Draft:Felipe Téllez

Felipe Téllez (born in Medellín, Colombia) is a Colombian-Canadian composer and orchestrator known for his work in film, television, and concert music. His style combines modern electronics with traditional Colombian folk and classical symphonic music. Téllez is a recipient of multiple awards and grants from the Canada Council of the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, and Toronto Arts Council.

Early Life and Education
Born in Medellín and raised in Cali, Colombia Felipe developed an interest in music early on. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Composition and Music Production from Universidad de los Andes and a Master's degree in Scoring for Film, Television, and Video Games from Berklee College of Music in Valencia, Spain. Felipe holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Composition from the University of Toronto.

Film and Media Music
Upon his arrival in Canada Felipe began collaborating as Todor Kobakov's assistant and orchestrator. During this initial period, Felipe also undertook his doctorate in music composition at the University of Toronto and began composing for his own film projects, as well as developing a series of concert and chamber works with established ensembles in Toronto.

His work includes composing for the Canadian-Nigerian production Orah, which was selected for the Toronto International Film Festival in 2023. He also scored the US-Canadian film Tomorrow (2021), which premiered at California's Cinequest Festival in 2023. His latest work includes composing the film score for Patricia Castañeda's Estimados Señores, a Colombian production that follows the women's suffrage movement in Colombia during the 1960s rule of Gustavo Rojas Pinilla.

Felipe was selected to be part of the Vancouver International Film Festival's 2023 Composer Filmmaker Accelerator Program, where he got to work with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.

Concert and Orchestral Works
Felipe has composed for multiple ensembles including the Bogotá Philharmonic Orchestra, the Colombian National Symphony Orchestra, The Mississauga Symphony Orchestra, and TakeFive Ensemble. He co-founded the Toronto-based Canadian Studio Symphony in 2022 with conductor Lorenzo Guggenheim, focusing on media music and new compositions.

Recording and Conducting
His expertise extends to recording and conducting, with notable sessions at Abbey Road Studios in London and collaborations with the Budapest Art Orchestra. He also works as a recording session coordinator and conductor in Toronto.

Orchestration
Téllez's orchestration work includes contributions to the soundtrack of My Enemy My Brother, Backstabbing for Beginners, the award-winning documentary Black Ice and Caitlin Cronemberg's Humane, among others.

Sample Development
Felipe has worked with sample developers like Soniccouture, serving as a consultant, orchestrator, and producer for the Threnody string sample library, which focuses on extended techniques for string orchestra

Discography

 * Songs of Longing (2021)
 * Evocations (2023)