Nuria Fernández Herranz was born in Madrid, where she completed

Nuria Fernández Herranz was born in Madrid, where she completed her studies at the Royal
Conservatory of Music. She then moved to Hungary where she specialised in conducting choirs
and conducting methodology.
Her interest in teaching led her to take on the position of head of the department of Choir
Conducting at the Music Conservatory of Aragon between 1993 and 2011, providing
interpretation courses and holding workshops all over Spain.
At the Carlos III University of Madrid (UC3M) she developed different choral projects, which
have become references within the Spanish choral panorama: the University Choir, the Stage
Music Children’s Program and the course on choir conducting.
Today she also focuses on the VokalArs project, a group she founded and of which she has been
the conductor since 2004.
VokalArs began its rehearsals in October 2004. The idea of a choir of equal voices has grown
from the same professional desire, namely to create a vocal group that can offer to the public a
stable, high-quality repertoire.
Its members are women who have a strong musical background and an extensive vocal
experience, making it possible for this group to have a high profile within the Spanish choral
panorama despite its short existence.
The fact that this group is composed of women, who mostly develop their professional activity
within the field of music teaching, turns VokalArs into a group with a tremendous potential for
educational development projects as well as making productions of a high artistic level.
In October 1994 Nuria assumed leadership of the Choir of the Carlos III University of Madrid
(UC3M). This choir has always based its activities on the vocal and musical training aimed at all
its members. Along the way, it has always sought to provide innovative programmes seeking to
awaken interest in the public for the love of choral music.
Among the multiple programmes presented to the public over the years, some of the premieres
for instance stand out:
- the Eucharistic Play of The Foods of Man composed by Padre Antonio Soler, which the choir
interpreted together with the Chamber Orchestra and the theatre group of the University, on
the occasion of the inauguration of the Auditorium of the Carlos III University of Madrid; the
world premiere of the unpublished repertoire for choir and orchestra made up of the works by
the Catalan composer and choirmaster of the Toledo Cathedral, Jaime Casellas (1690-1764),
which was played and interpreted in 1999 by the Royal Chapel Orchestra and the UCIIIM choir;
and
- the release of the Royal Theatre’s production of the Orpheus’ Song by several authors which
the Choir was to performed together with the School Orchestra of the Madrid Symphony
Orchestra in April 2008.
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First Prizes:
–The “Antigua Abesbatzak” Contest of Zumárraga (Guipúzcoa 2001)
– The “Jesús Vicente Aguirre” Contest of Parla (Madrid 2001)
– The 3rd “Villa de El Molar” Contest of Coral Singing (Madrid 2001)
– The “Joaquín Villumbrales” Choir Contest of Christmas Carols of Alcorcón (Madrid 2000)
Second Prizes:
– The National Grand Prix of Choir Singing (Zumárraga, Guipúzcoa 2001)
– The Airtel National Grand Prix of Choir Singing (Cieza, Murcia 2000)
– The 12th Choir Contest of Autol (La Rioja 1999)
– The 9th “Villa de Griñón” Contest of Choir Masses (Madrid 1999)
– “Christmas Carols 95” contest organized by the Regional Delegation of ONCE (The National
Organisation of the Blind) (Madrid 1995).
Recordings:
2004 – CD recording of the choral work of José de la Vega, a Spanish renown contemporary
composer, as a personal request of the composer himself.
1999 – CD recording of the works by Padre A. Soler on the occasion of the commemoration of the
10 anniversary of the Carlos III University of Madrid.
1997 – CD recording of a varied repertoire representing the different contemporary musical
trends in choirs singing.
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