Felipe Pérez Santiago

MULTI-DISCIPLINARY COMPOSER & MUSICIAN

Mexico

Fall 2026

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Contact Info

Instagram: @felipeperezsantiago
Website: felipeperezsantiago.net

BIOGRAPHY

Felipe Pérez Santiago is an award-winning composer and conductor whose work has been recognized throughout Europe, the United States, Latin America, and Asia. He has composed for world-renowned orchestras and held residencies as a guest artist and educator at leading international universities and conservatories. With a portfolio spanning over 40 countries, his music is featured in nearly 30 discographic productions, as well as films, contemporary dance, video art, and multimedia installations. He is the founder of Vórtice Ensamble and Vórtice Orquesta—both based at the historic Churubusco Studios—and currently serves as the musical director of the acclaimed ONIX Ensamble. A pioneer in bridging art and science, Felipe collaborated with the SETI Institute in California to create “The Earthling Project.” In partnership with NASA, this initiative successfully sent a disc representing the collective sounds of humanity to the lunar surface, where it remains today as a cultural archive for the future.

PROJECT

Resonant Labyrinths: Designing a Sonic Future between Morocco and Mexico is a sound art project mapping the rhythmic parallels between Morocco and Mexico through electronic synthesis and live performance. Felipe Pérez Santiago aims to compose a suite that merges the traditional sounds of the Fes Medina (Gnawa, Chaabi, Malhun) with Mexican folk traditions (Son Jarocho, Huapango).

The project is built on three strategic pillars:

• Field Research & Interaction: Felipe will conduct high-fidelity recordings of local musicians to capture the acoustic essence of traditional instruments. Simultaneously, he will use a Jarana (Mexican stringed instrument) to engage in live improvisational "jam sessions," bridging Moroccan and Mexican scales and rhythms.
• Cultural Synthesis: Using digital audio platforms, he will transform these recordings and sessions into electronic soundscapes. This exploration focuses on the shared 6/8 and 12/8 rhythmic DNA that links North Africa to the Americas.
• Speculative Futures: By engaging with Morocco's contemporary electronic scene, Felipe Pérez Santiago will imagine a future where folk traditions drive modern innovation.

Why the Fes Medina?
Felipe views the Fes Medina as a sophisticated "sonic vessel." Its unique architecture preserves ancient sounds; from the call to prayer to artisan crafts, alongside modern textures. He seeks to collaborate with traditional musicians in their own context, exploring how the city’s acoustics and local mastery can shape digital compositions. In this residency, Felipe hopes to engage with students and general audiences on how technology can re-imagine our shared heritage.