Federico was born in San José, Costa Rica in 1978. He studied politics and piano performance at the Universidad de Costa Rica and music at the University of Maryland, College Park, USA. He studied composition with Louis Andriessen, Richard Ayres, Gilius van Bergeijk and Martijn Padding at the Royal Conservatoire, The Netherlands. He also attended a one-year course at the Institute of Sonology, studying human-computer interaction, digital signal processing and algorithmic composition. He holds a PhD from Brunel University, London, UK, where he studied with Richard Barrett and Christopher Fox. He is currently Senior Lecturer in Music Technology at The University of York.
Federico’s work has been presented, performed and broadcast worldwide and featured at leading music and art festivals. He has written instrumental, vocal and mixed media compositions for ensembles and soloists including Ensemble MAE, Ensemble Klang, Sarah Nicolls, RIAM Percussion Ensemble, Roentgen Connection, Royal Ensemble and Singers, Python Saxophone Quartet and Piano Circus.
He is active as a live electronics performer often collaborating with Adam de la Cour, Neil Luck, Loré Lixenberg, Mark Knoop, Mowgli, Perro-chimp, Fiona Bevan, Steve Potter and Matthew Lee Knowles. As a laptop improviser he has performed with improvisers such as John Edwards, Steve Noble, Mark Sanders, London Improvisers Orchestra, Tony Marsh, Alekander Kolkowski, Ingrid Laubrock, Alexander Hawkins, Dominic Lash, Roland Ramanan, Javier Carmona, Ricardo Tejero, Mark Hanslip and Rachel Musson.
As a sound artist he has experience with sound and robotic installations, fixed electroacoustic and mixed media works, interactive environments and cross-arts collaborations. He has worked with/for artists including Trisha Donnelly, Rachel Rose, Stelarc, Bruce McLean and San Belinfante.
He is also co-founder of squib-box with Adam de la Cour and Neil Luck. squib-box is artist-led organisation and netlabel that promotes radical music and interdisciplinary performance.