Javier Almuzara) for the opening of the house's 71st anniversary season in 2018-2019. The opera was the first mainstage production to be commissioned by the company in its history. This opera received three new performances in October 2022 opening the new season of Opera de Tenerife (Spain).
He was recently selected as the commissioned composer for the CMI Artist Lab, an initiative aimed at strategically investing in new musical works and professional development to grow the local music economy, while serving as a catalyst to draw national attention and larger audiences from across the U.S. The Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra will premiere this commission in November of 2024.
In October 2010, the South Bend Symphony Orchestra presented the world premiere of Requiem for the Innocent, written in remembrance of victims of terrorism around the world, featuring baritone soloist Ivan Griffin and five choruses. The South Bend Tribune called the work “a magnificent oratorio… a creation that is profound, mature and well-proportioned.” The South Bend Symphony Orchestra also premiered his Piano Concerto No. 2, American Nights in 2014, with pianist Ilia Ulianitsky.
Recent premieres of commissioned works include Stabat Mater Speciosa, written to benefit Hannah’s House women’s home of Mishawaka with the South Bend Chamber Singers; a concerto for alto saxophone and orchestra for Grammy-award winning saxophonist Timothy McAllister; and Portraits from the Heartland, a solo work for classical guitarist Adam Levin. Other recent premieres include his Piano Quintet No. 2, The Mississippi for Cuarteto Quiroga and pianist Javier Perianes, and his Piccolo Sonata: Homage to Francis Poulenc, for flutist Roberto Álvarez, premiered at the 2013 Australian Flute Festival. Motown Dreams, a concerto for saxophone and orchestra received a new performance on October 1, 2022 by Timothy McAllister and the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra.
Muñiz’s music was most recently released on Aria Classics, Origins with violinist Lucía Veintimilla; Frameworks Records, 21st Century Spanish Guitar, Volume 4 with guitarist Adam Levin (featured as top recording on Billboard’s Traditional Classical Albums rankings in September 2021); Afinat, Cantos del Emigrante, with tenor Emanuel-Cristian Caraman; Crossings, New Music for Cello (Furious Artisans, 2015) by cellist Kate Dillingham; and La Noche: 21st Century Music for Flute & Harp (CD Baby, 2011) by Roberto Alvarez, flute, and Katarina Tan, harp.
Jorge Muñiz received his masters in music composition from Carnegie Mellon University where he studied with Leonardo Balada and his doctorate from the Manhattan School of Music with Richard Danielpour. Dr. Muñiz is currently Professor of Music – Composition and Theory, at the Ernestine M. Raclin School of the Arts at Indiana University South Bend.
