Symphonic, solo, choral, chamber, theater and electronic music composer Carlos Vázquez is one of the most outstanding Latin American contemporary composers coming from the Caribbean basin. Born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, Vázquez studied music at the University of Puerto Rico, University of Pittsburgh, New York University and La Sorbonne in Paris, where he earned a Doctoral degree. His composition teachers have been Rafael Aponte Ledée, Frank MacCarty and Bruce Saylor. Under the sponsorship of the Rockefeller Foundation, he attended a seminar on new computer music techniques at Stanford University in 1995.

Since 1972 his works have been premiered and played among different countries in America and Europe. He has been invited to a variety of international events such as the First Latin American Contemporary Music Festival (Venezuela, 1977), Charles Ives Center (1983-85), the International Electroacoustic Music Festival of Varadero, Cuba (1985, 87, 89, 91 and 1993), the II and VI Caribbean Composers Forum (Costa Rica), the IV Caribbean Composers Forum, Venezuela, the VII Caribbean Composers Forum, El Salvador, the V, VII, IX and XI Latin American Music Festival of Caracas, the XII Festival of Contemporary Music of Havana and the II International Contemporary Music Festival of El Salvador. He has been commissioned by the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra (twice), the Interamerican Music Council Of the Organization of American States, the University of Puerto Rico Choir and the Casals Festival, among others. A multimedia work that he created as guest composer at LIEM, Madrid's electronic music center, was premiered in the 2000 International Contemporary Music Festival of Alicante, Spain. Dr. Vázquez has also been an active organizer, producer, lecturer and editor. He was founder and first President of the Puerto Rico National Association of Composers. At the present, he is Executive Director of the Caribbean Composers Forum Organization, Musical Director of the International Electroacoustic Music Sample and was a member of the board of Directors of the Iberian-American Music Council based in Madrid. As a scholar he has lectured in Latin America, Spain and the USA on his electronic music as well as Puerto Rican traditional and contemporary music. He was Artist in Residence at Kean University in 1993. He organized 7 international festivals, produced six contemporary music concerts, edited two Caribbean music books (one containing scores, the other articles) and was the producer, writer and narrator of five of a series of radio programs which featured Puerto Rican music. He has been guest lecturer on composition at the Gerhart Munch workshop at the Conservatorio de la Rosas in Morelia, Mexico, and at the Jornadas de Informática y Electrónica Musical of Madrid. Since 1978 he teaches at the University of Puerto Rico Music Department, where he has been the Director of the Electronic Music Lab.

Founding Member of the Colegio de Compositores Latinoamericanos de Música de Arte

Works and recordings:
Tres Cantos de Pájaros. Flute and cello 1977.
Tres Añoranzas. guitar. 1978. .
Cantos de los pueblos. 9 songs. Primitive poetry. Soprano, piano, cello and percussion. 1982.
Serenata. Choir. 1983.
3 para 4. Strings Quartet. 1984.
¡Ecua-Jey! Piano concerto. 1986.
Brisas del Caribe. Symphonic Suite. 1986.
Mágica Antillas. tape. 1991
Sinfonía de la Nacionalidad. Orchestra with soprano 1992.
El Encanto de la Noche Tropical. Tape or CD. 1993
Imágenes Caribeñas. Piano. 1993
Un Catalán en Borinkén. Cello solo. 1996
Saxofonía. Sax and tape. 1996 Boston 96
Virtualmente Serenata. String orchestra 1997.
Saxofonía. Alto Sax and tape 96
Cantos Africanos. Choir. 1998
Cuatro Boleros Innobles. Harp 1998
Mascarada. Soprano, tape and images. 1999.
Variaciones On Line. Tape piece. 1999
Un Boricua en Madrid. multimedia. 1999
Rapsodia Acquamarina. piano. 1999.
Yagrumos en Serenata. piano 1999.
Esa medalla me quema el pecho... Tape 2000
Trio. Piano, violin and cello 2001
Tzintzuntzan. Bass clarinet, marimba, violin, double bass, electronics recorded sounds, live electronics and images. 2001.
6 Cuadros sonoros. Marimba and tape 2002
Imágenes Caribeñas II. Sax Quartet 2002
Aquel Album.. Tape 2002.
Trio Deleites. Clarinet, bassoon and piano. 2003.
Concierto Festivo. Guitar and orchestra. 2003
El Desterrado. Symphonic poem. 2004
La vuelta al mundo en 80 flautas, flute and multimedia. 2004.
Fantasía cíclica. Percussion ensamble (6 players)
2005
La ira de Aquileo. Electronic work. 2005.
Concerto for cello and orchestra. 2005

Recordings:
Tres Cantos de Pájaros. Anco. 1984
El Encanto de la Noche Tropical. Leonardo Music Journal .95
Imágenes Caribeñas. Albany Records 98.
Saxofonía. Computer Music Journal CD. 2000
Sonata Boricuotica in Colegio de Compositores Latinoamericanos de Música de Arte Vol. 1
Cuba and Puerto Rico Two Contemporary Composers: Guido López Gavilán -Carlos Alberto Vázquez. Double CD, one dedicated to Vazquez's music. CaribNet. 2001.
Trio en tres in Colegio de Compositores Latinoamericanos de Música de Arte Vol. 2