 Varela's music has been performed at festivals and events in major cities worldwide, including festivals like ISCM World Music Days, San Juan’s Biennial of Contemporary Music, Caracas Latin American Music Festival, Inter American Music and Dance Festival, Green Umbrella Series, Stockholm New Music, and Gothenburg Art Sounds.In Venezuela he received the National Composition Award and the Caracas City Municipal Award.In 1996 his "Second String Quartet" was selected to represent Venezuela at the ISCM Festival in Copenhagen, and in 2005 his "Axle-asimétrica II" was selected to represent Sweden at the ISCM festival in Zagreb.