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Press Releases
Alondra de la Parra & POA Celebrate Mexico's Bicentennial on May 11
New York, NY— On Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at 7pm, the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas (POA), led by Founder and Music Director Alondra de la Parra, who holds the distinction of being the first woman from Mexico to conduct in New York City, will present Mi Alma Mexicana, a concert launching POA’s celebration of Mexico’s 2010 bicentennial, at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall (1941 Broadway, NYC). Mi Alma Mexicana features rediscovered works by Mexican composers written during the last 200 years that are seldom heard in the concert hall. The pieces to be performed are part of POA’s forthcoming 2-disc recording for Sony Classical, which will be released worldwide in August 2010. The program includes the New York premieres of Gustavo Campa’s Melodía with solo violinist Daniel Andai, Ricardo Castro’s Intermezzo de Atzimba, and Candelario Huízar’s Imágenes; as well as performances of Carlos Chávez’s Caballos del Vapor; Federico Ibarra’s Sinfonía No. 2; and Manuel M. Ponce’s Concierto del Sur with solo guitarist Pablo Sáinz Villegas.
The May 11 concert will be followed by a VIP dinner event at Rosa Mexicano (61 Columbus Ave., NYC), attended by Argentine composer and performer Gustavo Santaolalla. Tickets for this benefit for POA’s annual fund are $250 (Danzón level), and $500 (Huapango level) available by calling 212.564.0508 or at www.poamericas.org. Dress for the event is cocktail attire.
The music included on the concert and forthcoming Sony Classical release was selected by Alondra de la Parra after two years of extensive research. “I wanted to create a recording and a concert that represented Mexico’s music very well,” she said. “These projects showcase the diverse styles and eras of my country’s music, ranging from Ibarra’s very contemporary sounding Sinfonía No. 2, to Castro’s nearly Wagnerian Intermezzo de Atzimba, to Ponce’s Spanish-influenced Concierto del Sur. This program will surprise you with the wide array of music you will hear.”
Further plans for POA’s celebration of Mexico’s bicentennial include the orchestra’s next performance on May 14 in Los Angeles at Walt Disney Concert Hall, where they join Argentine-Uruguyan music collective Bajofondo for a single evening of spectacular Latin fusion. The concert is presented by invitation of the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s new music director Gustavo Dudamel as part of the Americas and Americans Festival. In addition, POA will embark on a multi-city tour of Mexico in September 2010.
ABOUT POA: The Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas was founded in 2004 by then-23 year old Mexican conductor and pianist Alondra de la Parra, and is now an international symphony orchestra serving as a platform to showcase young composers and performers from the Americas. POA itself comprises the next generation of emerging classical music talent. The majority of orchestra members are under age 35 and hail from 22 different countries. Since its inception, POA has performed for the President of Mexico; has been hosted at the White House, the Mexican Embassy, and the Canadian Consulate; has given concerts for over 30,000 audience members in New York, Mexico City, Guadalajara, Oaxaca, Dallas, and Washington, DC, among other cities; has provided important New York City debut opportunities to 20 emerging soloists from the Americas; has performed 10 world premieres of American composers; has established an international Young Composers’ Competition; and has initiated the innovative Niños arts and education program for underprivileged youth in the United States and Mexico.
Last summer, the orchestra made its well-received debut as orchestra-in-residence at the prestigious Napa Valley Festival del Sole, collaborating with violinist Sarah Chang and actor Robert Redford, and returned for the fifth year in a row to the Music Festival of the Americas at Stowe. In October 2008, POA made its debut with a dance company as part of Christopher Wheeldon’s Morphoses Dance Company at New York’s City Center. The next month, the orchestra toured Mexico for the second time and performed in a tribute to Gloria Estefan at the Latin Grammy Awards.
ABOUT MUSIC DIRECTOR ALONDRA DE LA PARRA: Conductor Alondra de la Parra has gained widespread attention for her spellbinding and vibrant performances, making her one of the most compelling conductors of her generation. As Symphony magazine put it, “de la Parra doesn’t seem to put much stock in the ‘glass ceiling.’” She holds the distinction of being the first woman from Mexico to conduct in New York City, and has been honored by the City for her contributions to the arts with a proclamation. For the past two years, she has received the League of American Orchestras Women Conductors’ Grant. In May 2008, de la Parra became the youngest member to join the board of trustees of the Latin Grammy Awards, and she holds the title of Cultural Ambassador for Mexican Tourism. Respected by her musician colleagues in spite of her relative youth, she has been heralded by Plácido Domingo as “an extraordinary conductor.”
A champion of new music as well as an innovative interpreter of standard repertoire, she has conducted more than twenty world premieres by composers including Enrico Chapela, Paul Brantley, Paul Desenne, Eugenio Toussaint, Ernesto Villa-Lobos, and many more, and has led acclaimed performances of works including Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7, Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5, and Mahler’s Symphony No. 1.
Over just the past five years de la Parra been featured in Crain’s New York Business as one of their “40 under 40 New York’s Rising Stars,” singled out in The Daily Beast as one of the “Young Rockstars of the Conducting World,” graced the cover of Caras magazine, been the subject of a major feature in The New York Times, recognized by Poder magazine as one of their “Top 20 under 40,” and named as one of six “Young Artists on the Rise” in Symphony magazine.
Alondra de la Parra’s recent and upcoming highlights include return engagements with the San Francisco Symphony, and her subscription concert debut with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Abroad she conducts Brazil’s Sao Paulo Symphony, Canada’s Edmonton Symphony, Germany’s Kammerakademie Potsdam and Moritzburg Festival Orchestra, and Denmark’s Tivoli Symphony. In addition, since 2005 she has been Music Director of the Music Festival of the Americas in Stowe, Vermont. Previous performances have included appearances with the symphony orchestras of Houston, Phoenix, Columbus, San Antonio, the Chicago Sinfonietta, and the Orquesta Sinfónica del Estado de Mexico, as well as conducting concerts at the New Hampshire and Colorado Summer Music Festivals. Additional highlights have included a gala concert with the Washington National Opera and Plácido Domingo; a return performance with the Russian National Orchestra at the Festival of the Arts Boca; conducting Venezuela’s Simón Bolivar Youth Orchestra, which gave her their highest honor bestowed to a musician; leading the Singapore Sun Festival Orchestra where she collaborated with actor Geoffrey Rush; as well as conducting to critical acclaim the Dallas Symphony, Mexico’s Orquesta Sinfónica de Xalapa and Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Miami’s New World Symphony, the Buenos Aires Philharmonic, the Orquesta Sinfónica de Aguascalientes, and Uruguay’s Montevideo Philharmonic.
Alondra de la Parra makes her home in New York City with her husband, and holds a B.A. in piano performance and an M.M. in conducting from the Manhattan School of Music. Since 2003, her mentor and teacher has been Kenneth Kiesler, and she has participated in masterclasses with Kurt Masur. Alondra de la Parra is represented worldwide by Tanja Dorn at IMG Artists. For more information, please visit www.alondradelaparra.com.
ABOUT GUITARIST PABLO SÁINZ VILLEGAS: Spanish guitarist Pablo Sáinz Villegas quickly established himself as one of the world’s leading classical guitarists by winning the Gold Medal at the first Christopher Parkening International Guitar Competition in May 2006. Sáinz Villegas’ prize-winning performance with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra has led to concerts in twenty-eight countries. These include his recent debut with the New York Philharmonic under renowned conductor Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall.
Born in Spain, but now living in New York, Sáinz Villegas’ combination of charismatic stage presence, deep passion for his music and stunning technical abilities deliver performances that have consistently brought audiences to their feet. Recently, Sáinz Villegas won Spain’s prestigious, “El Ojo Critico” Award (the Critics Eye). Only one award a year is given in the field of classical music, and this was the first time the award has ever been presented to a guitarist.
Last year, Sáinz Villegas made his debut with the Houston Symphony led by Alondra de la Parra. In June 2009 he completed a successful 12-concert tour with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in Israel under the baton of Frühbeck de Burgos. Among his other orchestral highlights include appearances with internationally-acclaimed orchestras in the U.K., Spain, Russia, Denmark, France, Brazil, Turkey, Mexico, Austria and the United States. Sainz Villegas' worldwide recitals earned him return engagements in Tchaikovsky Concert Hall in Moscow and Philharmonic Hall in St. Petersburg, Russia. His upcoming recital schedule takes him to the continents of Europe, Central America, South America, North America and Asia.
Known for his outreach programs, Sáinz Villegas is the founder of “The Music Without Borders Legacy,” a program that seeks to leverage the inspirational power of classical music among low income communities and young artists. For more information, visit http://www.pablosainzvillegas.com.
ABOUT VIOLINIST DANIEL ANDAI: Hailed as an “exemplary leader” by The New York Times, violinist Daniel Andai shares his versatile artistry as soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, recording artist, concertmaster, and violin professor across five continents. Solo appearances with orchestras include the Sinfonica Simón Bolívar (Venezuela), Florida Philharmonic, Welsh Chamber Orchestra (Wales) and Moscow State Symphony (Russia), to name a few. He is a recipient of major awards from national and international competitions.
Daniel Andai is concertmaster of the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas, appearing as soloist at the Festival of the Americas performing Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto at Lincoln Center, and on the forthcoming Sony Classical release. Andai led the orchestra during the tribute to Gloria Estefan at the Latin Grammy Awards. He is also concertmaster of The Miami Symphony Orchestra and has performed with them as a soloist on several occasions, as well as on the orchestra’s newly-released Evening in Vienna CD. Previous appointments included concertmaster of the Filarmonica de Minas Gerais (Brazil), associate concertmaster of the Verbier Chamber Orchestra (Switzerland) and collaborations with the New York Philharmonic, Florida Philharmonic, New World Symphony and the Miyazaki Orchestra (Japan). Andai has performed in various international festivals as a soloist, is first violinist of the Vols String Quartet, and was a member of Richard Danielpour's contemporary music group, the Claremont Ensemble, in New York.
He can be heard on radio stations throughout South America as an AMZ Records artist and has appeared on TV stations in the US and South America. He was the solo violinist in the award winning PBS special Sugihara. Daniel Andai is professor of violin at New World School of the Arts in Miami and is on the faculty of the Killington Music Festival in Vermont. He is on the advisory board for the City of Aventura Performing Arts Center and holds degrees from Lynn University’s Conservatory of Music and Manhattan School of Music’s Orchestral Program as a recipient of the Rafael Bronstein Award. ###
The May 11 concert will be followed by a VIP dinner event at Rosa Mexicano (61 Columbus Ave., NYC), attended by Argentine composer and performer Gustavo Santaolalla. Tickets for this benefit for POA’s annual fund are $250 (Danzón level), and $500 (Huapango level) available by calling 212.564.0508 or at www.poamericas.org. Dress for the event is cocktail attire.
The music included on the concert and forthcoming Sony Classical release was selected by Alondra de la Parra after two years of extensive research. “I wanted to create a recording and a concert that represented Mexico’s music very well,” she said. “These projects showcase the diverse styles and eras of my country’s music, ranging from Ibarra’s very contemporary sounding Sinfonía No. 2, to Castro’s nearly Wagnerian Intermezzo de Atzimba, to Ponce’s Spanish-influenced Concierto del Sur. This program will surprise you with the wide array of music you will hear.”
Further plans for POA’s celebration of Mexico’s bicentennial include the orchestra’s next performance on May 14 in Los Angeles at Walt Disney Concert Hall, where they join Argentine-Uruguyan music collective Bajofondo for a single evening of spectacular Latin fusion. The concert is presented by invitation of the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s new music director Gustavo Dudamel as part of the Americas and Americans Festival. In addition, POA will embark on a multi-city tour of Mexico in September 2010.
ABOUT POA: The Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas was founded in 2004 by then-23 year old Mexican conductor and pianist Alondra de la Parra, and is now an international symphony orchestra serving as a platform to showcase young composers and performers from the Americas. POA itself comprises the next generation of emerging classical music talent. The majority of orchestra members are under age 35 and hail from 22 different countries. Since its inception, POA has performed for the President of Mexico; has been hosted at the White House, the Mexican Embassy, and the Canadian Consulate; has given concerts for over 30,000 audience members in New York, Mexico City, Guadalajara, Oaxaca, Dallas, and Washington, DC, among other cities; has provided important New York City debut opportunities to 20 emerging soloists from the Americas; has performed 10 world premieres of American composers; has established an international Young Composers’ Competition; and has initiated the innovative Niños arts and education program for underprivileged youth in the United States and Mexico.
Last summer, the orchestra made its well-received debut as orchestra-in-residence at the prestigious Napa Valley Festival del Sole, collaborating with violinist Sarah Chang and actor Robert Redford, and returned for the fifth year in a row to the Music Festival of the Americas at Stowe. In October 2008, POA made its debut with a dance company as part of Christopher Wheeldon’s Morphoses Dance Company at New York’s City Center. The next month, the orchestra toured Mexico for the second time and performed in a tribute to Gloria Estefan at the Latin Grammy Awards.
ABOUT MUSIC DIRECTOR ALONDRA DE LA PARRA: Conductor Alondra de la Parra has gained widespread attention for her spellbinding and vibrant performances, making her one of the most compelling conductors of her generation. As Symphony magazine put it, “de la Parra doesn’t seem to put much stock in the ‘glass ceiling.’” She holds the distinction of being the first woman from Mexico to conduct in New York City, and has been honored by the City for her contributions to the arts with a proclamation. For the past two years, she has received the League of American Orchestras Women Conductors’ Grant. In May 2008, de la Parra became the youngest member to join the board of trustees of the Latin Grammy Awards, and she holds the title of Cultural Ambassador for Mexican Tourism. Respected by her musician colleagues in spite of her relative youth, she has been heralded by Plácido Domingo as “an extraordinary conductor.”
A champion of new music as well as an innovative interpreter of standard repertoire, she has conducted more than twenty world premieres by composers including Enrico Chapela, Paul Brantley, Paul Desenne, Eugenio Toussaint, Ernesto Villa-Lobos, and many more, and has led acclaimed performances of works including Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7, Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5, and Mahler’s Symphony No. 1.
Over just the past five years de la Parra been featured in Crain’s New York Business as one of their “40 under 40 New York’s Rising Stars,” singled out in The Daily Beast as one of the “Young Rockstars of the Conducting World,” graced the cover of Caras magazine, been the subject of a major feature in The New York Times, recognized by Poder magazine as one of their “Top 20 under 40,” and named as one of six “Young Artists on the Rise” in Symphony magazine.
Alondra de la Parra’s recent and upcoming highlights include return engagements with the San Francisco Symphony, and her subscription concert debut with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Abroad she conducts Brazil’s Sao Paulo Symphony, Canada’s Edmonton Symphony, Germany’s Kammerakademie Potsdam and Moritzburg Festival Orchestra, and Denmark’s Tivoli Symphony. In addition, since 2005 she has been Music Director of the Music Festival of the Americas in Stowe, Vermont. Previous performances have included appearances with the symphony orchestras of Houston, Phoenix, Columbus, San Antonio, the Chicago Sinfonietta, and the Orquesta Sinfónica del Estado de Mexico, as well as conducting concerts at the New Hampshire and Colorado Summer Music Festivals. Additional highlights have included a gala concert with the Washington National Opera and Plácido Domingo; a return performance with the Russian National Orchestra at the Festival of the Arts Boca; conducting Venezuela’s Simón Bolivar Youth Orchestra, which gave her their highest honor bestowed to a musician; leading the Singapore Sun Festival Orchestra where she collaborated with actor Geoffrey Rush; as well as conducting to critical acclaim the Dallas Symphony, Mexico’s Orquesta Sinfónica de Xalapa and Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Miami’s New World Symphony, the Buenos Aires Philharmonic, the Orquesta Sinfónica de Aguascalientes, and Uruguay’s Montevideo Philharmonic.
Alondra de la Parra makes her home in New York City with her husband, and holds a B.A. in piano performance and an M.M. in conducting from the Manhattan School of Music. Since 2003, her mentor and teacher has been Kenneth Kiesler, and she has participated in masterclasses with Kurt Masur. Alondra de la Parra is represented worldwide by Tanja Dorn at IMG Artists. For more information, please visit www.alondradelaparra.com.
ABOUT GUITARIST PABLO SÁINZ VILLEGAS: Spanish guitarist Pablo Sáinz Villegas quickly established himself as one of the world’s leading classical guitarists by winning the Gold Medal at the first Christopher Parkening International Guitar Competition in May 2006. Sáinz Villegas’ prize-winning performance with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra has led to concerts in twenty-eight countries. These include his recent debut with the New York Philharmonic under renowned conductor Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall.
Born in Spain, but now living in New York, Sáinz Villegas’ combination of charismatic stage presence, deep passion for his music and stunning technical abilities deliver performances that have consistently brought audiences to their feet. Recently, Sáinz Villegas won Spain’s prestigious, “El Ojo Critico” Award (the Critics Eye). Only one award a year is given in the field of classical music, and this was the first time the award has ever been presented to a guitarist.
Last year, Sáinz Villegas made his debut with the Houston Symphony led by Alondra de la Parra. In June 2009 he completed a successful 12-concert tour with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in Israel under the baton of Frühbeck de Burgos. Among his other orchestral highlights include appearances with internationally-acclaimed orchestras in the U.K., Spain, Russia, Denmark, France, Brazil, Turkey, Mexico, Austria and the United States. Sainz Villegas' worldwide recitals earned him return engagements in Tchaikovsky Concert Hall in Moscow and Philharmonic Hall in St. Petersburg, Russia. His upcoming recital schedule takes him to the continents of Europe, Central America, South America, North America and Asia.
Known for his outreach programs, Sáinz Villegas is the founder of “The Music Without Borders Legacy,” a program that seeks to leverage the inspirational power of classical music among low income communities and young artists. For more information, visit http://www.pablosainzvillegas.com.
ABOUT VIOLINIST DANIEL ANDAI: Hailed as an “exemplary leader” by The New York Times, violinist Daniel Andai shares his versatile artistry as soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, recording artist, concertmaster, and violin professor across five continents. Solo appearances with orchestras include the Sinfonica Simón Bolívar (Venezuela), Florida Philharmonic, Welsh Chamber Orchestra (Wales) and Moscow State Symphony (Russia), to name a few. He is a recipient of major awards from national and international competitions.
Daniel Andai is concertmaster of the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas, appearing as soloist at the Festival of the Americas performing Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto at Lincoln Center, and on the forthcoming Sony Classical release. Andai led the orchestra during the tribute to Gloria Estefan at the Latin Grammy Awards. He is also concertmaster of The Miami Symphony Orchestra and has performed with them as a soloist on several occasions, as well as on the orchestra’s newly-released Evening in Vienna CD. Previous appointments included concertmaster of the Filarmonica de Minas Gerais (Brazil), associate concertmaster of the Verbier Chamber Orchestra (Switzerland) and collaborations with the New York Philharmonic, Florida Philharmonic, New World Symphony and the Miyazaki Orchestra (Japan). Andai has performed in various international festivals as a soloist, is first violinist of the Vols String Quartet, and was a member of Richard Danielpour's contemporary music group, the Claremont Ensemble, in New York.
He can be heard on radio stations throughout South America as an AMZ Records artist and has appeared on TV stations in the US and South America. He was the solo violinist in the award winning PBS special Sugihara. Daniel Andai is professor of violin at New World School of the Arts in Miami and is on the faculty of the Killington Music Festival in Vermont. He is on the advisory board for the City of Aventura Performing Arts Center and holds degrees from Lynn University’s Conservatory of Music and Manhattan School of Music’s Orchestral Program as a recipient of the Rafael Bronstein Award. ###
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