • “Guillermo Laporta knows how to design for a festival” (Theasy)
  • “an explosion of rhythm, color and sensitivity” (El Diario del Alto Aragon)
  • Directed by Guillermo Laporta the remarkable production fuses together a variety of art forms to create a wholly authentic, visually and aurally compelling experience” (Broadway World)
  • “a full scale set design and a unique visual approach” (I care if you Listen)

Education

Guillermo Laporta’s academic achievements include a Master’s degree in Music Performance from the Royal College of Music in London, UK, in 2010, a Master’s degree in Arts Management from Alcala de Henares University in Madrid, Spain, earned in 2009, and a Bachelor’s degree in Music Performance, also from the Royal College of Music in London, UK, awarded in 2008.

Notable mentors

  • Jaime Martin, flute chamber music and orchestra (Chief Conductor, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra & Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra)
  • Sue Thomas (Principal Flute al London Philharmonic)
  • Paul Edmund Davies (Principal Flute al London Symphony)
  • Miguel Angel Angulo (Principal Flute al Spanish National Orchestra)

 

 

 

SHORT BIO

Flutist, composer, and designer based in vibrant New York City, Guillermo’s notable compositions include the opera/film “Architecture of a Common Man” (2023), the ballet/opera “Two Roads” (2020), the opera “Noctum” (2011), and the musical “London The Show” (2009). Critics have celebrated his work, describing it as “an impressive staging” (EL PAIS), “a totally authentic visual and listening experience,” “a unique take on classical music” (Times Ledger) and “a full-scale set design with a unique visual approach” (I Care if You Listen) and distinguished it as one of The New Yorker’s “art and music top picks”.

Guillermo is the Founder, Executive & Co-Artistic Director of CreArtBox, a music organization located in New York City, celebrated for its artistic innovation, now entering its 10th season. In 2020, he founded Festival ADAR in Spain, dedicated to fostering art in depopulated areas of the country.

Deeply committed to expanding the flute repertoire, particularly in chamber music, Guillermo dedicates himself to creating original compositions and transcribing pieces originally composed for other instruments. He has released three studio albums, two of which showcase his original compositions for flute and piano.

Guillermo has had the privilege of performing with world-class orchestras, including the BBC Orchestra under renowned conductors, gracing prestigious stages such as Carnegie Hall or Lincoln Center, and recording albums for labels such as Warner Music, EMI, and Naxos. Additionally, he served as co-principal flutist of the Oviedo Filarmonia Orchestra from 2009 to 2012. His formative years included studying at the Royal College of Music (2008-2012) under the tutelage of flutist and conductor Jaime Martin.