Rocio Bolanos

EXCITING NEWS!

A recording project between myself, Santiago Díez-Fischer and Daniel Brew which has been in the pipeline for the last 3 years will finally see the light thanks to the generous support of Help Musicians UK! Without them this would not have been possible. Thank you! Super excited!
The album is called “if…” and features 3 new works entitled, if at first it sounded like rain… (for bass clarinet, guitar and tape), if objects are not solid… (for bass clarinet and electronics), and if an enigma came into the room… (for guitar and amplified objects). Besides the unfamiliar instrumentation, the compositional thread which ties these works together is one symbolising a unity between art and humanity. Inspired by the work of Canadian poet, Anne Carson, the titles of these works put their emphasis on the word “if” and how this relates to the potential within human actions, more specifically expressed musically through exploring the potential within each action a performer takes on their instrument. Through defining and restricting ourselves to different sets of parameters specific to each musical work the album embraces a collaborative approach to composition exploring a seemingly unlimited sonic potential from which completed musical works inherently communicate something personal to those involved and unique to the times in which we live.

FURTHER REALEASES

A Thing Made Whole IV by Andrew Greenwald for violin, viola, cello, electric guitar and bass clarinet recorded with my band Distractfold.

Check out my website for exciting events! rociobolanos.com

Bio

Rocío Bolanos is a versatile clarinettist specialising in contemporary and experimental music.
Having emigrated to the U.K. in 2009, Rocio successfully completed her Postgraduate studies at the Royal Northern College of Music with Distinction and has since gone on to complete a  Junior Fellowship and International Artist Diploma supported by Buffet before finally undertaking a specialised Masters programme in contemporary music performance at the Hochschule der Künste, Bern.Rocio has previously worked with the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra, Liverpool Philharmonic and Hallé Orchestra (UK).

Grateful for her education, Rocio is a passionate mentor and educator herself. She is currently part of the teaching staff at the DaCapo Music Foundation in North London delivering 1:1, ensemble and classroom sessions under the Kodaly methodology of music education.

Rocio is a founding member of Distractfold Ensemble. Distractfold, is a group of performers, composers and curators all acting out of shared love, passion and interest in the music and culture of our times. Coming from different continents, backgrounds and having received a diverse education, together they create a nexus of ideas and influences which all contribute towards the ensemble’s unique voice and identity. They perform acoustic, mixed and electroacoustic music and in 2014, Distractfold became the first ever U.K. ensemble to be awarded the Kranichstein Prize for Interpretation at the 47th International Summer Course for New Music in Darmstadt. In 2017 they curated and produced the Cut and Splice Festival, which took place in Manchester for the first time since the festival’s inception. Distractfold has participated in reading sessions and workshops nationally and abroad including ensemble residencies at Brunel University (2014-2017), Harvard University (2016 & 2018), Manchester University (Annually since 2018), Stanford University (2017) and Columbia University (2021). In December 2019 Rocio participated in a week-long Artistic Residency at Royaumont Abbey, France. Looking further ahead the ensemble will be in residence for Future Music 4 at the RNCM in collaboration with PRiSM and the BBC Philharmonic RNCM (2022) and returning to Stanford University early 2023.

Performing regularly both nationally and internationally, recent concerts have included:
Free Range, Canterbury (November, 2021); Sinuston Festival, Germany (October, 2021); reConvert Festival, Denmark (September, 2021); Columbia University virtual Residency, Manchester (June 2021); The New Unusual online album launch, London (May 2021), Iklectik, London (february 2020); Bludenzer Tage Zeitgemäßer Musik, Austria (October 2019);
As well as participating in numerous virtual projects during the COVID-19 pandemic, Rocio initiated her own series of virtual collaborations in the form of remote improv sessions as means by which to bring together composers, musicians and audiences from around the globe at precisely the moment that COVID-19 sought to keep us apart.