Carlos R. Cotto Clemente (b. 1997) is a Puerto Rican composer, conductor, and trombonist whose music is distinguished by lyrical, memorable themes and a strong narrative voice. Blending the expressive depth of the symphonic tradition with refined modern textures, his writing is crafted to be emotionally direct, and thematically driven. His work has been recognized in numerous international competitions, including the Beethoven International Music Competition, Vivaldi International Music Competition, Debussy International Music Competition, Georges Bizet International Music Competition, Saint-Saëns International Music Competition, World Grand Prix Music Contest, Royale Music Competition, and the NY Music Award, reflecting his growing international profile.

A graduate of the Escuela Libre de Música de San Juan and the Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico, he has also pursued advanced studies in scoring for visual media with the Film Scoring Academy of Europe. His artistic development has been shaped by mentors including Rafael E. Irizarry, Jerry Rivas, Alfonso Fuentes, Rubén Ramírez, Pieter Schlosser, Penka Kouneva, Christopher Young, and Álvaro Domínguez.

Cotto has collaborated within professional symphonic environments connected to the Orquesta Sinfónica de Puerto Rico and the Orquesta Filarmónica de Puerto Rico. He has worked closely with the Programa Música 100x35: Sistema de Orquestas y Coros Juveniles e Infantiles de Puerto Rico as musician, staff, and arranger, developing repertoire and contributing to large-scale educational performances. He has also collaborated with the Young Artist Chamber Orchestra of Puerto Rico, Conjunto de Euphonios y Tubas de PR, and served as guest and assistant conductor of the Banda de Conciertos / Concert Band of the Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico.

Focused on film, television, and multimedia, Cotto writes music that is melodic, dramatically expressive, and cinematic—blending orchestra with modern textures while remaining stylistically flexible. His experience as a performer, conductor, arranger, and composer allows him to approach each project with both creative vision and practical understanding, adapting seamlessly to different genres, formats, and storytelling needs. The result is music that is thematically strong, emotionally clear, and tailored to elevate each production with a distinctive and compelling musical identity.