We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Horacio Fernández a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Horacio, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

I just came back from a terrific premiere of one of my most recent works with an orchestra in the City of Monterrey, México. My friend and colleague, Abdiel Vázquez commissioned a piece from me for the orchestra he leads, La Súper Orquesta of the Superior School of Music of Monterrey. My piece is titled “Fuga Rebajada” and it is an important piece for me because it perfectly represents my fusion of classical music and Urban music from Latin America. The concert was sold out and the audience directly connected with the composition I prepared, which was intimately influenced by the “Kolombia” movement which originated in their city. The public reception to my work and subsequent connections I forged as a direct result of my collaboration with Abdiel have been a high point in my career!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Greetings, I’m Horacio Fernández, a seasoned Julliard-trained composer, specializing in the writing and production of Latin Popular music and Symphony Orchestra compositions. My artistic journey seamlessly navigates between the realms of popular and classical music, showcasing a diverse spectrum of talents.

In addition to my musical pursuits, I engage in a multifaceted artistic life, delving into content creation, teaching, podcast hosting, marketing services, and the production and writing for fellow artists. Drawing inspiration from the rich tapestry of Latin American music, my repertoire spans genres such as Bachata, Salsa, Cumbia, Merengue, Bossa Nova, Bolero, Reggaeton, Hip-Hop, Latin Trap, and Pop, with a proven track record of writing and producing within each.
A distinctive facet of my projects lies in their robust visual component, meticulously crafted with the help of Micltart, my trusted designer. Together, we have forged a unique visual identity that complements and distinguishes my musical creations.
Reflecting on my journey, a source of immense pride is my contribution to the growth of local musicians in my hometown of Puebla and New York City. Collaborating with emerging talents, I’ve played a pivotal role in elevating their music to industry standards. My commitment to nurturing the next generation of artists extends beyond mere belief; it manifests in tangible support through my network, arrangement skills, production expertise, and songwriting prowess. Together, we’ve crafted products that these artists proudly share with their audience.
As I continue to broaden my reach and enhance my standing in the industry, my aspiration is to extend a helping hand to even more artists, guiding them towards the stellar heights they deserve. The journey is ongoing, and I look forward to contributing to the flourishing of the musical landscape and the ascent of future stars.

Have you ever had to pivot?

As most for most human beings in the planet, COVID hit me HARD as it disrupted my life just as I was hitting a high point in my musical journey. I was on my second year at The Juilliard School, I had just premiered my symphonic piece “Tumbao”, which has sincen been Published by Earshot and Boosey & Hawkes (largest classical publishing house in the world), with an orchestra that I created with friends and colleagues at Juilliard. Everything seemed to be on the upswing as I worked on various musical projects, from recording violin duets to composing for 6 flutes, which would become unthinkable a few months later.
Suddenly, everyone must make music while standing 6 feet apart, wind instruments have to be put in bags… everything is a mess. I decided this was not going to stop me, so I started thinking about how I could keep writing and premiering orchestra music while no orchestras in the world were performing. This journey led me to create “Cumbia Concerto,” a fusion of classical and Mexican Cumbia music, envisioning its performance with a full orchestra and cello solosit. To overcome the limitations, I embraced technology, recording each instrument individually and piecing it all together using Logic, a music production software – a task I had never attempted before.
Despite never having used music technology before this point (not even the very basic Garage Band), I taught myself the basics and rallied over 30 musicians to contribute to this ambitious project, resulting in a piece featuring more than 60 individual recordings. The gratitude I feel towards those who volunteered for this endeavor is immeasurable. The project, available on my YouTube and Spotify channels, marked a turning point in my musical exploration.
After recording and producing this wonderful project, which you can listen to on my YouTube and Spotify channels, I started to get the famous producer “itch”. I had such a wonderful time writing and producing Cumbia Concerto EXACTLY how I wanted it to sound. A small thing that has always found discouraging about classical composition is that my music is never played at the exact speed (tempo) I intended, but music production doesn’t have that problem because everything is recorded to a metronome, so this freedom allowed me to create a recording that matched my EXACT vision. The whole mixing part, at that time, was not super important to me, I had yet to start going down that rabbit hole, so I was able to put out a good recording with great musicians, so I was ecstatic. The cello solo in “Cumbia Concerto,” performed by Zlatomir Fung fresh from winnig the gold medal at the Tchaikovsky competition, added to the encouragement, marking a collaboration with one of my generation’s outstanding classical musicians.
Following the success of “Cumbia Concerto,” I delved deeper into music production, creating the fiery Latin Salsa Trap song “FLARE,” featuring two rappers, including Swell Mclovin, a security guard at Juilliard who had persistently suggested collaboration despite my unfamiliarity with popular music production. The positive outcome of “FLARE” propelled me further into the world of popular music production, specializing in diverse Latin genres. The experience of having full control over the recording process, free from the constraints of live performances, was liberating.
This transformative journey into popular music production not only marked a significant pivot in my career but also enriched my symphonic music output and expanded my creative horizons. Looking back, I have never regretted taking that leap into a new musical frontier.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

While I wasn’t initially drawn to social media, finding it somewhat unnatural and unenjoyable, I’ve come to appreciate the immense importance of cultivating a strong online presence with an engaged following. Over the years, my understanding has deepened, observing thriving communities emerge in the most peculiar and diverse niches.

Witnessing YouTubers achieve fame through unboxing videos, I’ve realized that anyone can carve out their unique niche. At its core, this pursuit revolves around a crucial aspect of an artist’s life: communication. Skillfully crafting, preserving, and nurturing an online brand signifies discipline, determination, and yields substantial benefits, not the least of which is the invaluable social currency it generates.
As of this interview in February 2024, my Instagram boasts 6.5k followers, YouTube subscribers have reached 9k, and I garner approximately 5k monthly Spotify listeners. While these figures may not be extraordinary, considering that in December 2023, I barely had 1k followers, and my brand lacked coherence, the progress is evident. Previously, I simply posted my music, expecting universal appreciation, but I’ve learned that the true essence of content creation lies in building a community that shares and supports your vision – becoming your early advocates.
The beauty of content creation is magnified when you create something meaningful, and my journey has been enriched by heartfelt messages from fans around the globe. Hearing stories of people singing my biggest hit, “Dímelo,” to their first girlfriend or discovering that children love my music resonates deeply with me as a creator. Seeing several covers of my songs has also been quite exciting to me.
Currently, my focus revolves around creating content that captivates both me and my audience. Transforming famous classical pieces into Latin music styles has garnered positive engagement by my standards, and the fulfillment derived from this creative pursuit is immense. Recently, I’ve ventured into podcasting, and I’m optimistic about its potential traction.
As I continue this journey, growing a little each day, I invite you to check in with me in a couple of months and witness the progress. Follow me on social media (@horatio_on_the_beat), and let’s embark on this exciting adventure together.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.horaciofernandezcomposer.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/horatio_on_the_beat/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100062958744737&mibextid=ZbWKwL
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/horacio-fern%C3%A1ndez-184842124/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeSa4uiDaHNGlDK2ydsbLvA

Image Credits
Head Shot – Uriel Flores Marín Designs – MICTLART (aka. Genaro Tirado Sánchez)