17 Feb 2018
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Outstanding Cuban pianist Aldo López-Gavilán will make his soloist debut with The Florida Orchestra with three concerts celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the symphony.

Aldo Lopez-Gavilan
February 17 of 2018, Havana | Office of Aldo López-Gavilán

Aldo López-Gavilán, the multi-award-winning Cuban pianist, and composer will make his debut with the Florida Orchestra with three major concerts on February 23, 24 and 25 in the Florida cities of Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater, respectively.

The Florida Orchestra celebrates its 50th anniversary with an exciting program and for the debut of the young Cuban pianist has chosen ” Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini ” by the Russian composer, pianist and conductor Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943). The composition of Rachmaninoff is based on ” 24 Caprices for solo violin”, the most significant work of the virtuoso violinist and Genoese composer Nicolò Paganini (1801-1807). Other great masters like Franz Liszt, Robert Schumann, and Johannes Brahms, were also inspired by this work to write their own compositions.

In the spring of 1934, Rachmaninoff, another great virtuoso, canceled a concert tour that he had planned to dedicate himself fully to the Rhapsody in Lucerne, composing in a single movement, three sections that group the variations 1-10, 11-18 and 19 -24. The result is one of the best works of Rachmaninoff. It premiered in Baltimore, on November 11, 1934, with Rachmaninoff himself as a soloist.

This will be the first time that the Cuban pianist plays the famous Rhapsody with a symphony orchestra.

For these three concerts, the Florida Orchestra will be conducted by Michael Francis, who has quickly established himself internationally, conducting in Asia, North America, and Europe. Known for maintaining a diverse repertoire while paying particular homage to the composers of his native Britain, Francis. Last season, Francis debuted with the Atlanta and Montreal symphony orchestras and Cincinnati’s May Music Festival, and he returned to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra with Emanuel Ax. Abroad, he appeared with Deutsche Radio Philharmonie Saarbrücken, Komische Oper Berlin, Dresden Philharmonic, Tampere Filharmonia, and Trondheim Symphony Orchestra.

After these important concerts with the Florida Orchestra, López-Gavilán will continue his extensive tour of the USA. UU next to the Harlem Quartet and in April he will return to Florida to make his debut with the South Florida Orchestra, performing the Concert for Piano in G major by Ravel.

10 Jul 2017
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Cuban pianist and composer Aldo Lopez-Gavilan headlines sold-out North American appearances at Festival Napa Valley and Classical Tahoe

Celebrated young composer to perform world premiere of his first concerto for piano and orchestra, Emporium, at Classical Tahoe on July 29

HAVANA, Cuba – July 10, 2017 – Renowned Cuban pianist and composer Aldo López-Gavilán continues his foray onto the U.S. music scene with sold-out headline performances at two prominent summer music festivals in California: Festival Napa Valley and Classical Tahoe. Both by-invitation appearances feature López-Gavilán’s original compositions, including the world premiere of his first concerto for piano and orchestra, Emporium.

Back by popular demand after dazzling the Festival Napa Valley audience last summer, López-Gavilán returns to join violinist Joshua Bell for his Seasons of Cuba concert on July 15 at Far Niente Winery. The concert also features soprano Larisa Martinez and the Havana Chamber Orchestra under the baton of Daiana Garcia. He will later headline Festival Napa Valley’s Hot Havana Nights show at the Blue Note Jazz Club on Tuesday, July 18, where the audience will get an up-close look at his virtuosity and genius for improvisation. Lopez-Gavilan joins a superstar Festival Napa Valley lineup that includes vocalists Danielle deNiese, Paulo Szot, Angel Blue and Lester Lynch, conductors Stéphane Denève and Joel Revzen, actor Bill Murray with cellist Jan Vogler, and the lead actors from the Hamilton National Tour.

The artist continues his Northern California tour with back-to-back sold-out performances at Classical Tahoe. Under the baton of maestro Joel Revzen, the Classical Tahoe Orchestra will join Lopez-Gavilan on Saturday, July 29, to perform the world premiere of his Emporium, a concerto for piano and orchestra dedicated to Lopez-Gavilan’s twin 9 years old daughters Andrea and Adriana. López-Gavilán will perform the popular Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin with the Classical Tahoe orchestra on Friday, July 28.

Lopez-Gavilan continues his US tour with performances with the Harlem String Quartet in Edgartown, Mass., Martha’s Vineyard, Mass., Houston, TX, Muskegon, MI and Big Rapids, MI.

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About: Aldo López-Gavilán was born in Cuba to a family of internationally acclaimed classical musicians. His first international triumph was at age eleven, when he won the Danny Kaye International Children’s Award, organized by UNICEF. He made his professional debut at age twelve with the Matanzas Symphony Orchestra. Parallel to his classical abilities, López-Gavilán developed remarkable improvisational skills. He was invited to perform in the world-famous Havana Jazz Festival with legend Chucho Valdés, who called López- Gavilán “simply a genius, a star.” In 1999, López-Gavilán recorded his first CD, En el ocaso de la hormiga y el elefante, which won the 2000 Grand Prix at Cubadisco. He was also invited by Claudio Abbado to perform as soloist in a special concert dedicated to the two hundrhundred-fiftieth anniversary of Mozart’s birth, in which he was accompanied by the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela. The following year, Abbado invited him to perform Prokofiev’s Concerto No. 1 in Caracas and Havana. López-Gavilán’s remarkable professional career also includes composing original music for award-winning films and arranging his own compositions for international orchestras, as well as performing in some of the most prestigious music venues of the world.

For more information and booking inquiries, please visit Aldo López-Gavilán’s official website: www.aldomusica.com

04 Mar 2017
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Aldo brings back his Havana Heat to Washington with the Northwest Sinfonietta

Cuban pianist and composer Aldo Lopez-Gavilan makes his highly-anticipated return to the Northwest, joining members of the Sinfonietta for an unforgettable evening of music!  Dubbed a “formidable virtuoso” by The Times of London, Lopez-Gavilan excels equally in the worlds of classical, jazz, and chamber music.  His spirit of collaboration has made him a key figure in promoting the cultural exchange between the United States and Cuba.  In April 2016, he was part of a group of musicians who collaborated in Cuba with such renowned U.S. artists as Joshua Bell, Dave Matthews, and Smokey Robinson.

Rooted in classical music, Northwest Sinfonietta seeks to serve diverse audiences, to strengthen its community connections through education and collaboration, and to broaden its influence in the artistic and cultural fabric of the region.

Northwest Sinfonietta recently switched to The Artistic Partner model, which is used successfully by some of the top chamber orchestras in the world; including Academy of St. Martin in the Field, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. The two key components of the model are 1) engaging a small group of rotating Artistic Partners; and 2) sharing artistic decision-making with our musicians. Artistic Partners are not just guest conductors – they will be with us for multiple seasons on a rotating basis, and will collaborate with NWS musicians on both programming and artistic quality.

In 2012 and 2013, NWS was only the third American orchestra to tour and perform in Cuba since the 1959 revolution, prompting Governor Christine Gregoire to proclaim Northwest Sinfonietta as “Washington State’s international cultural ambassador.” In 2014, they became the fifth professional chamber orchestra in the world to adopt the Artistic Partner leadership model.  Their 2015-16 season celebrated the 25th anniversary for the orchestra, as well as the Governor’s Arts Award as an outstanding organization in Washington State.  The Sinfonietta’s 2016-17 season builds on its history of excellence, with three stellar Artistic Partners, world-class soloists, and exciting collaborations with other arts organizations throughout the Puget Sound region.

 

14 Nov 2016
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Joshua Bell Brings the ‘Seasons of Cuba’ to Lincoln Center

  • by Barry Bassis
  • 2 min read
  • original

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NEW YORK—Grammy Award winning violinist Joshua Bell went to Cuba on a trip organized by President Obama’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. The aim was to create an exchange between American and Cuban musicians.

The happy result of the trip was the “Seasons of Cuba” concert by Bell and his Cuban friends at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Hall.

Bell acted as the host of the evening and performed throughout most of the concert. As he said at the outset, the program was eclectic.

One of his unexpected discoveries in Cuba was the high quality of classical musicians. At the concert, he presented the Chamber Orchestra of Havana, making its U.S. debut. The ensemble, conducted by Daiana García, is mostly made up of young women. All the members are graduates of the Cuban University of Arts.

Bell and the orchestra began with “Summer” from Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons.” Bell has previously made a highly praised recording of the entire work with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, which he now leads. With the Chamber Orchestra of Havana, he again demonstrated his technical proficiency and verve in a piece he has performed countless times.

The musicians moved from baroque music to tango with the Summer section of “The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires” by Argentinean composer Astor Piazzolla.

At the end, everyone joined for an ebullient rendition of ‘Guantanamera.’

Bell said that one of his idols is legendary violinist Jascha Heifetz and, as a tribute, he played Heifetz’s arrangement of the lilting “Estrellita” (Little Star) by Mexican composer Manuel Ponce. Heifetz had played the piece in the 1939 Archie Mayo film “They Shall Have Music.”

Cuban pianist/composer Aldo López-Gavilán came out to solo on his own work, “Epilogo.” Incidentally, as Bell pointed out, López-Gavilán is married to conductor García, who blew her husband a kiss.

The classically trained soprano Larisa Martínez won the audience over with two numbers by Cuban composers: the zarzuela “Cecilia Valdés” by Gonzalo Roig and “Maria La O” by Ernesto Lecuona.

Bell explained that the first Cuban piece he ever played was the effervescent “Para Ti,” which he performed with the pianist/composer Jorge Gómez and his group Tiempo Libre on Bell’s album “At Home With Friends.” The two again joined for the engaging work, which alternated lyrical passages by the violinist and dance rhythms.

Cuban singer and songwriter Carlos Varela has been called “The Poet of Havana,” which happens to be the title of HBO Latino’s documentary film about him. His socially conscious songs, frequently critical of the Cuban government, have made him a hero both for those within his native country and the exile community here. Varela (who accompanies himself on guitar) sang his haunting song about Havana: “Habaname.”

Dave Matthews was one of the Americans on the trip with Joshua Bell and he spoke of the wonderful experience of collaborating with Cuban musicians. He then joined with Varela for one of the Cuban’s songs, “Muros y Puertas” (Walls and Doors). This was followed by three of Matthews’s own pieces, “Samurai Cop,” “Here on Out” and “Ants Marching.”

At the end, everyone joined for an ebullient rendition of “Guantanamera.”

The “Seasons of Cuba” concert was filmed and will be broadcast on “Live From Lincoln Center” on PBS on Dec. 16 at 9:00 p.m. as part of the PBS Arts Fall Festival.

Barry Bassis has been a music, theater, and travel writer for over a decade.

27 Oct 2016
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The Washington Post reviews Aldo’s Concert at The Kennedy Center

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By Robert Battey October 18

The Kennedy Center’s Fortas Chamber Music series has sought for some years to expand its offerings beyond traditional classical programs, with mixed success. Some of the choices have felt lazy — going with the latest award winner or DownBeat darling rather than seeking out artists who can really connect with local audiences. But Monday’s concert of the Harlem Quartet with pianist-composer Aldo López-Gavilán was lively and engrossing, becoming stronger as it went along. López-Gavilán’s older brother is the string quartet’s first violinist, and the endearing banter between them all evening added to the fun.

The weakest offering came first — “The Adventures of Hippocrates,” a string quartet by Chick Corea. Although Corea has dabbled in classical music for many years — recording works of Mozart and Bartok, for example — his “formal” compositional efforts feel wan and uninvolved. The five movements drifted through templates such as waltz and tango, but the string writing was amateurish and the musical ideas never took wing.Things improved considerably when López-Gavilán joined the group for a pair of jazz standards — “Night in Tunisia” and “Take the A Train” — and a danzon by the Cuban composer Abelardito Valdés called “Almendra.”

There is an insoluble problem with string quartet arrangements of jazz; drums are irreplaceable in this music, and their absence will always be keenly felt (same with the bass, actually). But with the pianist anchoring the rhythm, there was still much to enjoy; each of the Harlem players can solo and riff, with violist Jaime Amador’s sophisticated and precise playing standing out.

After intermission, the group played five pieces by López-Gavilán (the fifth, offered as an encore, was called “Quick Notes”). He’s a terrific composer, with range, imagination and technique. Even though most of the numbers were arrangements, they displayed the only really successful piano/string synthesis of the concert. Some of the dreamier portions had a decidedly French feel — Saint-Saëns meets Legrand — and elsewhere the febrile Cuban rhythms were further refracted in surprising combinations, López-Gavilán’s superb pianism rocking the house as well.
Original article here:
03 Sep 2016
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ALDO LÓPEZ-GAVILÁN with HARLEM QUARTET at The Wallis

Located in the heart of Beverly Hills, California, the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts (aka “The Wallis”) brings audiences world-class theater, dance and music, performed by many of the world’s most talented and sought-after artists. With eclectic programming that mirrors the diverse landscape of Los Angeles, and its notability as the entertainment capital of the world, The Wallis offers original and revered works from across the US and around the globe.

 

01 Aug 2016
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Aldo scores high notes at Napa with his performance of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue

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Rhapsody in Blue at Lincoln Theatre with special guests Kathleen Battle and Aldo López-Gavilán. The Lincoln Theater is one of Napa Valley’s only large performing arts venues, and it is located right on the historic Veteran’s Home grounds in Yountville. This performance was of the highest quality and moved the audience. From the energetic Rhapsody in Blue performance by Aldo Lopez-Gavilan to the booming vocals of Kathleen Battle, this night rocked the crowd to the edge of their seats.

More info here

 

21 Jul 2016
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Phenomenal debut of Aldo López-Gavilán with Orchestra in the US

Cuban Pianist-Composer Aldo López-Gavilán garners rave review for his US orchestral debut performance of Rhapsody in Blue at Festival Napa Valley!

Original encore dazzles audience!

Conductor and orchestra also provided glorious support for Cuban pianist Aldo Lopez-Gavilan’s shimmering, exciting performance of George Gershwin’s grand “Rhapsody in Blue.” Although this was the Ferde Grofe arrangement for symphony orchestra, this listener kept hearing that soul-stirring rendition by Paul Whiteman and his jazz band from the Roaring ‘20s creep in now and again. And we loved the guest artist’s fiery cadenzas. A young man who captivates in both classical and jazz veins, Lopez-Gavilan captured both the rhythmic invention and the melodic inspiration the composer intended. Orchestra and soloist played as one — a radiant reading under the baton of a man who seemed to enjoy the work as much as we did. The guest artist provided a lagniappe with a dazzling encore, one of his own compositions, titled “Oddudua.”

Read the full article here:

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24 Mar 2016
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ALDO LOPEZ-GAVILÁN CAPTIVATES DURING HIS DEBUT IN CANADA.

Kingston, ON Canada – March, 24 2016

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Renowned pianist and Cuban composer Aldo Lopez-Gavilan wowed his audience that attended on Wednesday 23 the spectacular concert hall Isabel Bader Center in Kingston, Ontario.

López-Gavilán, in a concert of nearly two hours, included pieces by great composers like Debussy, Brahms and Chopin, American jazz standards and his own compositions.

The elegant music hall adjacent to the renowned University of Queens, is considered one of the most prestigious concert venues in Canada. Designed by the Norwegian architectural firm Snøhetta in partnership with the Canadian firm N45 at a cost of 72 million dollars, it has been internationally acclaimed for its extraordinary acoustic conditions and high technology.

These qualities, highlighted by the unique sound of a Grand Piano Steinway & Sons, were certainly enjoyed to the fullest by the virtuoso musician, who did show off a wide range of dynamics and timbres all received by the audience with prolonged standing ovations.

16 Mar 2015
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A Cuban classical-jazz mix, straight from Havana, to liven up your Friday

Pianist Aldo and violinist Ilmar López-Gavilán, brothers from Cuba, along with Ilmar’s group, the Harlem Quartet, will bring a heady mix of music to Seattle on Friday, March 13.

By Paul de Barros
Seattle Times music critic

North Americans visiting musical conservatories in Havana can’t help but notice that in Cuba, music education is less segmented than it is here. Student performances for guests can include classical, jazz, Afro-Cuban, bolero, salsa and pop — all in one recital. That’s one reason Cuban jazz players often have such strong classical chops: They’ve been studying piano since, as we say of our Nashville cats, “they’s babies.”Aldo+HQ
A rare glimpse of Cuban pan-musicality is on view this weekend as the López-Gavilán brothers — pianist Aldo and violinist Ilmar, with the Harlem Quartet — make their West Coast debut in a program of jazz, classical and Afro-Cuban music for piano and string quartet.

Aldo López-Gavilán (at center) was a prodigy who made his professional debut at age 12 with Cuba’s Matanzas Symphony Orchestra. Since then, he has done world tours, composed for film and theater, released six albums and been featured in the film “¡Manteca, Mondongo y Bacalao con Pan!” — a documentary about Latin jazz in Cuba. Possessed of dazzling technique and rhythmic fire, López-Gavilán is something to behold. Conductor Claudio Abbado invited him to perform as a soloist in a concert celebrating the 250th anniversary of Mozart’s birth.

The Harlem String Quartet made its public debut in 2006 at Carnegie Hall and most recently recorded the Grammy Award-winning “Hot House,” with pianist Chick Corea — also in town this weekend — and vibraphonist Gary Burton. The group (shown from left in the photo): Ilmar López-Gavilán and Melissa White (violins), Matthew Salkind (cello) and Jaime Amador (viola).

Part of the attraction of this program is the set list, which includes Corea’s classical piece, “The Adventures of Hippocrates,” Wynton Marsalis’ string quartet, “At the Octoroon Balls,” Billy Strayhorn’s swing-era classic, “Take the A Train,” and original works by Aldo López-Gavilán himself.

7:30 p.m. Friday, March 13, at Nordstrom Recital Hall, Benaroya Hall, 200 University St., Seattle; $10-$55 (206-215-4747 or nwsinfonietta.org). The Seattle performance is followed by shows Saturday in Tacoma and Sunday in Puyallup.

Paul de Barros: 206-464-3247; pdebarros@seattletimes.com; or follow him on Twitter @pdebarros