Maria Quintanilla


Maria Quintanilla is a Peruvian vocalist, composer and producer based in New York City.

Career

Born in Lima, Peru, she emigrated with her family to Los Angeles as a child, where she began her musical studies as a recipient of a scholarship from the Friends of Jazz Inc.
In 2011, she won the Gold Medal at the International Competition of Choral Singing in Spittal, Austria, as part of the Fullerton Chamber Singers Vocal Group.
In 2013, she began her Bachelor's Degree in Music Performance at California State University where she was awarded a scholarship by the Ella Fitzgerald Foundation. She graduated Summa Cum Laude two years ahead of time with the highest honors awarded by the university.
In 2014 she received a DownBeat Music Award as part of Pacific Standard Time vocal group.
In 2015 she moved to New York and began a Master's Degree in Music Performance at State University of New York, once again as a scholar of the Ella Fitzgerald Foundation. In the same year, she recorded the first album of the duo project Renato Diz | Maria Quintanilla at Daniel Concert Hall in Los Angeles, with multi Estonian Music Awards winning engineer José Diogo Neves, entitled "Distance Chemistry", released on New York-based label W&J Productions.
In 2016 "Distance Chemistry" was released at Rockwood Music Hall, with a sold-out box office. Inspired by Renato Diz | Maria Quintanilla's unique musical approach, film director invited them to create a short film inspired by their original composition , since its release "Distance Chemistry" has sold thousands of copies and is currently in its third edition. Later that year, Renato Diz | Maria Quintanilla invited indigenous Taiwanese percussionist Sayun Chang to create their new work. Collectively they composed several chamber pieces inspired by the stories of aboriginal tribes and Taiwanese traditions, this work culminated in an album recording at Tedesco Studios entitled "Breathing Taiwan".
In 2017 she was the recipient of the Thayer Fellowship in Arts for Excellence, Creativity and Talent, she also received the Purchase College Outstanding Graduate Student Award and graduated Summa Cum Laude, with the highest honors personally given by the university's president and New York State Senator Chuck Schumer. During her time at SUNY she had the opportunity to represent Ella Fitzgerald in centennial performances with the Purchase Jazz Orchestra at the Blue Note Jazz Club and Jazz at Lincoln Center. After graduating, she was invited to teach at the State University of New York in the department of Vocal Jazz, an activity that she currently holds parallel to her concert career. In the same year she co-wrote and recorded the soundtrack for the documentary "Vozes na Névoa" along with Renato Diz, directed by Pedro Marnoto Pereira. Also, her duo with Renato Diz was commissioned to create a special work honoring the History of Portugal by ARTE Institute, Caixa Geral de Depósitos and :pt:Fundação Luso-Americana|Fundação Luso Americana. This creation entitled "Portugal: Sonic Paths and Possibilities" contained compositions and original arrangements that explore the deepest origins of Portugal and its influence and ramifications throughout Africa, South America and Asia. After its world premiere at Joe's Pub, they were invited by Instituto Camões to present this creation at the Festival Portugal International de Montreal in Canada.
In June 2018 she performed with Renato Diz trio at one of the most iconic festivals in the world, the Summerstage, in Central Park, where names such as Sonic Youth, Joni Mitchell, Sting, Stevie Wonder and Bobby McFerrin also performed in previous years.
Since the beginning of her musical career, she has had the opportunity to act as a soloist and guest at some of the most important stages and festivals in Europe, North and South America with names like Jon Faddis, John Benitez, Steve Turre, Tia Fuller, David Kikowski, Kyioshi Kitagawa, Marvin Sewell, Jeff Haynes, Mark Peterson, Steve Gluzband, Melvin Lee Davis, Todd Coolman, John Abercrombie, Pete Malinverni and Ingrid Jensen among many others.

Discography

As co-leader