|
Born on August 16, 1961 in New York City. Latin heritage mixed with all the musical influence that New York had to offer in the 60’s helped enrich the musical
background of his early years. Learning to play the flute by listening to records helped him apply his musicality to all musical styles he was exposed to. His earliest influence
was the music of Herbie Mann, Hubert Laws, Jose Fajardo and Johnny Pacheco. Just before finishing high school, he fell in love with classical music through
the records of Jean Pierre Rampal and James Galway. This made him decide to study music seriously. He began studying at the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico
in 1980. Here, he studied flute with Peter Kern
(first flute of the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra who himself graduated from the prestigious “Curtis Institute of Music”, studying with legendary flutists William Kincaid
and Marcel Moyse).
During the second year at the Conservatory of Music of P.R., he won first prize in the “Miguel Besosa Flute Competition” held at the
Conservatory. He was also given the medal of the “Woowind Deparment” of the Conservatory donated by Chase Manhattan Bank,
never given before by this institute. In 1981, Mr. Perales represented the Conservatory in the inauguration and first ever
concert of the most important music hall of P.R., “Centro de Bellas Artes”. He played the “Suite in a minor” of G.P.Telemann earning the best reviews in all
local newspapers at the time.
While in the Conservatory, he was often making gigs with small musical groups that belonged to a musical movement known as “La Nueva Trova”. The flute was
often required in this style of music so soon he made his way playing with all its major exponents. He played with “Moliendo Vidrio” directed by Gary Nuñez from 1980
to 1985. The group “Taune”, known as being the very first group of “Nueva Trova” in P.R., produced a concert reunion called “Taune Ayer y Hoy” in 1983. Mr. Perales was
picked to play the flute. Here, he met and played with the original members of “Taune” that today are all making careers on there own such as Roy Brown, Antonio Cabán Vale
“El Topo”, Andrés Jiménez and Zoraida Santiago.
Shifting from pop to classical is a necessity to be able to make a living as a flutist in P.R. That is exactly what has described the trajectory that Mr. Perales has been doing in
the last twenty years. He has performed in the most important music festival held in P.R. which are the “Casals Music Festival” and the “Heineken Jazz Festival
”. Besides performing, he enjoys very much teaching flute to young aspiring flutists. Between 1993 and 1999, he taught at the “Escuela Libre deMúsica”, and at the “
Conservatory of Music of P.R.” simultaneously..
|
