Arriba Gabriela!A young and very talented Venezuelan pianist will be among the group of artists performing at the inauguration ceremonies of President Barack Obama. She will be the only Latin artist in the group. This young lady was born in Caracas some 27 years ago and from her very early years she played the piano and sterted doing what has gained her a niche in the musical world. She takes a tune, any tune, suggested by the audience and improvises variations on it, playing the tune a la Bach, a la Bethoven, a la blues, a la Venezuelan plains-style. This is not an easy thing to do but she does it, both with great artistry and invariable sense of humor. She has captivated European, Canadian and U.S. audiences and is becoming a very famous performer, jut as her countryman Gustavo Dudamel has gained the respect of the classical music world with his extraordinary vitality and musical instinct.
A newspaperwoman who was trying to reach Gabriela before her concert called me asking for guidance on where to find her. I told her to call the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington DC. She did and she was told by the embassy official contacted that they did not know who she was. This is not surprising since Gabriela has been studying, peforming and living in Europe and North America during most of her young life..
I enclose the link to one of her improvisations, jazzing up a German theme selected by the audience in Cologne (Koln). I am sure she could have gone in a totally different direction with this tune, treating it as a lullaby or as a Venezuelan “seis por derecho” but this was not bad!.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUqhPoA5bIY
Gabriela makes us proud!
Yes, very skilled. I went to the "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" improvisations.Her improvising in counterpoint indicates a very high level of musicianship.
ResponderEliminarHas she composed?
Absolutely brilliant, I am almost tempted to go to the inauguration just to go see her.
ResponderEliminarIt is shameful that the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington did not know Gabriela Montero. It only shows the deplorable state of the uncultured non professional diplomatic service of the government of Hugo Chávez.
ResponderEliminarGabriela´s international success and recognition is constantly reported in the Venezuelan newspapers.
I was part of the "system" - the youth orchestral movement in Venezuela - as a teenager right back in the early 80's, and I was very fortunate to witness her very early concerts in Caracas, I'll never forget her mastership at Grieg's concerto when she was just 11 years old, we all knew she was a true genius girl a endowed with an impressive talent.
ResponderEliminar