Tomás “Automata”
de Camino Beck
Tomás de Camino Beck has had a split life between music, science, mathematics and computer science. He holds a Ph.D. in Mathematical biology from the University of Alberta in Canada, a M.Sc. in Computer Science from Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, and a B.Sc. in Biology from the Universidad de Costa Rica. Mr. de Camino Beck started his musical education at a young age playing viola at the Escuela de Música Laudelino Mejías in Venezuela, under professor Victor Romaskanu. After years of studying viola, and after moving to Costa Rica, he decided to get a guitar and started learning on his own the instrument, playing later the local scene with several rock bands in Costa Rica, and winning Yamaha Costa Rica Music Quest in 1994 with his band Camafeo.
In Costa Rica, Tomás, under the name “Automata” started a prolific career as a music producer, producing more than 60 artists with credits as a recording engineer, mixing engineer and producer. He has been credited as changing the local music scene with a new sound for emerging artists. Later, he founded Automata Records, the first all digital Costa Rica record label, promoting new artists and a raw “real” sound. He was nominated as a music producer to an award by the nacional composers association (ACAM), but did not accept the nomination to push for the inclusion of alternative music media.