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A Wonderful Concert

May 2nd, 2011

The Alturas Duo played at Towson University’s Kaplan Concert Hall Saturday April 30, 2011. It was an inspiration to hear the music – so alive and played with so much feeling. There were works by Mauro Nuñez, José Lescano, Horacio Salinas, Héctor Soto, Alberto Cumplido, César Palacios, Javier Farías, Alfredo Dominguez, as well as American composers Nolan Stolz, Alexander Silas Walker, and Ben Starr.
El vuelo de tu alma by Javier Farías was by far the most haunting and intense of all of the works. It left me silent, hanging in the moment of the music. In contrast was The Suite Atacama – my favorite piece being Rosita de Pica by Héctor Soto. All of the works in the suite, however, were absolutely wonderful. As a listener you could close your eyes and almost see the vision of what the composers were trying to represent through the music.
The first piece in the Suite Americana was a tribute to Jimi Hendrix entitled ‘And the Wind Cries Jimi’ by Nolan Stolz. It is true that I have never heard music for viola and guitar in the style of Hendrix! ‘How I Long For’ by Alexander Silas Walker was a piece which surprised me with its’ beautiful musical lines – well done and well played. ‘Grooves’, by Ben Starr, was my favorite. I would love to hear it again.
The last pieces (combined into one) Campanitas/ mis llamitas by Alfredo Domínguez were a great way to end the evening, with the duo playing off of each other – challenging the other to play as fast – in a sort of duel. It was very fun to watch.
Happily, after receiving a standing ovation, they came back out to play the piece one more time.

Beyond the wonderful playing, I appreciated that Scott Hill talked to the audience about the pieces before they were performed. It gave even more insight into the music and allowed the stories behind the music to come alive. Carlos Boltes’s explanation of the many different Chilean instruments was wonderful and I liked how he and Mr. Hill added humor into the stories about the history behind them. The poor Armadillos!

If you ever get the chance to see this duo perform, don’t miss it!

Special thanks to the Baltimore Classical Guitar Society for presenting this concert in their 2011 concert series.

Entry Filed under: Music