Feature: Argentinian composer Martina liviero wins the ASCAP, HERB ALPERT YOUNG JAZZ COMPOSER AWARD

By: Feb. 11, 2020
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MARTINA LIVIERO. The multiple award winner composer, created and leads her own ensemble in New York City. She has just turned to be the first national musician to receive the prestigious ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award.

Originally trained as a classical violinist in Argentina, Martina Liviero travelled to The United States, country in which she resides since 5 years ago, having received a scholarship from Berklee College of music, where she majored in Jazz Composition (Summa Cum Laude). Today, she triumphs in the mecca of Jazz, New York City.

Feature: Argentinian composer Martina liviero wins the ASCAP, HERB ALPERT YOUNG JAZZ COMPOSER AWARD
"A lot of Berklee students are international. It changed my life to be surrounded by people from all over the world who come from different musical traditions and approaches to art. This diversity made me grow. There, I discovered how amazing composition is, and I learned to be a well-rounded professional musician".
Photo credit: Brandon Johnson @allthingsharmony

Recently, the artist who is originally from Ramos Mejía, Buenos Aires, turned into the first Argentinean in receiving the prestigious award for young composers ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award, given to her in the Jazz at Lincoln Center, by the legendary bass player Marcus Miller and the contemporary composer Alex Shapiro.

In 2018, she created her jazz octet, in which she is distinguishes herself as a composer, guitarist and vocalist. She is joined by talented Young performers from the New York City Jazz scene, such as Tom Oren (1st place Thelonious Monk International Piano Competition), Tyrone Allen (Jerry Bergonzi, George Garzone, David Kikovsky, Rodney Green y Jazzmeia Horn), Eviatar Slivnik (Eli Degibri, Avishai Cohen), which whom she writes pieces that combine contemporary jazz with diverse South American rhythms, songwriting and classical chamber music.

Feature: Argentinian composer Martina liviero wins the ASCAP, HERB ALPERT YOUNG JAZZ COMPOSER AWARD
"Leading my group is a fundamental part of my career. The result sounds different when the group knows and rehearses what it wants to communicate. I believe that for most people, it is still hard to see a woman in a place of power and leadership. My gender still bothers: being a woman, a composer, a band leader in charge of every decision, still generates prejudices in the music world and in the jazz scene specifically. It is fundamental that as women, we acquire more confidence to overcome these obstacles".
Photo credit: Shimon Gambourg

With her ensemble, she performed in prestigious venues and jazz clubs along the US, such as Regatta Bar, the Auditorium at the Consulate General of Argentina in New York, Rockwood Music Hall, Lilypad, BPC, Café 939 and Wally's Café, among others.

Nowadays, Martina resides in Brooklyn, where she is producing her first EP. There, she continues to explore composition and arranging with different artists . With her octet, she is about to get a performing residency in a jazz club in New York City.

Other Awards WonMartina won the JEN Young Composer Award (2018), given by the organization Jazz Education Network, award that led her music to be performed by the United States Army Big Band (Army Jazz Ambassadors). She has alsoreceived several distinctions from the Jazz Composition Department at Berklee College of Music, such as the Thad Jones Award (2018) and the Toshiko Akiyoshi Award (2017).



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