Ariel de la Portilla was born in the city of Matanzas, Cuba where he lived until immigrating with his parents to the United States in September of 1980. He was raised in the southwest area of Miami, Florida. The neighborhood better known as “little Havana”. Growing up surrounded by the sounds of Cuban and Brazilian music as well as simultaneously experiencing American music and culture gave his childhood a distinctly unique dichotomy that later proved to have become a crucial aspect of his life education, and musical identity. After graduating from high school in 1994, Ariel left his home town of Miami Fl. to pursue his interests in the double bass. He was awarded a music scholarship to the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati where he dedicated most of his time to studying classical bass and jazz. He remained at CCM until recruited by the University of Miami in Miami Fl. in 1996 to study under the instruction of Don Coffman, Matt Bonnelli and Lucas Drew. Since arriving in New York City, Ariel has had the privilege of performing with an eclectic list of artists from the jazz and Latin jazz genres including ray Vega, Dave Valentin, Patato Valdez, Candido Camero, Edy Martinez, Willie Martinez, Peter Erskine, Eddie Daniels, Sonny Bravo. Currently he is a member of the Ze Luis Quartet and a new conceptual guitar trio: Lengua Moderna.
Gear
Juzek Double bass, Tobias 4 string electric bass, MTD 5 string electric bass,
aguiar amp, acoustic image amps and head
Primary Instrument
Bass
Willing to teach
Advanced only
Credentials/Background
BAM, Brooklyn NYC-Clinician and presenter for "what is Latin Jazz' program. Duties: prepare
presentations including visual and musical examples and present in select schoold throughout
Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan.
Bronx Conservatory of Music, Bronx, NY – Organize, run and teach the CASA ( Cultural After school
Adventures) music program at P.S. 83
DUTIES: Develop and implement curriculum, liaisons with school staff and administration, organize
concerts and presentations. ▪2/07-current
Norwood City Schools, Norwood, OH – Substitute Teacher, K-12
DUTIES: Teach designated classes, assist students in writing lab, assist with ESL ▪ 2003-2004
Mt. Healthy High School – Teacher: Music Theory and Sight Singing ▪ 2002-2003
DUTIES: Prepare lesson plans and teach music theory, sight singing and ear training, general band
courses, private instrument instruction and jazz band and jazz quartet ensembles.
Clinic/Workshop Information
Read more
Primary Instrument
Bass
Willing to teach
Advanced only
Credentials/Background
BAM, Brooklyn NYC-Clinician and presenter for "what is Latin Jazz' program. Duties: prepare
presentations including visual and musical examples and present in select schoold throughout
Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan.
Bronx Conservatory of Music, Bronx, NY – Organize, run and teach the CASA ( Cultural After school
Adventures) music program at P.S. 83
DUTIES: Develop and implement curriculum, liaisons with school staff and administration, organize
concerts and presentations. ▪2/07-current
Norwood City Schools, Norwood, OH – Substitute Teacher, K-12
DUTIES: Teach designated classes, assist students in writing lab, assist with ESL ▪ 2003-2004
Mt. Healthy High School – Teacher: Music Theory and Sight Singing ▪ 2002-2003
DUTIES: Prepare lesson plans and teach music theory, sight singing and ear training, general band
courses, private instrument instruction and jazz band and jazz quartet ensembles.
Clinic/Workshop Information
Perfromance/Clinic and presentation on developement of Latin jazz and the culture similarities linking
multiple styles of music from Brazil, Cuba and the United States.
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