Abel Paúl was born in Valladolid, Spain in 1984. He studied composition at the ‘Conservatorium van Amsterdam’ with Fabio Nieder and Richard Ayres as main professors, and at the Universität der Künste in Berlin with Walter Zimmermann. From 2009-2011 he followed a master program at that institution. Additionally, Paúl has attended lectures and master-classes by composers such as Brian Ferneyhough, Ivan Fedele, Salvatore Sciarrino and Hugues Dufourt.
Paúl was awarded the ‘2008 Salvatore Martirano Composition Award’ at the University of Illinois and was also named composer in residence at the 4th forum for young composers of the Ensemble Aleph. He served as a composer in residence at the ‘Ligeti Academy’ project in collaboration with the ASKO-Schoenberg ensemble. His music was selected for the ISCM’s 2009 World Music Days in Sweden and he has been an active participant in Acanthes 2009. Paúl recently received an ‘honorable mention’ at the ‘Mauricio Kagel Wettbewerb’ in Vienna (jury: Helmut Lachenmann) and was also granted with a national prize of the Spanish Institute of Youth (INJUVE) .
Paúl’s music has been performed by various eminent ensembles such as the ASKO ensemble, Nieuw Ensemble, Neue Vocalsolisten Stuttgart, Slaagwerkgroep den Haag, Ensemble Aleph, Insomnio Ensemble, Norrbotten NEO, UIUC new music ensemble, Sond’Arte electric ensemble, Zahir ensemble, Plural ensemble and many others others.
His music has been performed at numerous international festivals, including the Holland Festival, 7×7, Nederlandse Muziekdagen and Gaudeamus Muziekweek (Holland); Kunstforum Hellerau (Germany); ISCM World Music Days (Sweden); Festival de música religiosa de Cuenca (Spain); Aspekte Salzburg and Klangspuren Schwaz (Austria); Vitasaari contemporary music festival (Finland); Festival MANCA, Theatre Dunois, and Centre Acanthes (France); Krannert Center (USA); and Biblioteca Nacional (Buenos Aires).
Dutch radio AVRO4 and ‘Radio Nacional de España’ have broadcasted Paúl’s music.
Abel Paúl currently lives in Berlin.
