Laura Andel was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she grew up. After living, studying, and performing in Argentina, she moved to Boston in 1993 to pursue studies in composition. Since then, she has focused mainly on composition for large ensembles and sometimes using conduction as part of the compositional process. In 2000, Ms. Andel moved to New York City where she created the Laura Andel Orchestra, a large ensemble that features an unusual combination of instruments and unites musicians from diverse musical and cultural backgrounds that perform Andel's extended compositions.

Currently, she created a 9-piece orchestra which premiered her work Doble Mano, and includes bandoneon, gamelan instruments, electric guitar, Fender Rhodes, vibraphone, cornet, viola, clarinets, piano and double bass. Also, Laura Andel is including the ensemble Gamelan Son of Lion in her most recent works.

Previous orchestra explorations include the 14-piece SomnambulisT orchestra, and the 10-piece electric percussive orchestra.

As said by the Boston Phoenix, "her line-up boasts a diverse crew of some of the best improvisers in town [...] whom you rarely see playing together." James Isaacs from Boston's CitySearch thinks that Andel is "one of New England's most provocative writers for large improvising ensembles [...]", and mentions that "[Andel] was for a time based in Berlin and was a figure of some consequence on that cosmopolitan city's avant-garde scene." DJ Jazz Kid from JazzFiles (Germany) describes that "the group's unusual medley of players generates a creative aura." Josef Engels from Die Welt (Berlin Newspaper) says about her music that "Andel concentrates with an ironical approach on the power of sounds. For example, in her piece "The Squirrel", she develops a ludicrous but strictly organized duck-singing out of grunt sounds in the reed section. Original and amusing, Berlin deserves more orchestras like this."
 

MacDowell Colony, New Hampshire, June 17, 2002 ©Photo by Laura Andel

laura andel electric percussive orchestra

april 30 (2005) —performance

december 4 (2004) —premiere performance / recording production

Saturday, December 4, 2004, 8:30pm
Winter 2004 Roulette Concert Series at Location One
26 Greene Street, New York, NY
(SoHo- between Canal & Grand Street)
 

laura andel SomnambulisT orchestra

october 25 (2002) —premiere performance / recording production

This extended 50-minute work for 14 musicians and conductor, was composed by Laura Andel, premiered by the laura andel orchestra, and recorded live by Elliott Sharp in October 2002 in New York city. SomnambulisTwas then released under the Canadian label Red Toucan Records in April 2003. And now, we celebrate this cd release as part of the Roulette Concert Series at The Flea Theatre. In SomnambulisT, the conductor and performers have both a compositional and improvisatory role. Part of the music is created and formed through the act of conducting, combining actions and sounds that are both well-defined and open. Listen here to SomnambulisT mp3 excerpts.