- Born
- Died
- One of the most prolific and versatile score composers in the history of contemporary cinema, known for his essential contribution to the films of Chilean director Raúl Ruiz. Their French debut Colloque de chiens (1977) won a Cesar for best short film, launching them as what has become the most productive and artistically creative duo in Latin American cinema history. Arriagada is a musical descendant of Arnold Schönberg. He studied composition and orchestral conduction at the National Music Conservatory in Santiago, Chile, subsequently obtaining a scholarship from the French Government to study expressionism with Schönberg's friend and student, Max Deutsch in Paris. Other relevant teachers were Olivier Messiaen in composition and Pierre Boulez in orchestra conduction. In 1972 he was awarded with a fellowship by the Guggenheim Foundation in New York, due to his contribution in the field of electronic music. Through more than 100 films, Jorge Arriagada has given proof of great virtuosity, exploring all possible genres and styles: classic, contemporary, folk music, jazz and tango, among others. Memorable scores include Silver Bear award winning films like Genealogies of a Crime (1997) and Shattered Image (1998). Recent full orchestral scores include the films Klimt (2006) and Time Regained (1999), the later based on Marcel Proust's famous literary work. Jorge Arriagada was the first composer to make a musical interpretation of Proust's imaginary "Sonate de Vinteuil", for this particular film. He has also contributed with scores for the films of directors Miguel Littin and Olivier Assayas, as well as for the productions of Nouvelle Vague pioneer, producer-director Barbet Schroeder.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Anonymous
- The youngest composer ever to be awarded with a fellowship by the Guggenheim Foundation in New York, in 1972.
- Member of the European Film Academy.
- Has been a member of the official juries of the 48th San Sebastian International Film Festival and of the 25th Sao Paulo International Film Festival.
- Awarded with a lifetime achievement award Grand Prix de la SACEM.
- Jorge Arriagada was a French-Chilean film composer residing in France. Specializing in film music, he is best known for his longstanding collaboration with director Raoul Ruiz.
- Artists are the true heroes of every nation.
- I consider music to be a primary element in the structure of a film and not just a mere incidental accessory. To me, it's evident that music must be considered in a project already when the idea for a script is born.
- Aesthetically speaking, if you create a powerful sequence with an interesting sound design, and if that's enough for you to express what you want, than you won't need music at all. But if the music was considered already in the beginning of the creative process, the director will shoot the scenes while leaving space for the music to speak a language in its own terms.
- I invented the famous "Sonate de Vinteuil" for Time Regained, with the following principle of tension: it begins in the style of Saint-Saëns and it ends with a Wagnerian thème choral.
- For Raoul Ruiz, the music is equally important. When you go to see his films, you also go to listen to the music and you could say that, in many of his films, it is the image that complements the music - and not the other way around.
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