Press Quotes

WORK SPECIFIC REVIEWS

BARROQUEADA – REVIEWS

“…Aguila’s suite with Latin fire and baroque clarity… American composer Miguel del Aguila drew from baroque musical practices for his 2020 Barroqueada for piano, violin, and cello. The eight movements of his work are a contemporary interpretation of the 18th-century suite, infused with modern Latin dances and the composer’s intent to stir intense emotion in performers and listeners…” – Nancy Plum, Town Topics Princeton May 2024

BLINDFOLD MUSIC – REVIEWS

“…The premieres began with del Aguila’s 12-minute Blindfold Music… and if you listen to his work, you will see his remarkable gift for tracing and expressing feelings through intricate instrumentation…” – Angela Allen, Oregon Artswatch May 2022

BOLIVIANA – REVIEWS

“…Brilliant…” – El Día, Córdoba, Spain

CARIBEÑA – REVIEWS

“…Miguel del Aguila, splashed Brazilian color and excitement all over the first twelve minutes of the evening. This excitement from a young, powerful composer keeps classical music in full motion, even in the 21st century…” – Duluth Reader

“With a 1940’s big band style dance frenzy…the piece is a fascinating and compelling soundscape.  Urgently driven by Latin rhythms, the desperate dance is finally overwhelmed by the orchestration’s sinister edge and driven to an explosive climax.” – Santa Barbara News-Press

CLOCKS – REVIEWS

brilliant and witty… a delicious sticky-fingered fairground dance, a gaudy, virtuosic whirl spun from stolen time” – Carina Wollheim, The New York Times

CONCIERTO CON BRÍO – REVIEWS

“…The ICO premiered “Concierto Con Brio,” by Miguel del Aguila … The work features movements inspired by tango and samba dance rhythms, coming between a dreamy ‘Blue’ movement, encapsulating the program’s overall themes of ‘imagination, light and dance’… I could feel his nostalgia for ‘Interrupted Tango’; through this new work, his musical drama is persuasive. Throughout, the soloists traded off solos before sliding into duets, some easygoing, some plump with atmosphere; throughout, there was ample opportunity for the ICO to shine… I just let myself get caught up in the pervasive rhythms and the subtle melodies of this new work. The second movement, Blue, “is like playing in a nightclub,” he explained, and yes, I went there with him. The persuasive beat of the third movement, Sambeada, resonates with my New York City roots…” – Rita Kohn – Nuvo Magazine November 2023

CONCIERTO EN TANGO – REVIEWS

“…His Concierto is catchy, sensuous, rhythmically stimulating and colorful… a 20-minute rhapsody with …sinuous, tuneful, lively, pretty-nearly danceable tango music…” – American Record Guide

 “This weekend’s Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra concert at Kleinhans Music Hall featured one of the longest and loudest rounds of applause I can recall. It occurred after principal cellist Roman Mekinulov had performed the new Concierto en Tango, written for him by Miguel del Aguila. …the big crowd of listeners, almost all of them on their feet, cheered and cheered …This good-natured piece, an homage to tango, clearly took real skill to put together. It is shot through with tango rhythms, many outlined by Del Aguila himself on the piano. Mekinulov was poised for the challenge and his enthusiasm showed in his playing… He gave a rich assertiveness to his melodies, which were the type of melodies that grab you and that you can remember…The music sways and dips like tango dancers…The piece grew kind of addictive, with its rhythm and zing. The last section struck a gentler tone, with slinky, chromatic lines. It was a little like “La Valse” in that it grew to a ferocious high point, with groans from the cello and crashing cymbals. It made you want to stand up and cheer, and the crowd did.” – The Buffalo News

“The thrill of a world premiere rocked Kleinhans Music Hall as the Buffalo Philharmonic gave the world its first ever opportunity to hear Concierto en Tango for cello and orchestra… The performance  was spectacular… The audience showed overwhelming enthusiasm for the work, and applauded until conductor, soloist and composer had returned at least a dozen times to acknowledge their enthusiasm.” – The Post-Journal, Jamestown NY

“…catchy, sensuous, rhythmically stimulating and colorful… Nostalgic listeners (like me) will hear echoes… in the music’s emotional fervency of the lush,  extroverted, between-the-wars cinematic film scores that have come to epitomize “romance” – American Record Guide

 “… a robust masterpiece that seamlessly blends the Latin-flavored rhythms of Central and South America with Mahler-like gravitas…” – Scene Magazine, London

“Concierto en tango … reúne la visión del solista con la del conjunto orquestal entremezclando las formas características de la música de esta región de América del Sur. Hay melodías, lírica expresividad pero también bloques sonoros de gran fuerza que generalmente se inician con algún poderoso recurso rítmico. Sus intensidades y su formidable fraseo me parece tienen que ver con el crisol de las diferentes razas afincadas en esta parte del planeta. Miguel del Aguila … ya acumuló inteligencia y cultura como para encontrar un idioma rico, lujoso, altamente dicente que despierta la necesidad de conocer más profundamente su notable visión de su música de carácter libertario y un lenguaje puesto en la tarea de buscar y obviamente encontrar la sensibilidad del oyente. Es como si las ideas llegaran empujándose pero manteniendo una fina construcción de poderosa estructura que en definitiva es la cualidad principal del concierto” – José Mario Carrer, Mundo Clásico, Argentina

CONGA – REVIEWS

“The closest thing to a fixed style was Mr. Aguila’s delicious send-up of Minimalism during his “Conga-Line in Hell.”  Here, sequences in stepwise motion career out of control … Mr. Aguila’s deft tribute to the conga rhythm had genuine wit, its parodies of Latin America’s seedier pop styles delicious and never overripe.  …elegant and affectionate music…” – The New York Times

“Aguila’s dizzying Conga was for me the program’s highlight. The work was intoxicating with mesmerizing conga rhythms, bird calls, whistles, and percussion-rich craziness…this wild ride was jazzy and Gerwshin-esque. The frenzied climax …was breathtaking” – The Morning Call, Santa Allentown, PA

“The orchestra, under the exceptional leadership of Dirk Meyer, continued to a stunning ….and a sizzling Conga for Orchestra by Miquel del Aguila. With layers of rhythm, a sensual bolero and a final urban frenzy like a Miami hurricane, it brought the house to its feet…”– The Herald Tribune, Sarasota Fl

“…a knockout…This piece really grabbed you by the throat and commanded your attention for twelve minutes. By the time we reached the frenzied climax of the piece, we were all ready to spring to our feet and yell, “Bravo” – Lyn Bronson, Peninsula Reviews, Santa Cruz, CA

HERBSTTAG – REVIEWS

“…the standout piece was Herbsttag, a chamber work composed in 1986 by Miguel del Águila. Scored for flute, bassoon and harp, it’s chockfull of invention…del Águila exploits all of the possibilities of the flute and harp, including incorporating percussive elements that enhance the colors inherent in the music’s already captivatingly rhapsodic horizontal lines. The bassoon part was also noteworthy for its wide range of expression. As the tension built to an agitated climax the piece sounded almost symphonic in character; it’s a testament to del Águila’s skills that three instruments not normally known for their inherent power could sound so full-bodied.” – Bachtrack Minnesota, Phillip Nones April, 2021

MIAMI FLUTE SUITE – REVIEWS

“Miami Flute Suite is from three-time Grammy-nominated composer Miguel Del Águila…He has written Miami Flute Suite specifically for Néstor Torres, with three movements built around Latin genres from Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay — chôro, tango and milonga — with a touch of jazz and some passionate writing that is alternately tender and fiery.” – Peter Westbrook, Flutist Quarterly and Flute Journal July 2021

MALAMBO AND NOSTALGICA – REVIEWS

“Aguila pieces were as sunny and accessible as the suddenly-blue Cleveland skies after a dreary week of rain… Bassoonists who have access to a string quartet … should rush to get their hands on these pieces.” – Daniel Hathaway, Cleveland Classical

“Far and away the most spirited and humanistic piece on the program” – Jim Farber, San Francisco Classical Voice

SALÓN BUENOS AIRES – REVIEWS

“This is vibrant, colorful music, often pulsating with a tremendous rhythmic vitality.” – Fanfare

“Miguel del Aguila’s chamber music is that rarest of things: unmistakably modern music built around a core of fundamental grace.” – CD Hotlist

“I discovered this [CD] through a review by Frank Oteri at New Music Box. On the strength of one track,
I bought it instantly, and can’t stop listening to it.” Seems appropriate for a CD that contains a movement called “Obsessed Milonga.” – Dilettante Online Magazine, UK

SONATA FLAUTÍSIMA – REVIEWS

​​”Sonata Flautísima is an energetic exhibition piece for solo flute… From “Caminando, the meditative first movement…”Beatboxing”,  a jaunty exhibition of that technique as delivered through flute, to the third movement “Alegre” – Jennifer Gersten, Gramophone October 2025

SUBMERGED – REVIEWS

“The opening section… scarcely prepared the listener for the second half. Here, the music dropped in both tempo and volume to create an incredible atmosphere, almost diametrically opposed to the first. I was absolutely mesmerized by this, so much so that I stopped what I was doing and just listened hard, absorbing it all in. Quite exquisite!” – Lyn Bayley, The Art Music Lounge Online Journal

“…a dramatic narrative of wonder mixed with an almost existential loneliness. A superb new addition to the repertoire” – Alison Young, Harp Column Magazine

“…panels of joyous and energetic Latin-American character with an underwater section in the middle. All the sound colors are vivid and practically too good to be true…” – Gorman, American Record Guide

“fire and spice! There is no mistaking his South American roots and the sheer joy of it is invigorating for the listener” – Jessica Dunnavant, Flutist Quarterly

​​”magical and totally unclassifiable…widely exuberant…exquisitely imaginative…an absolutely mesmerizing new work to the repertoire” – Ronald Grames, Fanfare

PIANO CONCERTO – REVIEWS

“…Terse harmonies and mock melodrama meet in this piece as the pianist rolls out florid keyboard sweeps and occasionally asks orchestral musicians to sing.  The music ends up spinning into controlled anarchy, a cockeyed grin intact” – The Los Angeles Times

OPERA:  TIME AND AGAIN BARELAS – REVIEWS

“…blessed with the high degree of musicality from a composer with a mature, assured voice…uniquely accessible yet adventurous writing. At times, swatches of liturgical musical language are matched to del Aguila’s contemporary lyricism, and neo-romantic colours are wielded gracefully.  Machinations of minimalism appear as light seasonings and hints of vernacular styles, from swing era dance pulses to Latin American flavours, flow naturally through the score… Amid majestic musical themes, in the finale comes another del Aguila trademark – a flare-up of deliciously dissonant anarchy at the ending…” – Opera Now Magazine, London

“Time and Again Barelas” is del Aguila’s third opera. It displayed his command of an arresting musical vocabulary that is marked by a complex yet infectious rhythmic vitality…” – Albuquerque Journal

TAMBOREÑO / TENSANDO – REVIEWS

“My favorite composition on the album is the last, “Tamboreño,” by Miguel del Águila. The swirling rhythms and pinprick riffs from guitarist Ken Luk are endless fun. It’s not often I consider a classical work to be danceable in the conventional sense, but “Tamboreño” is an exception..”– Daniel Kushner,  City Magazine Rochester October 2023

TANGO TRIO – REVIEWS

“…The concert ended on a spirited note with “Tango Trio” by Miguel del Águila… A trio of piano, violin and cello leaned hard into the passion associated with South American tango music. The threesome built a mounting intensity toward a crescendo that seemed to leave most listeners in a good place after an enriching musical journey.”– Steve Feeney, Portland Press Herald July 2022

THE FALL OF CUZCO – REVIEWS

“Aguila’s style has hints of Ginasteran modernism and Ravelian color, with inescapable nods to Piazzolla…with a modern South American identity. In `The Giant Guitar’ and the substantial tone poem The Fall of Cuzco, traditional Andean melodies are subject to a sinister, dissonant undercurrent, later to erupt in violence.”– Nathan Faro,  American Record Guide June 2023

TORRENTIAL RAINDANCE – REVIEWS

“…My favorite composition on the album is the last, “Tamboreño,” by Miguel del Águila. The swirling rhythms and pinprick riffs from guitarist Ken Luk are endless fun. It’s not often I consider a classical work to be danceable in the conventional sense, but “Tamboreño” is an exception….”  – Daniel Kushner, Citynews.com October 2023

VIOLIN CONCERTO – REVIEWS

“Miguel del Águila’s Violin Concerto opens with lush lyricism from the violin and sweeping, mysterious grandeur from the orchestra …chilling and effective…” – Nathan Faro, American Record Guide June 2023

“Aguila is a dauntingly talented composer; aside from asserting – on the strength of a wide random sampling of his work – that his music unfailingly attracts and pleases the listener. Listening to this violin concerto, …I was not at all surprised to learn that Del Aguila’s major training took place in Korngold’s Vienna…If the composer has chosen to emphasize the Latin content of his music, that is hardly surprising from a person with so distinctly an Iberian name…Latin is not always, or even mostly, the dominant strain in Del Aguila’s music. Yet he is certainly no mere postmodern magpie. I encourage you to do your own research; you’ll have a wonderful time if you do….” – Gerald Carpenter, Noozhawk.com Santa Barbara January 2024

“Miguel del Águila’s Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 94, El viaje de una vida – The Journey of a Lifetime (2007), is a stunningly accessible if beastly difficult recent entrant in the violin concerto sweepstakes.,, Miguel del Aguila has created a score as sweeping as the oceans, actual and allegorical, that separate whole continents and peoples…”  – Daniel Keple, VOICE Santa Barbara, CA 

WIND QUINTET No.2 – REVIEWS

“One of the more intriguing compositional voices to come along in recent years belongs to Miguel del Aguila, who combines classical techniques with the dance rhythms of his native Uruguay and the Hollywood pop of his adopted California… “In Heaven”…develops into a boisterous party dance with woozy sliding notes, making heaven sound like a lot more fun than it probably is”– San Antonio Express-News

“The music shifts from rough, primitivist folk-inspired airs to Latin flavors and Middle Eastern tonalities.  As with much of Aguila’s music, nothing is as straight or explicable as it might seem.
He makes contemporary music of a rugged, easy-to-digest sort” – Los Angeles Times

“…The Del Aguila Wind Quintet proved to be brilliant and proved to be provocative. It is fun to listen to. … it is also a “smoker” that will surely become part of the permanent repertory of quintet music played around the world”– Santa Barbara News-Press

“Miguel del Águila’s Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 94, El viaje de una vida – The Journey of a Lifetime (2007), is a stunningly accessible if beastly difficult recent entrant in the violin concerto sweepstakes. Its four movements – Crossing the Ocean to a New World, In the Purple Land, The Return, and Finale – the violin soloist accepting the musical mantle of immigrant protagonist throughout the work, contemplate the gauntlet of physical as well as psychological challenges all travelers face when leaving their homeland for a foreign land and culture.

De Águila himself a living witness to the immigrant struggle, having traveled from his native Uraguay to the United States (where he received his American citizenship) as a young man, then to Europe for a period of years and back again to America in 1992, has created a score as sweeping as the oceans, actual and allegorical, that separate whole continents and peoples.

Daniel Kepl – Voice Magazine Santa Barbara