Manuel Alcaraz Clemente – Percussionist
Manuel Alcaraz Clemente is a percussionist known for his distinctive voice and dedication to contemporary music. His work spans solo, chamber, and ensemble performances, where he collaborates closely with composers to bring innovative new works to life.
As an active soloist, Manuel frequently collaborates with composers across generations, developing new works that highlight percussion’s expressive range. In addition to his many festival appearances, he has created solo projects such as “An elemental thing” and “ON:DRUMS”, which explore new dimensions of sound and rhythm, engaging audiences in immersive musical experiences.
Since 2016, he has been a core member of Schallfeld Ensemble in Graz and co-founder of Noviga Projekto, a Portugal-Austria duo. In 2023, he joined the renowned Vienna-based Kontrapunkte, further enriching his collaborative repertoire. Besides his work in these formations, he freelances regularly with prominent contemporary ensembles and orchestras, including Ensemble PHACE, the Lucerne Festival Contemporary Orchestra, and Klangforum Wien.
Manuel’s performances have been featured at prestigious international festivals, including the Lucerne Festival, Salzburg Festival, Warsaw Autumn, Wien Modern, Darmstadt Summer Courses, Klangspuren Schwaz, Afekt Festival and Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival.
As an educator, Manuel offers masterclasses for young composers and percussionists across Austria, Portugal, Spain, and Slovenia, sharing his expertise and inspiring the next generation of artists. Since 2019, he has also been a Marimba One™ Educational Artist.
Education:
Manuel holds a Bachelor’s from ESMuC in Barcelona, a Master’s from ESMAE in Porto, and a Master’s in Contemporary Music Performance from the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz.
Engagements:
Lucerne Festival Contemporary Orchestra (Lucerne, CH)
Ensemble PHACE (Vienna, AT)
Münchener Kammerorchester (Munich, DE)
Klangforum Wien (Vienna, AT)
Der Gelbe Klang (Munich, DE)
Mdi Ensemble (Milano, IT)
Ensemble Barcelona 216 (ES)
Ensemble Kontrapunkte (Vienna, AT)
Drumming percussion group (Porto, PT)
defunensemble (Helsinki, FI)
Ensemble for New Music Tallinn (Tallin, EE)
Recreation Grosses Orchester Graz (Graz, AT)
NAMES, New Art and Music Ensemble Salzburg (AT)
Stavanger Symphony Orchestra (NO)
Synergein Projekt (Valencia, ES)
Graz Philharmonic Orchestra (Graz, AT)
Cadaques Orchester (ES)
Büro Lunaire (Vienna, AT)
Arxis Ensemble/Percussion Group (A Coruña, ES)
Szene Instrumental Ensemble (Graz, AT)
Ensemble Platypus (Vienna, AT)
Ensemble Zeitfluss (Graz, AT)
Cantando Admont (AT)
etc.
Festival Appearances:
Lucerne Festival (CH)
Salzburg Festival (AT)
Wien Modern (AT)
Warsaw Autumn (PL)
ENSEMS (SP)
Festival Internacional de Música de Canarias (SP)
Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival (EN)
Styrian Autumn (AT)
Internationale Ferienkurse für Neue Musik Darmstadt (DE)
KLANG concert series, Musiikkitalo, Helsinki (FI)
Musikverein Vienna Concert Series – Ensemble Kontrapunkte (AT)
Konzerthaus Vienna Concert Series – PHACE and Klangforum Wien (AT)
Klangspuren Schwaz (AT)
Ljubljana New Music Forum (SLO)
Afekt Festival (EE)
Impuls Festival (AT)
Festival Circular (PT)
Taschenopernfestival Salzburg (AT)
Musik Protokoll (AT)
Giga Herz Preis (DE)
Festival Roma Europa (IT)
Festival Grec (ES)
Quincena Donostiarra (ES)
Festival Aperto Reggio Emilia (IT)
Dias de Musica Eletrónica (PT)
In Takt Festival (AT)
Resis Festival (A Coruña, ES)
Real Time Festival (DE)
Osterfestival Tirol (AT)
etc.