María Guinand, Composer

Born: 1953 in Caracas, Venezuela

Education: began formal studies at the Juan Manuel Olivares School of Music in Caracas; received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music from the University of Bristol, England; earned a Choral Conductor Diploma from the Youth Orchestra Academy in Caracas

Positions: dean of the José Angel Lamas Music School and the University Simón Bolívar in Caracas where she is a professor of music; served on the Executive Committee of the International Music Council of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), and First Vice President in the International Federation for Choral Music

As a conductor: conducts the Cantoría Alberto Grau, the Orfeón Universitario Simón Bolívar, and the Schola Cantorum de Venezuela; has toured and guest conducted all over the world and prepared choirs for such conductors as Eduardo Mata, Alberto Grau, Simon Rattle, Helmuth Rilling, Claudio Abbado, Krzysztof Penderecki and Gustavo Dudamel

Awards and honors: awarded the Kulturpreis by the Inter Nationes Foundation from Germany; awarded the Robert Edler Prize for Choral Music in Germany; awarded the Helmuth Rilling Prize by the Internationale Bachakademie Stuttgart in 2009