Fernando Rivas
Encyclopedia
Fernando Rivas is a Cuba
n-born composer, pianist, arranger and producer.
He graduated from the Juilliard School of Music where he studied with National Arts Award recipient David Diamond. He has worked extensively in film and theater, as well as in broadcast media and advertising. Mr. Rivas has won several awards including the Princess Grace Foundation Grant for outstanding original work in musical theater and composed fifteen musicals and hundreds of songs. His work was featured by the Theater Communications Group in a collaboration with Maria Irene Fornes and Tito Puente in Lovers and Keepers.
Rivas composed for the popular show Sesame Street
for singers as diverse as Celia Cruz
, Gloria Estefan
and Cindy Lauper sharing two Emmy award wins with the Music team in 1994 and 1995. He also received an Emmy nomination for Music Composition and Direction in 1997. He was the composer along with Lyricist Nancy Sans of the song Mambo I,I,I sung by Gloria Estefan
on the Grammy Award winning best Children's Album 1999 - Elmopalooza!
. In 1997, along with Luis Santeiro, he received the Richard Rodgers Development Award for the piece Barrio Babies, which was produced by the Denver Center Theatrical Company. Rivas also composed a musical, Selena, Forever, with author Eddie Gallardo, based on the tragic life of the renowned Tejano singer, which premiered in San Antonio in 2000.
His poetry and short fiction have been published on the Internet in several e-zines and he was a freelance contributor to the Charleston City Paper. From 2006-2010 he was the composer for the Emmy award nominated Disney Playhouse show Handy Manny
. In 2010 he won two Imagin awards for Handy Manny and a special production for Nickolodeon. He was on the staff of the Fine Arts department at Porter-Gaud School
in Charleston
until 2009 as Jazz Band Director and has also collaborated with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra as arranger and pianist.
In November 2011 he was charged with production, transportation and possession of child pornography
.
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n-born composer, pianist, arranger and producer.
He graduated from the Juilliard School of Music where he studied with National Arts Award recipient David Diamond. He has worked extensively in film and theater, as well as in broadcast media and advertising. Mr. Rivas has won several awards including the Princess Grace Foundation Grant for outstanding original work in musical theater and composed fifteen musicals and hundreds of songs. His work was featured by the Theater Communications Group in a collaboration with Maria Irene Fornes and Tito Puente in Lovers and Keepers.
Rivas composed for the popular show Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
for singers as diverse as Celia Cruz
Celia Cruz
Celia Cruz was a Cuban-American salsa singer, and was one of the most successful Salsa performers of the 20th century, having earned twenty-three gold albums...
, Gloria Estefan
Gloria Estefan
Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan; known professionally as Gloria Estefan is a Cuban-born American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known as the "Queen Of Latin Pop", she is in the top 100 best selling music artists with over 100 million albums sold worldwide, 31.5 million of those...
and Cindy Lauper sharing two Emmy award wins with the Music team in 1994 and 1995. He also received an Emmy nomination for Music Composition and Direction in 1997. He was the composer along with Lyricist Nancy Sans of the song Mambo I,I,I sung by Gloria Estefan
Gloria Estefan
Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan; known professionally as Gloria Estefan is a Cuban-born American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known as the "Queen Of Latin Pop", she is in the top 100 best selling music artists with over 100 million albums sold worldwide, 31.5 million of those...
on the Grammy Award winning best Children's Album 1999 - Elmopalooza!
Elmopalooza! (soundtrack)
Elmopalooza! is a 1998 children's album featuring songs performed by characters from Sesame Street with special musical guests. First released on CD and cassette in 1998, this album is the soundtrack to the Elmopalooza television special which commemorated Sesame Street's 30th anniversary...
. In 1997, along with Luis Santeiro, he received the Richard Rodgers Development Award for the piece Barrio Babies, which was produced by the Denver Center Theatrical Company. Rivas also composed a musical, Selena, Forever, with author Eddie Gallardo, based on the tragic life of the renowned Tejano singer, which premiered in San Antonio in 2000.
His poetry and short fiction have been published on the Internet in several e-zines and he was a freelance contributor to the Charleston City Paper. From 2006-2010 he was the composer for the Emmy award nominated Disney Playhouse show Handy Manny
Handy Manny
Handy Manny is a Disney animated children's television program that premiered on September 16, 2006. The program was originally part of the Playhouse Disney daily block intended for preschoolers...
. In 2010 he won two Imagin awards for Handy Manny and a special production for Nickolodeon. He was on the staff of the Fine Arts department at Porter-Gaud School
Porter-Gaud School
Porter-Gaud School is an independent coeducational college preparatory day school in Charleston, South Carolina. Porter-Gaud has an enrollment of some 870 students in grades 1–12 and located on the banks of the Ashley River...
in Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
until 2009 as Jazz Band Director and has also collaborated with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra as arranger and pianist.
In November 2011 he was charged with production, transportation and possession of child pornography
Child pornography
Child pornography refers to images or films and, in some cases, writings depicting sexually explicit activities involving a child...
.