Abel Cuevas

Sought after for his musicianship, artistry, versatility, and commitment to authenticity, Abel Cuevas is an educator, composer, consultant, and performing artist whose career spans a wide breadth of musical styles and settings.

Active as a multi-instrumentalist since the age of eleven; he regularly performed and recorded with working bands throughout his early years. While studying music at the University of New Mexico, Abel simultaneously maintained a busy professional performing, writing, recording, and teaching career with principal emphases on percussion and composition. Since graduating from UNM in 2009, he has performed and shared stages with some of the world’s most admired and influential artists and ensembles in the realms of popular and classical music.

With extensive experience across genres ranging from rock, metal, American roots music, Tejano, Norteño, symphonic, opera, and contemporary chamber music, to numerous styles of jazz and world music, and more, his work encompasses a truly diverse array of musical traditions. He remains highly active as an educator, composer, consultant, and performer, collaborating with local, regional, and international artists, organizations, schools, individual clients, and students.

Since 2015, Abel has taught music at the University of New Mexico while also serving as a music arranger for the UNM Spirit Marching Band. His additional appointments in education include regular service as a clinician for the New Mexico Music Educators Association, Percussion Specialist and Private Lesson Instructor for the Albuquerque Youth Symphony Program, Percussion Director and Arranger for the Eldorado High School Bands and Minus One Percussion Ensemble, and Percussion Specialist for the Eisenhower Middle School Bands. He also teaches private music lessons, and is frequently engaged as a guest clinician and adjudicator.

Current and former students of his regularly succeed in pursuing their personal goals, earn music degrees, compete in DCI and WGI, teach privately and in public schools, and perform professionally throughout the world. Whether working with aspiring professionals or those seeking to experience the joy and personal fulfillment that comes from playing music, Abel fosters a creative, individualized approach tailored to the aspirations and needs of every individual and ensemble he serves.