Biography
Ever since his entry into Spanish cinema in the mid-80s, facilitated by producer Elías Querejeta, Ángel Illarramendi has composed the music for some of the most outstanding films of the last twenty years.
In the field of concert music, he is a leading figure in Spain. Composer of a long list of chamber and choral music, he has composed seven symphonies since 1984. Illarramendi completed his last symphony at the end of 2007. It was recorded with the Warsaw Symphony Orchestra and choir. Further examples of this creative double life are the Chamber Opera commissioned by Euskal Kamara in 1999, Zapatos de Mujer, and the suite Una Historia Reciente, which addresses his need to humanise nature.
Illarramendi has received numerous awards: El Último Viaje de Robert Rylands and Héctor both won the C.E.C. Prize (Círculo de Escritores Cinematográficos – Film Writers’ Circle) as well as nominations for the Goya Prizes, awarded by the Spanish Film Academy. Also from C.E.C. Prizes were nominations for Cuando Vuelvas a mi Lado, Aunque Tú no lo Sepas, and La Buena Nueva, for which he received the prize to the best soundtrack for motion picture by the Film Festival of Toulouse. He has twice been nominated for the Condor prize (Association of Argentinean Critics) for El Hijo de la Novia and Luna de Avellaneda. For his 3rd Symphony he was considered best classical author by the Spanish Music Academy in 2011 and for his 7th, the CD Compact 2009 Prize for the best Spanish music recording of the year.