Helga Arias (born in Bilbao, Spain) studied composition with Mario Garuti (Conservatorio G.Verdi Milan) and Beat Furrer (University of Music and Performing Arts Graz) as well as electroacoustic composition with Javier Torres Maldonado (Conservatorio A. Boito Parma) and Karlheinz Essl (University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna).

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She has received commissions and premieres from ensembles such as the Lucerne Festival Contemporary Orchestra (LFCO), Ensemble Modern, Ensemble Intercontemporain, Joven Orquesta Nacional de España (JONDE), International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), Ensemble Court-Circuit, Ensemble SurPlus, International Ensemble Modern Academy (IEMA), Ensemble Collegium Novum Zurich, Eunoia Quintett, Vertixe Sonora, Nouvelle Ensemble Moderne, ECCE ensemble, Taller Sonoro, Sond'arte electric ensemble, Ensemble Cepromusic, Ensemble Progress Berlin, Sigma Project, Feedback, Ensemble d'arts and others.

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Her music has been performed in various countries in Europe, America and Asia, including the ISCM World Music Days in Tongyeong (South Korea), the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Donaueschinger Musiktage, Philarmoie Luxembourg, the DRK Singapore, the CMC Toronto, the Konzerthaus Berlin, the Festival Mixtur in Barcelona, the Atlantic Music Festival in Maine, USA, the Foro Internacional de Musica Nueva (Mexico), the Domaine Forget (Nouvelle Ensemble Modern) Canada, the Casa del Suono di Parma (Italy), the Etchings Festival (France) and the Echoraum Wien, Foro Internacional de Musica Nueva (Mexico), Domaine Forget (Nouvelle Ensemble Modern) Canada, Experimentalstudio Akademie des SWR, Freiburg, 3rd International Forum for Young Composers (Sond'ar-te, Electrinc Ensemble) in Cascais, Portugal, Wittener Tage für neue Kammermusik, Musikfestival Bern, Mizmorim Festival or Sonic Matter Zürich.

 

She has won prizes at the international "Città di Udine" competition, the RCSM Victoria Eugenia de Granada competition for symphony orchestras, the Shut up and Listen! Festival in Vienna, the "Wittener Tage für neue Kammermusik Wettbewerb 2014", and was awarded the honour prize of the Colegio de España en Paris - INAEM 2016, the second prize of the ACC International Composer's Competition (South Korea) and the third prize of the Asia Pacific Saxophone Composition Competition.

In her work, she establishes relationships between acoustic and electronic resonance and investigates microscopic variations of the phenomenon of sound. Her works often include political or current social issues and multimedia aspects. In her latest works, she also incorporates subtle theatrical aspects and collaborative processes. 

Her music is published by Babel Scores. Helga Arias is currently pursuing a PhD at the Anton Bruckner Private University (Austria), where she is researching the figure of composers as mediators of collaborative interactions. She has been teaching composition with new media at the HfM Würzburg since October 2023.