A cowboy from Texas, Martín Quiroga Jr. (1987) main interests focus on fugues and fugal compositional techniques. By making use of traditional compositional techniques combined with a unique harmonic language, his goal is to both honor the musical forms of the past while captivating the harmonic language of the present. This stance has led to a harmonic language that primarily focuses on contrapuntal non-diatonic major chords, extended modal harmonies, and relatively soft dissonances.
Pre-COVID, Quiroga has had performances by groups such as the Riverside Chamber Orchestra, the University of Oregon Campus Orchestra, GRIT Collaborative, Rosetta Contemporary Ensemble, Space City Performing Arts, Sospiro, and the Space City New Music Festival. He was also a founding member and Festival Director of the Space City New Music Festival
(Houston, TX), a week-long summer program that focused on premiering a series of contemporary works, presenting career-focused lectures by visiting artists, and furthering opportunities to both students and professionals across the country.
Most recently, Quiroga has completed an artist residency with the Clear Creek Independent School District, where he composed various works for both Intermediate and High School bands within the district. He also currently serves on the board of the non-profit Texas New Music Ensemble.
An avid educator, Quiroga has held and maintained a private studio in the greater Houston area for the last fifteen years where he has taught percussion, composition, music theory, music appreciation, and percussion ensembles. Quiroga also facilitated the creation of the Music Composition program at Lone Star College, where he teaches on a variety of topics.
Martín Quiroga Jr. currently resides in Houston, TX, where he continues to perform regularly and maintains a private studio in the greater Houston area, as well as coordinating the Music Composition studio at Lone Star College - Montgomery. Quiroga has earned his degrees from the University of Oregon (MM) and the University of Houston (BA).