José-Luis Maúrtua, Director of Orchestral Studies and Professor of Composition and Theory, joined Central Michigan University in 1999.

Maúrtua studied conducting with Carlota Mestanza in Peru in 1985-86, and later continued in the US with James Croft, Paul Vermel, Leon Gregorian, and Raphael Jiménez. In 1999 and 2000, he was awarded a fellowship at the Conductors Institute of South Carolina. In addition, he participated in the 1999 orchestral conducting workshops organized by the American Symphony Orchestra League (now League of American Symphony Orchestras) with Larry Racleff and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, and by the Conductors Guild with Vilem Sokol, Adrian Gnam, Murry Sidlin, and the Seattle Youth Symphony. He also attended the 1999 International Orchestral Conducting Course with Jonathan Sternberg and the Marienbad Symphony Orchestra in Czech Republic. Dr. Maúrtua had his conducting debut in Trujillo (Peru) in 1987, and returns to Peru every year as a guest conductor.

From 2003 to 2009, Dr. Maúrtua was a regular guest conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra in Lima, and from 1998 to 2010, he was artistic advisor and guest conductor at the Bach International Festival in Trujillo. In 2001, Dr. Maúrtua took students from CMU and other US schools to perform with the Chamber Orchestra of the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico in Toluca; he has also invited young musicians and faculty soloists from the U.S., Latin America, and Europe to perform yearly with the Trujillo Symphony Orchestra since 1995. After graduating from “Carlos Valderrama” Conservatory, Dr. Maúrtua taught at the same institution in 1988-89. After moving to the U.S., he taught at Bell Multicultural High School in Washington, D.C. while studying composition with Scott Martin at George Mason University. He also taught at the Columbia Institute of Fine Arts in Falls Church, VA, and as a graduate assistant at Florida State University while pursuing doctoral studies in composition with Czech composer Ladislav Kubik. Dr. Maúrtua has written music for the concert hall, dance, theater, and film.

His music has been performed in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Argentina, Peru, Czech Republic, Italy, England and China. José-Luis Maúrtua holds the doctor of music degree in composition from Florida State University, a master of music degree in composition from George Mason University, and a bachelor of music degree in composition from Carlos Valderrama Conservatory, Trujillo, Peru. He recently completed a Doctoral Degree in Orchestral Conducting at Michigan State University.