Horacio Franco

Horacio Franco is a Mexican flautist and recorder player. He studied in the National Conservatory in Mexico City and later in the Sweelinck Conservatorium in Ámsterdam, Holland, today Conservatory of Ámsterdam, with Marijke Miessen and Walter Van Hauwe, where he received the rank of “cum laude soloist”. Franco is a very active musician, who has widely changed the repertoire of the recorder from the traditional forms of medieval, Renaissance music and baroque - including Latin American colonial music - to contemporary, folkloric and popular.Fact|date=March 2008 http://www.horaciofranco.net/

He has an ample repertoire of contemporary music written specially for him by Mexican and foreign composers:
Graciela Agudelo,
Kart Bellinghausen,
Sergio Berlioz,
Sergio Cardinal red,
Daniel Catán,
Jorge Cordova,
Luis Courteous Jaime,
Felipe De Jesus,
Juan Fernando Durán,
Itziar Fadrique,
Maria Granillo,
Rosa Gurayeb,
Rafael Hubberman,
Martha Lambertini,
Ana Lara,
Mario Lavista,
Arming Moon,
Antonio Navarro,
Gabriela Ortiz,
Hilda Paredes,
Rodolfo Ramirez,
Ricardo Risco,
Marcela Rodriguez,
Eduardo Soto Millán,
Salvador Torre,
Eugene Toussaint, and
Michael Wolpe.During his tours through Europe, United States, South America and Israel he has given numerous master classes; in England and the United States he has participated in projects of education, as well as in projects to support marginalized and unprotected sectors of society.

In the beginnings of his career he was founder member of the “Hotteterre Trio”, conformed from 1986 to 1994 with Luisa Durón and Bozena Slawinska, with those who he recorded 2 discs. They offered numerous concerts in all Mexico, participated in Festivals like the Cervantino, Festival of the Historical Center of the Mexico City, Cultural Festival of Sinaloa; abroad they played in Oregon Bach Festival, The Festival Music Society of Indianapolis, in several cities of Belgium and the Festival Europalia 93.Franco was founding director and conductor of the vocal and instrumental ensemble “Cappella Cervantina”, from 1993 to 1998, they made several recordings and numerous tours of concerts in Mexico and several cities of the United States and Europe, where he conducted the The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields in London in 1997. Formed like an academic project within the National Conservatory of Music, Franco formed it as an alternative educational program for barroque and contemporary music, the “Capella Cervantina” released several works especially written for them by Mexican composers and presented versions just transcribed of Mexican colonial works. They offered numerous concerts in all Mexico at the most important Festivals; abroad they appeared in Chicago, in France in the “Festival les Chemines du Baroque” and in several places of the Great Britain.

At the moment he plays with the double-bass player Victor Flores, whose astonishing projects have been: “from the Medieval to the Danzón” and “From Bach to the Beatles”; they have made numerous tours by all the country, abroad they had appeared in Center America, Canada, the United States, Germany, South Africa, China and Japan.The United States:Atlanta, Indianapolis, New York, San Antonio, San Francisco. Canada:Ottawa and Montreal.America center:CD. of Guatemala.Germany:Berlin and Hannover.South Africa:Pretoria, Grahamstown and Johannesburg.China:Beijing, Huludau, Tian-jin, Dalián.Japan:Nagoya in Expo Aichi.With other musicians he has formed camera ensembles generating new forms of presenting the classical music to the public and the very ample resources of his instrument.“Ménage à trois” with Erika Dobosiewicz (violin) and Victor Flores“The good, the bad and the ugly” with José Suárez (harpsichord) and Victor FloresDuets with Fabian Espinosa (harpsichord), Jose Suárez and Asaf Kolertein (cello)Also he is founding director of the “Barroque Orchestra Capella Puebla”, that has been an enormous success in Mexico.

Recordings

He has made numerous recordings:Of old and contemporary music for CDs, radio and television, in Mexico, the United States and Europe. Between these recordings, he has a CD of prosa of the Mexican writer Carlos Monsiváis.
* “Hotteterre Trio”, 1987, Luzam Discs, - no available.
* “Solistas of Mexico” director Eduardo Bush, 1988, - no available.
* “Mexican Music for recorder”, 1991, Cenidim-Quindecim recordings, - on sale.
* “The Folias” Hotteterre Trio, 1992, Peer to them discs, no available.
* “Cappella Cervantina” Horacio Franco director, 1994, Quindecim Recordings, - on sale.
* “Vivaldi Concerti to per Flauto” Horacio Franco and Capella Cervantina, 1994, Quindecim Recordings, - on sale.
* “Contemporary Music of Camera vol.6” Jorge Cordova, 1994, Bartok Study, - there is no information.
* “Concerto For Recorder and Orchestra” Kibbutzim Chamber Orchesta Mordechai Rechtmann- conductor Michael recorded Wolpe-composer live, 1995, Production of the Composer, - no available.
* “Mexican Symphonic Music” Concert for Recorder and Orchestra of Marcela Rodriguez OFUNAM director Ronald Zollman, 1995, Digital Urtext Classics, - on sale.
* “Il Gardellino” Horacio Franco and the Camerana Aguascalientes, 1996, Quindecim Recordings, - on sale.
* “Musica Barroca Mexicana” Cappella Cervantina Horacio Franco director, 1996, Quindecim Recordings, - on sale.
* “The Art of Horacio Franco” Horacio Franco & the Georgian Chamber Orchestra directed by Horacio Franco, 1997, Guild Recordings, - Available in www.amazon.com
* “Carlos Monsiváis and Horacio Franco”, 1997, alive Voice of Mexico UNAM, - there is no information.
* “Musica Barroca Mexicana Vol. 2”. Cappella Cervantina-Horacio Franco director, 1998, Discs K 617-France distributed in Mexico by Quindecim Recordings, - on sale.
* “From the Medieval to the Danzón” Horacio Franco and Victor Flores, 2002, Quindecim Recordings, - on sale.
* “Solo Bach” Horacio Franco, 2004, Quindecim Recordings, - on sale.
* “Sones de Tierra and Nube” with the Band Filarmónica Mixe of the CECAM of Sta. Maria de Tlahuitoltepec, 2005, Xquenda Discs, - on sale.
* “Capella Puebla” director and solista Horacio Franco, 2005, Quindecim recordings, - on sale.
* “From Bach, the Beatles and others more” Horacio Franco and Victor Flores, 2005, Quindecim Recordings, - on sale.

Recognitions

He has obtained several scholarships and recognitions:
*Prize of the British Encyclopedia, 1982, Mexico.
*National prize for the Culture and the Arts, 1989, Mexico.
*Prize of the Union Critics of Theater and Music, 1993, Mexico.
*Prize of the Union Critics of Theater and Music, 1995, Mexico.
*The Mozart Medal, 1995, Austria-Mexico.
*Better interpretation of a contemporary work by the Ministry of Culture of Israel, 1996, Israel.
*“2002 Early Music Award”, 2003, the United States.
*Prize of the Union Critics of Theater and Music, 2004, Mexico.

Participation in orchestras

He has participated like soloist of the main orchestras:
* In Mexico:City of MexicoOr. Camera de Bellas Artes.Or. Symphonic Carlos Chávez.Or. Filarmónica of the City of Mexico.Or. Symphonic of Mining.Or. Symphonic National.Or. Filarmónica of the UNAM.Solistas of Mexico, (1986-1991).In the rest of the countryCamerata Aguascalientes.Or. Filarmónica of Acapulco.Camerata de Coahuila. Or. Symphonic of Aguascalientes.Or. Filarmónica de Hidalgo.Or. Filarmónica de Jalisco.Mixe band of the CECAM, Santa Maria de Tlahuitoltepec, Oax.Or. Symphonic of Oaxaca.Or. Filarmónica de Querétaro.Or. Symphonic of the University of Tamaulipas.Or. Symphonic of Xalapa.

Abroad:
*Germany:Berliner Symphoniker.Dortmunder Philarmoniker.Georgian Chamber Orchestra, Ingoldstat.Orchestra of Camera of the Bavarian Radio, Munich.
*Argentina:Orchestra of Camera “Mayo”, Buenos Aires.
*Canada:Montreal Chamber Orchestra.
*England:Bornemouth Sinfonietta.Hansemuzik, London.Orchestra of the Age of the Enlightenment, London.St. James Baroque Soloists, London.The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, London.The European Community Baroque Orchestra.The European Community Chamber Orchestra.The City of Birmingham Symphony.
*Ireland: Irish Chamber Orchestra.
*Israel:Kibbutzim Chamber Orchestra, TelAviv.
*Italy:Accademia della Magnifica Comunitá.Orchestra da camera Florentina.
*Japan:Tokyo Solisten.
*Czech Republic:Ferenc Liszt Chamber Orchestra, Prague.
*Thailand:Orchestra of the Opera of Bangkok.
*Uruguay:Filarmónica of SODRE, Montevideo.
*The United States:American Classical Orchestra, New York.American Composers Orchestra, New York.Bozeman Symphony.Dallas Symphony Orchestra.Evansville Philharmonic.Kallispel Symphony.Philarmonia Baroque Orchestra, San Francisco.Queen's Symphony, NYC.San Antonio Symphony Orchestra.The Miami Bach Society Chamber Orchestra.
*Venezuela:Symphony orchestra Simón Bolivar, Caracas.

He has appeared in Halls of great importance: Germany:Dortmunder Konzerthaus, Dortmund.Room of the Filarmónica of Berlin.The United States:Carnegie Hall, New York.Cultural Dallas Center.Spivay Hall, Atlanta.England:Birmingham Symphony Hall.Queen Elizabeth Hall, London.Wigmore Hall, London.Japan:Tokyo Bunka Kaikan.Mexico:Palacio de Bellas Artes, City of Mexico.Thailand:Cultural Thai Center, Bangkok.

It has touched with great directors:
Alexander Polianitchko, Alfred Savia, Arthur Fagen, Carlos Miguel Prieto, Christopher Wilkins, Dennis Russel Davies, Eduardo Mata, Francisco Savín, Gabriel Chmura, Guillermo Salvador, Istvan Párkányi, Janos Rola, John Toll, Luis Herrera de la Fuente, Matthew Savery, Mordechai Rechtmann, Nicholas Mc'Gegan, Ronal Zollman, Sergio Cárdenas, Thomas Crawford, Ton Koopman.

He has participated in diverse festivals of Mexico:In Mexico he has appeared in almost all the festivals that are all over the country; the Festival the Cervantino International, Festival of the Historical Center of the City of Mexico, among others.He has conducted several orchestras of great quality:Capella Cervantina, 1993-1998.Camerata of the Filarmónica de Querétaro, 1995.Orchestra of Camera of Morelos, 1995.Solistas Assembles of INBA, 1996.Academy of St Martin in the Fields, 1997.Georgian Chamber Orchestra, 1997.Camerata Aguascalientes, 1998 to 2001.Orchestra of Camera of the University of the State of Mexico, 1999.Orchestra of Camera of Bellas Artes, 2002.Barroque Orchestra Capella Puebla, 2004 -