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Born in Neiva (Huila), Alexander Pastrana Sotto is a Colombian pianist, composer, arranger, music producer, and ambassador for the prestigious Nord keyboards.

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He has performed with artists such as Jeff "Tain" Watts, John Benitez, Samuel Torres, Oscar Stagnaro, Luisito Quintero, Francisco Zumaqué, Chabuco, Maria Escobar, Yuri Buenaventura, Carlos Vives, the National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia, the Philharmonic Orchestra of Bogotá , he has collaborated with Big Band Bogotá, Fruko y Sus Tesos, Henry Fiol, Luis Enrique, Charlie Cardona,  Wilfrido Vargas, Willie Gonzalez, Charlie Aponte, Tito Allen, Tony Succar, Ray De La Paz, Ray Sepúlveda, Luisito Carrión, Raulin Rosendo, Little Johnny, Eddie Montalvo, Grupo Zaperoco, Il Divo, Oro Solido the Lucho Bermúdez Orchestra, among others.

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Notable among Alex Pastrana's achievements are captivating shows at renowned venues like Blue Note Sao Paulo, the IX International Music Festival of Cartagena, the XXXII International Piano Festival of Bucaramanga, the VI Mompox Jazz Festival, the XXX International Jazz Festival of Teatro Libre , Jazz al Parque in Bogotá, and Café Bohemia Jazz Club in New York, Terraza 7, Hartford Jazz Festival, among others .

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Alex Pastrana holds a Bachelor's degree in Music (with Honors) from Universidad Javeriana (2019), and a Master's degree in Music (Summa Cum Laude) with a distinguished thesis from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (2023) and Master Degree in Jazz from New Jersey City University.

 

 

Awards and Accolades:

  • Latin Grammy nomination for the album "Chabuco Desde el Teatro Colón"

  • Winner at the XXIV National Bambuco Festival in Pereira (2015)

  • Winner twice (2015 and 2017) of the Young Interpreters series by Banco de la Republica de Colombia.

  • Winner alongside The Bará group at the XXX International Jazz Festival of Teatro Libre (2018)

  • Recipient of the prize from the International Jazz Festival of Teatro Libre, including a Steinway and Sons piano.

  • Recognition from the Order Cacique Timanco by the Departmental Assembly of Huila

  • Winner of the national call to be part of the Big Band Bogotá 2018-2019.

 

Works as a Leader:

  • "Villamil en Jazz: Una Interpretación Creativa" (2015), where Pastrana reinterprets the music of Jorge Villamil Cordovéz through jazz.

  • Released his album as a leader, "Rajando Leña," in 2020, showcasing the convergence of jazz and rajaleña.

  • "Tierra de Promisión: Emprendiendo un viaje a través del jazz" (2021), where Alex Pastrana sets to music the 55 sonnets of José Eustasio Rivera through contemporary music, improvisation, and jazz aesthetics.

 

Works as a Producer:

Alex Pastrana has worked as a producer on albums by artist Maria Escobar, collaborating with internationally renowned artists such as Toquinho, as well as colombian recognized artists like Chabuco, Adriana Lucia, and Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto, among others.

 

As an Arranger:

He has written musical arrangements for concerts with the Bogotá Philharmonic Orchestra in the "Chabuco Filármonico" concert, the National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia, the Departmental Band of Huila, the Big Band Bogotá, Juancho Torres' Big Band, Los Alfa 8, among others.

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Alex Pastrana has been invited as a speaker at various conferences and master classes, including:

• Dialogued Concert: "Rajando Leña: Appropriation of Rajaleña Elements from the Perspective of a Jazz Pianist" (Banco de la República de Colombia).

• "The Contribution of Traditional Music from Huila: Rajaleña to Jazz" (Banco de la República de Colombia).

• "The Music of Luis Alberto Osorio Scarpetta from the Perspective of Jazz" (Banco de la República).

• "Remembrances and Nostalgias Training Program: New Tunes for Cultural Entrepreneurship" (Universidad Surcolombiana).

• "2nd International Symposium on Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and the Orange Economy" (Universidad Surcolombiana).

• "Dialogues with Huilense Literature: Conversation on Two Sonnets from 'Tierra de Promisión' by José Eustasio Rivera: Between the River, Literature, and Music" (Banco de la República de Colombia).

• "2nd Symposium on Musical Interpretation: Introduction to Improvisation Workshop" (Centro Cultural Bacatá).

• Jazz Piano Workshop (Universidad de Cundinamarca).

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