Jose Luis Ureña Gonzales

José Luis Ureña Gonzalez is the Principal Timpanist of the National Orchestra of Dominican Republic. In addition, Jose Luis teaches drum set at the National Conservatory of Music of D.R., classical percussion in the Elementary Music School Elila Mena, the APEC high school, and the Foundation Festiband. Jose Luis is the co-musical director and percussionist of the first classical percussion group in Dominican Republic, ATEZA’O. Along with being a timpanist, Jose Luis is the conductor of the Youth Dominican Orchestra of Winds (ODV) and is the assistant conductor of the Youth Symphony Orchestra of San Pedro de Macoris.

Jose Luis started his musical studies at the Music Academy of the Congregation Mita Inc., where he was the percussion leader and assistant conductor of the band. He earned his a Bachelor of Music degree in music theory and music education at the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD). In 2012, Jose Luis earned his Artist Diploma as a drum set player from the National Conservatory of Music, where he also studied classical percussion with Prof. Remy Taveras and conducting with Prof. Dante Cucurullo. 

Throughout his career Jose Luis has being part of numerous ensembles as a percussionist and timpanist such as the Youth Symphony Juan Pablo Duarte of the National Conservatory of Music in D.R., Dominican Orchestra of Wind, and the Youth Orchestra of the Proarte Foundation. He was the drum set player of the Jazz Orchestra of the National Conservatory. In 2014, he was a member of the YOA Orchestra of the Americas (Caribbean Tour: Dom. Rep., Haiti, Jamaica). He has played with renowned music artists such as: Jorge Taveras, Amaury Sanchez, Mayra Peguero, Danny Rivera, Andrea Bocelli, Paloma San Basilio, Rafael Solano, Dante Cucurullo, Jose Antonio Molina, Anthony Rios, and Stephan Bauer. He played in several pit orchestras for operas and musicals such as: La Boheme, The Merry Widow, Oliver the musical, Luisa Fernanda, Latin Romance musical, Cecilia Valdez, Princess of Czardas, West Side Story, High School Musical, Man of La Mancha. He has participated in courses and master classes such as: Choral Conducting with Prof. Rubén Colón Tarrats (UASD), Music Appreciation Workshop with Prof. Catana Perez, master class with Maestro Michael Camilo, master class with Prof. Charlie Babel, master class with the Group of African Amazon Percussion, certification in Jazz Harmony, certification in Arranging and Composition with Prof. Corey Allen (UNPHU), XVI Yamaha International Music Seminar (Manizales, Colombia), private lessons with Maestro Paolo Bressan (Conservatory of Milan), Orchestral Direction workshop with maestro Daniel Restrepo Silvia Hurtado, master classes with Fernando Meza of the University of Minnesota and the current timpanist of the Berlin Philharmonic, Wieland Welzel.

OrchestraNational Orchestra of Dominican RepublicTitlePrincipal Timpanist