2011 Program Book 2 - Spanish Guitar - July 8 & 9.pdf

Friday, July 8 and Saturday, July 9, 2011
GRANT PARK MUSIC FESTIVAL
Alondra de la Parra has been featured in Crain’s New York Business
as one of their “40 under 40 New York’s Rising Stars,” singled out by
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 one of their “Top 20
under 40,” and named one of six “Young Artists on the Rise” by Symphony
magazine.
A champion of new music as well as an innovative interpreter of standard
repertoire, Alondra de la Parra has conducted more than twenty world
premieres by composers including Enrico Chapela, Paul Brantley, Paul Desenne, Eugenio Toussaint
and Ernesto Villa-Lobos. She was the first Mexican woman to conduct, and she holds the title of
Cultural Ambassador for Mexican Tourism. In addition, she has been Music Director of the Music
Festival of the Americas in Stowe, Vermont since 2005. Alondra de la Parra, who makes her home
in New York City with her husband, holds a B.A. in piano performance and an M.M. in conducting
from the Manhattan School of Music.
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 Mexican woman to conduct in New York City, and she
has been honored for her contributions to the arts with a proclamation from the city of New York.
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.
Guitarist David Russell, born in Scotland but long a resident of
Spain, has earned the highest praise from audiences and critics around the
world, including being named a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music in
London in 1997. Mr. Russell twice received the Julian Bream Guitar Prize
during his studies at the R.A.M., and he went on to win such prestigious
international competitions as the Andrés Segovia, José Ramírez and Francisco
Tárrega. In May 2003 he was honored as an “Adopted Son” of Es
Migjorn, the town in Minorca where he grew up; later the town named a
street after him, “Avinguda David Russell.” Nigrán, Spain, where he now
lives, awarded him the town’s Silver Medal in 2005. In November 2003 he
was given the Medal of Honor of the Conservatory of the Balearics. In May 2005 he was honored
by the music conservatory of Vigo, culminating with the opening of the new concert hall named
“Auditorio David Russell.” In 2009 he was named an honorary member of “Amigos de la Guitarra,”
the oldest guitar society in Spain. David Russell tours the world as a concert artist, appearing regularly
at prestigious halls in New York, London, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Madrid, Toronto, Rome and
other music centers. Since 1995 he has been an exclusive recording artist with Telarc International,
with which he has recorded sixteen CDs, including the 2005 Grammy Award-winning Aire Latino.
In 2009 David was named honorary member of “Amigos de la Guitarra,” the oldest guitar society
in Spain. The New York Times wrote, “Mr. Russell made his mastery evident without ever deviating
from an approach that places musical values above mere display. It was apparent to the audience
throughout the recital that Mr. Russell possesses a talent of extraordinary dimension.
2011 Program Notes, Book 2 B41