Summary of Dissertation Performances Three Programs of Cello Music

Abstract

Latin-American artists have made major contributions to global culture in their effort to create a distinct identity. Their ideals have been partly inspired by national cultures as well as by larger cultural units. In the sphere of Western art music, Latin-Americans began to convey a distinctive voice in the Twentieth century for the most part. Composers like Alberto Williams or Heitor Villa-Lobos, were a part of the first generation that established aesthetic movements with the aim of infusing European compositional techniques with Latin-American inspiration. In my dissertation recitals, I explored Latin-American identity from the beginnings of Twentieth century Latin-American nationalisms to the younger generation of living composers.

My research resulted in an awareness of several factors that have defined the creation and circulation of Latin-American art music. Among those factors, the independence of identity from political entities yields cultural products linked to supra-national and extra-territorial identities (Latin-American, Andean, Caribbean, Nuyorrican). On the other hand, a lack of means of distribution for Latin-American art music has as a consequence poor circulation and in some cases biased reception by audiences both in and out Latin-America. Therefore, the more relevant outcome of this dissertation is the will to create spaces for the circulation of Latin-American art music for cello.

Three cello recitals were presented to satisfy the dissertation requirement.

Thursday, July 2, 2015, 8:00 p.m., Las Trinitarias Hotel, Barquisimeto, Venezuela. Accompanied by Orquesta Sinfonica de Lara; Tarcisio Barreto, conductor. Program: Concerto for Cello and Orchestra no. 2 by Heitor Villa-Lobos.

Friday, December 11, 2015, 8:00 p.m., Walgreen Center, Stamps Auditorium. Accompanied by César Cañón, piano; Cole Anderson, piano; Narae Joo, piano. Program: Sonata for Cello and Piano by Manuel Ponce; Cecilia en Azul y Verde for Cello and Piano by Ricardo Lorenz; Suite for Cello and Piano by Modesta Bor; Sonata no. 1 for Cello and Piano by Camargo Guarnieri.

Saturday, March 12, 2016, 8:00 p.m., Walgreen Center, Stamps Auditorium. Program: Añoranzas for Cello and Electronics by Carolina Heredia; Sonata for Cello Solo by Leo Brouwer; Open Borders for Cello Solo by Ricardo Lorenz; Suite “Jaguar Songs” for Cello Solo by Paul Desenne.