Born: 1953, Vega Baja, Puerto Rico

"I love painting. If I were not a composer, I would be a painter. For example, I love Bosch and Turner, as well as Kandinsky. Anything with great color and fantastic imagery will call my attention."

After studies in Puerto Rico, ROBERTO SIERRA continued his education in England and Germany, and he then worked with György Ligeti in Hamburg for three years. His break-through piece was Júbilo, which was premiered at Carnegie Hall by the Milwaukee Symphony - he subsequently became that orchestra's composer-in-residence for three years. Sierra calls his fusion of European modernism and Latin American folk elements "tropicalization." He has written a chamber opera and a number of choral works, but is best known for his strikingly orchestrated instrumental compositions, including a number of concertos. Sierra was Composer-in-Residence with the Philadelphia Orchestra during the 2000/2001 season, when his Concierto para orquesta (Concerto for Orchestra) was premiered in February 2001. Since 1992 he has taught composition at Cornell University.