Ahmed Alom
Photo by Julián De La Chica
Ahmed Alom (pianist, conductor, producer, arranger/composer) is “one of the most versatile artists in the Western Hemisphere” (Diario de Mallorca). His musical voice and vision, combining a classical music background with popular music roots from his home country Cuba, allows him to constantly challenge and create new connections between the music of today.
Alom will be the youngest Artistic Director and Conductor of The Washington Square Music Festival starting January 2024, since its foundation in 1953. He has proven to be an ambassador of inclusive and creative programming, conducting and premiering especially Latin American music.
As a pianist, the New York Music Daily mentions: “Ahmed Alom is understatedly spectacular to watch”.
He has appeared as a soloist with Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Louisville Symphony Orchestra, New World Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta Filarmonica de Mexico, Britt Festival Orchestra, Havana Chamber Orchestra and Academia 1830 Chamber Orchestra (Spain).
His first studio album "Exilio” was released on June 2nd, 2023 under Brooklyn based record label Irreverence Group Music. The album compiled music from six Hispanic composers who wrote in forms of exile, including the music of Luis A. Calvo, and the first complete recording of his “Four Intermezzos” in history.
Acclaimed American pianist Simone Dinnerstein said: "The album... is performed with great sensitivity and compassion... his nuanced sense of touch brings out the humanity and elegance of this music, which deserves to become part of the canon", while celebrated Australian pianist Lisa Moore said: "The album... is performed with elegant phrasing, sumptuous sound, and deep commitment. [Alom] is a wonderful pianist, and his generous focus on composers in exile shines a beacon of light on the plight and struggles of our humanity."
Alom’s commitment in this production, curated by Colombian composer Julian de la Chica, defines a new perspective on modernity and the interpretation of XIX Latin American composers.
“Alom’s modern interpretation of these nineteenth-century works is rooted in a forward-thinking perspective, finding refuge within the piano and transforming prior notions of exile by means of present-day curation and production.” Havana Times
In the upcoming months he will partner with traditional Afro-Cuban superstar Pedrito Martinez, in the creation of CrossCurrents, a dynamic duo that will explore the intersection between the European Classical Tradition and the rooted and rhythmic-rich sounds of the Afro Cuban Culture. Earlier this year he started collaborating with The Pedrito Martinez Group, with whom he has appeared at jazz festivals in Montreal, Newport, Rochester, Cape May, Virginia, Riviera Maya Jazz Fest, Jazz Night in America and Radio WBGO.
His interest in chamber music led him to co-found and join “Triple Cortado” in 2023, with trumpetist Caleb Hudson and trombonist Achilles Liarmakopoulos, both members of Canadian Brass. They have performed and taught masterclasses at Peabody Institute, Scranton University, Lynn University, and most recently at Corpus Christi Chamber Music Series. Their repertoire ranges from works by Bach to Latin American music by Pixiguinha and D’Rivera.
Ahmed also has performed chamber music with the Pedro Giraudo Tango Quartet, Brandon Ridenour, Ruben Rengel, Philippe Quint and Marco Granados, in spaces such as Kaufman Music Center, Orange County Philharmonic Society, Aspect Concert Series, Chamber Music Raleigh, Linton Chamber Music Festival and The New York Flute Competition.
His most recent conducting engagements included the premiere of “La Carmencita” an adaptation of “Carmen” by Bizet, produced and arranged by The Opera Next Door and Pedro Giraudo and performed by The Pedro Giraudo Tango Quartet in September 2023. Most recently, he curated and conducted the Winter Concert of the Washington Square Music Festival 65th Season, performing works by Mozart, Bartok, Britten and Cuban-born composer Guido Lopez Gavilan.
In 2022 he was the Conductor and Keyboardist for the premiere of “Doña Perón”, the first full length ballet commissioned by Ballet Hispanico, choreographed by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa with original music written by Peter Salem. The work was presented at the New York City Center and The Kennedy Center, followed by a PBS Special released in early 2023. “The Washington Post” says: “there are waltzes, smoky tangos, airborne flights in all manner of gasp-inducing brilliance from a splendid ensemble swept into motion by Peter Salem’s lush, agitated music, performed live”.
He also conducted the premiere of Dick Hyman’s Ragtime Clarinet Concerto with Ukrainian soloist Julian Milkis and the Washington Square Festival Orchestra, and conducted the world premiere of “Ante el Viejo Espejo” by Dante Cucurullo, with the Association of Classical Dominican Artists Orchestra.
Alom is deeply interested in new music, and collaborative studio projects. He has been collaborating regularly with visionary artist Steve Hackman, performing in the studio recordings and world premieres of The Brink I and II (Los Angeles), "And I Love Her” (The Argyros, Sun Valley). He was recently featured as a soloist on Hackman’s “Igor DAMN Stravinsky” with Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.
He premiered as a pianist “Tentación” by Dafnis Prieto, dedicated to “People of Earth”, a piece commissioned by New Music USA and conductor Teddy Abrams.
He has also been featured on studio albums like “Impulso Tanguero” (Pedro Giraudo Tango Quartet), “A Dance fo Birds” (Samuel Torres Latin Chamber Ensemble featuring Bergamot String Quartet), and “Doña Peron” (by Peter Salem, commissioned by Ballet Hispanico).
Ahmed is very commited on educational endeavours. He has taught for the Afro-Latin Jazz Alliance Masterclass Series: The Piano in the Cuban Popular Music by Ahmed Alom, and ‘From Ragtime to Danzon” presented at the National Jazz Museum in Harlem.
He has also taught at Penn University, San Francisco Conservatory of Music (Artist in Residency), Darthmouth College, Peabody Institute of Music and Lynn University.
Since his young age, Ahmed was trained in Cuba majoring percussion and piano by Hortensia Upmann, Leonardo Gell, Beatriz Olivera, Mercedes Estevez, Ninowska Fernandez and Svetlana Logounova. He pursued his Bachelor of Music on Piano Performance at the Manhattan School of Music, studying with Dr. Solomon Mikowsky, as an scholarship student of Viola B. Marcus and Flavio Varani Foundations. He won the Maria Clara Cullell Piano Competition( San Jose), The National Chamber Music Competition (Mexico), Munz Foundation Competition (NYC), and the Young Musicians Competition (NYC). He was also a finalist of the Chopin Koszciusko Foundation Competition, and a prize winner of the Liszt/Slatkin Concerto Competition at the Manhattan School of Music.
He was coached by Sylvia Rosenberg, Richard Goode, Robert Levin and Kirill Gerstein, and he is currently studying conducting, counterpoint and composition with Dr. Ford Lallerstedt.