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An accomplished and celebrated composer, arranger, musical director, and pianist. Fernando Rivas is an excellent choice for solo piano at weddings, receptions, corporate events and other private functions.
Fernando M. Rivas graduated from the Juilliard School of Music with a Bachelor´s in Composition. He studied with National Arts Award recipient David Diamond and Vincent Persichetti among others. Mr. Rivas won the Marion Freschl Prize for Vocal Composition and the Princess Grace Foundation Grant for outstanding original work in musical theater.
Mr. Rivas has written extensively for television, radio, film and theater composing background music, themes and jingles. He was Director of Continuity for WSKQ radio in New York. He has written identification jingles for Channel 41, WXTV and Channel 47, WNJU both in the tri state area. He wrote, arranged, produced and recorded the campaign jingle for Telemundo's Channel 47.
Mr. Rivas owns his own studio and publishing company, JAM [Just Arrived Music] registered with ASCAP. CBS America chose Mr. Rivas´ studio to record their national Spanish-language radio program HBO Espectaculares.
As well as the commercial work, Mr. Rivas has also composed for the theater, writing and co-writing twelve musicals as well as hundreds of songs. His work was featured by the Theater Communications Group when he collaborated with Maria Irene Fornes and Tito Puente in the musical work Lovers and Keepers. In 1990 he began to write for the Children´s Television Workshop and has composed a number of songs for the popular show Sesame Street featuring singers as diverse as Celia Cruz, Gloria Estefan and Cyndi Lauper. In 1995 and in 1996, along with the other writers and composers on Sesame Street Mr. Rivas was the recipient of two Emmys for his work on that show.
Mr. Rivas has worked as musical director with the Coconut Grove Playhouse in the show Miami Lights with INTAR theater in New York in various productions; with the Puerto Rican Traveling Theater, for Lady Liberty. He has written musical scores for five full length feature films, most notably Ranger, produced by Alexandria Films and Carmelite Tropicana, (Your Kunst is Your Waffen) an independent short feature which was shown at the Lincoln Center Film Festival.
He has worked with many Latino artists of international fame such as Willie Colon, Iris Chacon, Paquito de Rivera, El Gran Combo and others as keyboardist, composer and arranger. And in 1993 he was called upon to program keyboards for a road production of the Broadway hit Will Rogers´ Follies.
In 1997, Mr. Rivas, along with writer Luis Santeiro, was a recipient of the Richard Rodgers Award for the musical-theater piece: Barrio Babies. A scene from the musical was featured in the Hispanic Heritage Awards which aired on NBC in the fall of 1998.
Earlier in the same year, Gloria Estefan recorded Mr. Rivas' song Mambo I, I, I on the Grammy winning Elmopalooza album for Sesame Street Productions.
In 1999, Barrio Babies was produced by the Denver Center Theatrical Company. Earlier that year, Mr. Rivas collaborated with David Varquez on the children's musical El Bluebird at the University of Florida at Gainesville. Also, on March 21st, 2000 the world premiere of Selena, Forever, a musical Mr. Rivas composed based on the tragic life of the renown Tejano singer, took place in San Antonio to warm reviews and standing ovations. Selena, Forever embarked on a six city tour and returned in 2001 to open in Los Angeles.
In December of 2000, My Sister´s Wedding, a film scored by Mr. Rivas was accepted at the Sundance and the Long Island Film Festivals.
At the same time as he pursues a commercial career in music Mr. Rivas continues to write classical music, poetry and fiction. He is also available as a pianist for special events, such as wedding ceremonies, receptions, corporate events, etc.
Partial Song List
A Child Is Born
A Fine Romance
A Foggy Day
A Night in Tunisia
Afro Blue
Afternoon in Paris
Ain't Misbehavin'
Alfie
All By Myself
All in Love is Fair
All of Me
All of You
All the Things You Are
All You Need is Love
Alley Cat Song
Amazing Grace
America
Among My Souvenirs
Angel Eyes
Anniversary Waltz
April in Paris
Are You Lonesome Tonight
Arrivederci Roma
As Long As He Needs Me
As Time Goes By
Auld Lang Syne
Autumn in New York
Autumn Leaves
Beauty and the Beast
Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered
Beyond The Sea
Bill Bailey
Black Magic Woman
Black Orpheus
Blue Bossa
Blue Moon
Blackbird
Bluesette
Body and Soul
Brown Eyed Girl
Bye Bye Blackbird
Can't Help Falling In Love
Carolina in the Morning
Charlie Brown Theme
Chega De Saudade
Claire de Lune
C Jam Blues
Come To the Cabaret
Corcovado
Cry Me a River
Darn That Dream
Days of Wine and Roses
Don't Cry For Me Argentina
Theme from Deer Hunter
Desafinado
Don't Cry Out Loud
Don't Get Around Much Anymore
Dream a Little Dream Of Me
Emotion
Theme from Empire of the Sun
Endless Love
Europa
Every Breath You Take
Fly Me to the Moon
Georgia
God Bless the Child
Green Dolphin Street
Harlem Nocturne
Here's That Rainy Day
How Deep Is Your Love
How High the Moon
How Insensitive
I Can't Help Falling in Love With
I Can't Get Started
I Left My Heart in San Francisco
I Love You
I Swear
I'll Be Seeing You
Imagine
In A Mellow Tone
In A Sentimental Mood
In The Mood
Isn't it Romantic
It Donšt Mean A Thing
It's A Raggy Waltz
It's Impossible
It's Only a Paper Moon
I've Got You Under My Skin
I've Got the World on a String
Jersey Bounce
Just the Way You Are
Laura
La Vie En Rose
Lady
The Lady Is a Tramp
Layla
Let It Be
Let's Fall In Love
Long Ago and Far Away
Look of Love
Love Is Here To Stay
Lullaby of Birdland
Lush Life
Maria
Meditation
Michelle
Misty
Mood Indigo
Moon River
(The) More I see You
My Favorite Things
My Foolish Heart
My Funny Valentine
My Little Boat
My One and Only Love
My Romance
New York State of Mind
Night and Day
On and On
On A Clear Day
On the Sunny Side of the Street
Once I Loved
One Note Samba
Out of Nowhere
Somewhere
Superman
The Girl From Ipanema
Theme from Poltergeist
Prelude to a Kiss
Reunited
Theme from Romeo and Juliet
'Round Midnight
Satin Doll
Send in the Clowns
Shadow of Your Smile
Solitude
Some Day My Prince Will Come
Song for my Father
The Song Is You
Someone to Watch Over Me
Sophisticated Lady
Spain
Stardust
Stella by Starlight
Stompin' At the Savoy
Sweet Georgia Brown
Take Five
Take the A Train
There Will Never Be Another You
They Can't Take That Away From Me
Time After Time
Triste
Turn Out the Stars
Yesterday
You're Still the One
Watch What Happens
Waltz for Debby
We'll Be Together Again
What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life
What Is This Thing Called Love
When I Fall In Love
When Sunny Gets Blue
You Are the Sunshine of My Life
(Several Classical Pieces - Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin, Debussy, Liszt)
(Several Latin Pieces - Cha Chas - Son Montunos - Mambos - Tangos)
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