ABOUT ELISEO

Biography

Born in Mexico City, Eliseo Santillan is a composer, artistic director, sound designer and music producer whose work spans music, theatre, dance, multimedia, film, television, documentaries, and large-scale cultural events. After studying piano and music at Mexico’s National School of Music (UNAM), he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from the Monterrey Institute of Technology and an Advanced Diploma in Audio Engineering and Music Production from the Centre for Arts and Technology in Kelowna BC, Canada.

For over three decades, Eliseo has collaborated in Mexico and internationally with renowned artistic companies, including Les Petits Français (France), La Fura dels Baus (Barcelona), and Butoh Dance Company 0.618 (Mexico), among others. He has also served as producer, assistant director, and coordinator for major festivals and cultural events in Mexico, such as the Barroquísimo Festival in Puebla, Tajín Vive at the Cumbre Tajín Festival in Veracruz, Mexico City’s Independence Day celebrations, Puebla’s Independence festivities, and the 200th Anniversary of the Sitio de Cuautla.

As a composer and creator, one of his most notable works is “Mi Raza”, a multidisciplinary show inspired by ancient Mexican cultures that he created and directed at the Teatro Metropólitan in Mexico City. He also composed the music for Yo México, a large-scale multimedia production celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Mexican Revolution; wrote eleven short compositions for the BBC documentary Octavio Paz, Man of the Century; and composed and produced the Klasse A theme for Mercedes-Benz México.

Eliseo has also created the music and sound design for acclaimed theatre productions in Mexico City, including The Mist in the Mirror, Freud’s Last Session, and Dogville. He was the Musical Director for the Mexican staging of INDECENT and served as Artistic Director for TRIBU’s 45th and 50th Anniversary Concerts at the Teatro de la Ciudad Esperanza Iris.

His work in film includes composing the scores for the documentary series La Ruta de la Trata and the documentary film Burn Out, as well as the short film El Cuadro Poema (France) by Ann Cantat-Corsini, and the short film To Play with Fire, directed by Gabriela Paciel.

In addition to his collaborative work, Eliseo has released four full-length music albums — Echoes from the Soul, Soul Expansion, Sabina Fitch Lontadanza, and Sounds from the Stage — along with multiple singles exploring piano, electronic, and orchestral soundscapes.

Expanding his creative reach, Eliseo has also produced and published two guided meditation albums and several guided meditation singles, combining immersive sound design with contemplative practices to create transformative listening experiences.

Now based in Canada, Eliseo continues to compose, perform, and collaborate, blending live music, sound design, and interdisciplinary performance to create transformative artistic experiences, and he is the Managing Director and Producer of the Living Things International Arts Festival in Kelowna BC, Canada.