Raquel Acevedo Klein: A Multidisciplinary Force in Music, Art, and Performance

Raquel Acevedo Klein is a composer, conductor, vocalist, pianist, and visual artist whose work defies uncomplicated categorization. Drawing from classical, jazz, and her Puerto Rican, Colombian, and Jewish heritage, she creates immersive experiences that blend sound, sight, and technology. As of April 2026, she is making her Los Angeles Philharmonic conducting debut, premiering works by Angélica Negrón, Lido Pimienta, and Darian Donnovan Thomas alongside pieces by Tanía Leon and Nathalie Joachim. Earlier this spring, she returned to her alma mater, SUNY Potsdam, for a multidisciplinary residency that included an art exhibition at the Gibson Gallery and a performance at The Crane School of Music.

Breaking Boundaries in Sound and Vision

Klein’s music is shaped by her identity as a multi-hyphenate artist. Her composition “Polyphonic Interlace,” born during the Covid-19 pandemic, uses smartphone-recorded vocals from audience members to recreate the communal feeling of choral singing. This innovative approach reflects her broader practice of merging disciplines—she is equally at home performing with the New York Philharmonic, Alicia Keys, and Bon Iver as she is creating visual art that layers drawing, fabric, and paint.

Her visual exhibition “Pluralidad: A Concerto for Contours and Colors,” displayed at SUNY Potsdam’s Gibson Gallery from March 5 to April 17, 2026, showcases mixed media collages that reflect her multilingual artistic practice. In her statement, Klein described the work as an embodiment of identity, medium, and form as “layered, resonant and inseparable.”

Recent Milestones and Recognitions

In April 2026, Klein was featured in a North Country Public Radio interview where she discussed her diverse career path and the difficulty of summarizing her work in a single label. The Washington Post has previously described her as a “force to be reckoned with,” noting her commissions from Opera and other major institutions. She also made headlines for music directing the first live performance of the 2024 Grammy Award-winning Los Angeles Philharmonic commission kauyumari at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

her debut film soundtrack for Adrianne’s Castle, composed with Arcade Fire’s Richard Reed Parry, was released through Sony Music Masterworks and Milan Records, further expanding her reach into interdisciplinary storytelling.

Education and Roots

A 2016 graduate of SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music, Klein maintains strong ties to her alma mater. Her spring 2026 residency included classroom collaborations and a culminating public concert, reinforcing her commitment to mentorship and community engagement. She continues to live and work in New York City, where she remains an active figure in contemporary classical, jazz, and experimental music scenes.

Conclusion

Raquel Acevedo Klein exemplifies the evolving role of the artist in the 21st century—one who moves fluidly between roles as musician, composer, conductor, vocalist, and visual artist. Her work, rooted in cultural heritage and technological innovation, continues to earn acclaim across institutions from the Los Angeles Philharmonic to SUNY Potsdam. As she prepares for upcoming performances and exhibitions, her influence on contemporary music and interdisciplinary art shows no sign of slowing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Raquel Acevedo Klein known for?

She is known for her work as a composer, conductor, vocalist, pianist, and visual artist, blending classical, jazz, and Latin American and Jewish musical traditions with multimedia and visual art.

What is “Polyphonic Interlace”?

“Polyphonic Interlace” is a composition by Raquel Acevedo Klein that emerged during the Covid-19 pandemic. It uses audience members’ smartphones to control recordings of her voice, creating an immersive, participatory choral experience.

Where did Raquel Acevedo Klein study?

She graduated from the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam in 2016.

What recent milestone did she achieve with the Los Angeles Philharmonic?

In November 2024, she made her conducting debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, premiering works by Angélica Negrón, Lido Pimienta, and Darian Donnovan Thomas.