Hugo Morales Murguía

composition | sound art | research 

Mexico / Netherlands

Working the boundaries between traditional instruments, instrumental found objects, performance techniques and technologies, the development of alternative forms of sound generation for music composition is essential in my work. I am interested in approaching traditional instruments as cultural artifacts and inventing instrumental implementations of rudimentary objects; where the role of the musician is taken as a flexible multi-instrumentalist, and overall, a musical performer.

EDUCATION

2007-11     Brunel University, London. Centre for Contemporary Music Practice, "Hacking Traditional Instruments".  Ph.D.  

2007-09     Institute of Sonology, The Hague. Master in Sonology (with Distinction)

2005-07     Royal Conservatory The Hague. Master in Composition

2003-07     Institute of Sonology, The Hague. Bachelor in Sonology (with Distinction)

2002-05     Royal Conservatory The Hague Bachelor in Composition

1998-01     Trinity College London Associate Degree

1998-02     Center of Research and Musical Studies, Mexico City. Bachelor in Composition 

GRANTS & FELLOWSHIPS

2024--26     Sistema Nacional de Creadores de Arte. México

2022-23     The Netherland-America Foundation

2019-22     Sistema Nacional de Creadores de Arte. México

2013-14     Stipendium Compositie, Nederlands Fondspodiumkunsten. The Netherlands

2010-11     Nederlands Fondspodiumkunsten, Ontwikkelingsbeurs. The Netherlands

2008-11     FONCA, Mexican Fund for Culture and Arts. Mexico

2008-09     NUFFIC, Netherlands organization for international Cooperation in higher education. The Netherlands

2008-11     Shortlisted Composer, Sound and Music. United Kingdom

2009-10     Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds. The Netherlands

PRIZES

“Willem Pijper Prize” 2017. The Hague, The Netherlands  

“Grand Prize” Tokyo Experimental Festival 2013. Tokyo, Japan.

“1st Prize” International Forum of New Music 2009. Mexico City, Mexico

“Honorable Mention” International Gaudeamus Music Week  2008. Amsterdam, The Netherlands

“2nd Prize” International Jurgensson Competition 2007. Moscow, Russia

ARTIST RESIDENCIES

2026         East Kowloon Cultural Centre, Hong Kong

2023          Lyseloth Basel, Switzerland

2023           Ensemble for New Music Tallinn. Tallinn, Estonia

2021-22     Instruments Inventors Initiative. The Hague, The Netherlands.

2017-18     Fellowship Schloss Solitude. Stuttgart, Germany

2017           Ibermusicas. Programa de fomento a las músicas Iberoamericanas. Madrid, Spain.

2014          Tokyo Wondersite. Tokyo, Japan

2012          Composer in Residence, Ensemble Modelo62, Nederlands Fondspodiumkunsten. The Netherlands

2012          Residence with the percussionist Diego Espinosa, CMMAS. Morelia, Mexico. 

EMPLOYMENT

2019 -            

Professor of Sound Composition and Creative Technologies, Royal Conservatory of The Hague, The Netherlands.

2019- 2020

Professor of Instrument Development, Royal Academy of Fine Arts / Composition Department, Royal Conservatory. The Hague, The Netherlands      

Biographic Note

After concluding his studies at the Center of Research and Musical Studies (CIEM) in Mexico City, he moves to The Netherlands to continue his postgraduate studies with the support of “The Netherlands Organization for International Cooperation in Higher Education” (Nuffic), NL, “Fondo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes” (FONCA),MX, “Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds” and “Fonds Podiumkunsten” (NL). He holds a master's degree in Music Composition from the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, a master's degree in Sonology (with “Distinction”) from the Institute of Sonology in The Hague, and a PhD degree from the Centre of Contemporary Music Practice (CCMP) Brunel University, London.

His music has been awarded by associations and competitions like:  Mexican Music Council 2003, International Jurgenson Competition 2007 (RU), International Gaudeamus Music Week 2008 (NL), SPNM Shortlisted composer 2008-11 (UK),  International Forum of New Music 2010 (MX) Composition Stipend Fonds Podiumkunsten 2013-14 (NL), “Grand Prize” Tokyo Experimental Festival 2013 (JP), Iberm˙sicas 2017 (ES), Fellow at Akademie Schloss Solitude 2015-17 (DE), Willem Pijper Prijs 2017 (NL) . 

He has been performed and commissioned by ensembles such as: The Arditti Quartet (UK), L'Ensemble Intercontemporain (FR), ASKO|Schoenberg (NL), Ensemble Klang (NL), Modelo62 (NL), CHROMA Ensemble (UK), NeopercusiÛn (ES), Liminar Ensemble (MX), Exaudi Vocal Ensemble (UK), Champd'action (BE), IKTUS Percussion Quartet (US), Talea Ensemble (US), Slagwerk Den Haag (NL), Trio G·man (DK), Studio for New Music Ensemble (RU), Vortex Ensemble (CH), London Contemporary Orchestra (UK), Ensemble MAE (NL), Sur Plus Ensemble (DE), Ascolta Ensemble (DE), Continuum (CA), Versus 8 (MX), and The Black Page Orchestra (AT), Ensemble for New Music Tallinn (EE), among others.



He currently lives in The Hague as a freelance composer and educator.