 |
Alfredo Rolando Ortiz (December 10, 1946) is an internationally acclaimed soloist of the Paraguayan harp, [1] a composer, author, educator and recording artist.
|
Alfredo Rolando Ortiz (December 10, 1946) is an internationally acclaimed soloist of the Paraguayan harp, [1] a composer, author, educator and recording artist.
In 2007, Dr. Alfredo Rolando Ortiz was invited to compose a piece to be premiered on July 22, 2008, during the Tenth World Harp Congress in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Originally composed for four harps or harp ensemble, the piece was performed by 232 harpists, breaking the Guinness World Record of the largest harp ensemble. He has released many harping books for children and for adults, with a mix of both old and new tunes and the different versions of them.
Alfredo was born in Cuba. When he was eleven years old he immigrated with his family to Venezuela. Four years later he began studying the Venezuelan folk harp with his school friend Fernando Guerrero. A year later he became a pupil of Alberto Romero on the Paraguayan harp. Just two years after his first harp lesson, he began medical studies in Medellín, Colombia, began performing professionally and recorded his first album. Music supported his medical studies until graduation. Five years later he moved to the United States to continue studies of music therapy. Two years later he married Luz Marina Otero. For eight years from the time of his graduation from medical school, he worked in the medical field as well as a harpist and recording artist, until his wife became pregnant. In order to have time for his growing family, he then decided to dedicate his life only to them and to his first love: the harp.
With a multicultural repertoire which covers folk, classical and popular music of many countries, as well as his original compositions, Dr. Ortiz has performed for audiences of all ages and backgrounds. He has recorded over forty albums and is the winner of a Gold Record in South America. He has lectured on a variety of subjects at universities, colleges and schools, is the author of several harp music books and articles and his compositions have been performed and recorded by classical and folk harpists in many countries. His “Venezolana for Five Pedal Harps” has become a favorite of harp ensembles around the world.
His acclaimed “South American Suite for Harp and Orchestra” premiered March 3, 1996. Dr Ortiz was invited to perform his Suite at the World Harp Congress in Prague, Czech Republic in 1999 with the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, having as audience over one thousand classical harpists from around the world.
Among his concerts and recitals are:
After being featured on the Youtube channel 'Channel 5', it was revealed his most important performance was his playing of the harp in the delivery room during the birth of his second daughter, Michelle Ortiz. [2]
The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing or sitting, and in orchestras or concerts. Its most common form is triangular in shape and made of wood. Some have multiple rows of strings and pedal attachments.
Flairck was a Dutch musical ensemble formed in 1978 by guitar virtuoso Erik Visser. and multi-instrumentalist Peter Weekers. The group had varying members dependent on the project. Their musical style was a blend of folk music, jazz and classical chamber music, with touches of blues. The music written by the members of the ensemble was often centred on an album theme and as played with a wide variety of acoustic instruments.
Caroline Léonardelli is a French-Canadian concert harpist. Born in France, she graduated from the Conservatoire de Paris at age of 18 and came to Canada to study at McGill University where she completed an Artist Diploma. Based in Canada's National Capital Region, she performs for CBC national broadcasts and for Radio Canada. Her recordings are featured by Apple Music in the top ten playlist of master harp recordings and her recording label is distributed worldwide by NAXOS. She is the Principal Harpist with the Ottawa Symphony and Orchestre symphonique de Gatineau.
Rüdiger Oppermann is a German harpist and experimental musician. He specializes in the Celtic harp, which he began playing in 1973. His instrument, a custom-made clàrsach, has 38 gold-plated bronze strings and a special mechanism that allows him to bend notes in a manner akin to blues musicians; a style that he often adopts in his improvisations. He has also developed electro-acoustic instruments.
Yitzhak Yedid is an Israeli-Australian composer of contemporary classical music and improvising pianist, the recipient of numerous awards. Yedid has been hailed as one of the most original composers on the international music scene today.
Lavinia Meijer is a South Korean-born Dutch harpist. Her concerts have included a solo harp evening at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
Şirin Pancaroğlu is a Turkish harpist.
Anna-Maria Yordanova Ravnopolska-Dean, born 3 August 1960, Sofia, Bulgaria, is a Bulgarian and American harpist, composer, pedagogue, musicologist and TV host.
The Paraguayan harp is the national instrument of Paraguay, the result of the confluence of European and Guarani musical cultures. Derived from the classical angular harp, introduced during the Spanish colonization in the Jesuit Guarani Missions.
Rolando Chaparro is a Paraguayan musician. Son of Rolando Chaparro and Celia María Benítez (actress)
Celso Duarte is a virtuoso of Paraguayan harp and Mexican jarocho harp, arranger, singer, and multi-talented instrumentalist. Duarte has performed and recorded with Lila Downs since 1998 and has also accompanied and collaborated with other artists, including Susana Baca, Celso Piña, Plácido Domingo, Mariza, Ramón Vargas, Julieta Venegas, Wynton Marsalis, The Chieftains and Ry Cooder. As a solo artist, he has performed with his band at Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Joe's Pub and other historic venues. His first solo album, "De Sur a Sur ", was released in 2006.
Stephanie Bennett is a harpist, composer, arranger and vocalist who lives in Los Angeles. She plays popular music, jazz, and other contemporary music genres.
Maria Korchinska was a distinguished 20th-century Russian harpist and one of the leading 20th-century harpists in Great Britain.
Elaine Christy is an American harpist. She has performed at high-profile concert halls including Steinway Hall, Carnegie's Weill Hall, and with the CBS Orchestra on the television show Late Show with David Letterman. In 2012, she is an instructor of harp at Princeton University.
Monika Stadler is an Austrian harpist and composer.
Raquel Lebrón is a Paraguayan harpist. After performing widely in Europe and South America, in 2010 she received a peace prize as an outstanding Paraguayan woman.
Carlos Rojas Hernández, better known as Carlos "Cuco" Rojas, was a Colombian harpist and songwriter of joropo. He was the director of Colombian band Cimarron.
Enrique Samaniego was a mid-20th century harpist and composer whose Paraguayan harp music achieved national and international recognition.
Maeve Gilchrist is a Scottish harpist and composer currently living in New York City. She is known for combining traditional folk music, jazz, improvisation, and experimentation.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
