Participants Cellisimo Festival 2023

Cesar Acedo, 22, Venezuela

Cesar was born in the city of Valera, Trujillo State, Venezuela in 2000. He began his musical studies at the "National System of Orchestras" Núcleo Motatan in 2010. In 2015 he studied at the Simón Bolívar Conservatory in Caracas. He is currently studying for a degree in music, specializing in instrumental violoncello performance, at the Universidad de Los Andes (ULA) and at the Experimental University of the Arts (Unearte).

He has had the opportunity to belong to various orchestras, including the Trujillo State Regional Orchestra, the Unearte Chamber Orchestra and the Mérida State Symphony Orchestra where he worked for three years. He has participated in projects that have had a great impact on his life, such as Sukha Ensamble (a cello ensemble), and Dezztempo, which is devoted to new music, jazz and Venezuelan music where originality plays a fundamental role.

He considers himself a lover of the unconventional, of experimentation and improvisation with the cello. He is eager for new experiences, learning and projects, in which he can develop and grow as an artist to achieve personal and musical excellence.

Daniel Legarda, 24, Ecuador

Daniel was born in the city of Quito and comes from a family of musicians. At age 6 he began his cello studies in the city of Loja at the Salvador Bustamante Celi Conservatory. Later, he took private lessons with different cellist teachers: Eddie Jumbo, Luis Eduardo Gomez and Raquel Ortega (until today). He has received master classes with cellists including Ofer Canetti (Israel), Rolando Fernandez Lara (Cuba/Mexico), Juan Sebastian Delgado (Argentina), Sancho Almendral (Spain), Rafael Delgado (Argentina/Peru), Richard Tomas (USA), Rodolfo Jimenez (Mexico), among others.

In his orchestral experience he has been Principal of the Philharmonic Orchestra of the National University of Loja, Symphony Orchestra of the University of Cuenca. He currently plays with the SINFÍN Youth Orchestra of the Private Technical University of Loja (UTPL). In addition, he has participated in different festivals: Quito Cellos Festival (as an outstanding student), Guaranda Festival and Mariano Festival (UTPL). He has worked as a cello teacher at the "Ars Nova" academy in the city of Cuenca, Ecuador. He finished his degree in Musical Arts at the University of Cuenca and stood out for his performance as cello chair. He is a member of the CELLO FORTE Ensemble, and other quartets and occasional groups. He currently presents cello recitals in different cities and is preparing for his postgraduate studies.

Nancy Olivares, 22, Mexico

Nancy completed her undergraduate degree at the Escuela Superior de Música y Danza de Monterrey under the tutelage of teacher Temenuzhka Ostreva. She was a First Place winner at the VI National Cello Competition in Mexico in 2021 and was a semifinalist at the Young Classical Musician Competition in 2022.

She has been a member of the Orchestra of the Americas since 2019 and earned a Graduate Artist Certificate in Orchestral Performance and Digital Creation by the OAcademy in 2021 and 2022. She has also been invited to participate in the Nuevo León Symphony Orchestra, Ricardo Castro Festival Symphony Orchestra, Azteca Symphony, OSIM, among others.

Nancy has participated in masterclasses with Edison Pashko, Natasha Brofsky, Roman Jablonski, Santiago Cañón, Jakob Spahn, Efe Baltacıgil, Jesús Castro-Balbi, John-Henry Crawford, DaXun Zhang, Michal Shein, among others. This fall she will begin her master's degree at the University of Rhode Island where she earned a Full Assistantship to pursue her Masters in Cello Performance under the tutelage of Michal Shein.

Alanis Pérez, 23, Mexico

Alanis is a Mexican cellist with a wide musical career. In the year 2022 she completed a diploma with the OAcademy, which, together with the Orchestra of the Americas, selects the best young instrumentalists from all over America in a six-month training program, providing the necessary tools to function adequately in an orchestral work environment. .
Likewise, she was a member of the Aztec Symphony, a project that seeks to provide the necessary tools to improve education and expand the professional international music sector to include young Mexicans and was the only representative selected from the State of Mexico.

She has participated in masterclasses with internationally recognized cellists, such as: Sam MaGill, Rachel Mercer, Raman Ramakrishnan, Giovanni Gnocchi, Christine Lamprea, among others. Similarly, she has received guidance on orchestral passages by conductors such as: Alexander Shelley, Elena Schwarz, among others. In addition, in 2022, she was the winner of the first "Young Mexican Musicians and Musical Community of the State of Mexico" contest, participated in the "Cellísimo 2022 Festival", and obtained a certificate in preparation for auditions by "CelloBello " in a program taught by teachers from major international music schools.

Bernardo López, 19, Chile

Bernardo began his cello studies at the age of 9 under the tutelage of Professor Rita Plaza, who encouraged him to participate in orchestras including the Metropolitan Children's Symphony Orchestra from 2016 to 2018 and the Metropolitan Student Symphony Orchestra in 2019 and 2021. In addition, he participated in master classes organized by Musical Weeks in 2020 and also by the Catholic University of Chile in 2023.

Wilber Herrera, 20, Venezuela

Wilber was born in 2002 in Calabozo, Guárico, Venezuela. He currently lives in Charallave, Miranda, Venezuela. He began his studies in Charallave, at the age of 7, where he learned the language of music and was also part of the choir. Approximately a year later, he entered the National Cello Academy, under the tutelage of maestro Valmore Nieves.

He has been part of the following orchestras: Valles del Tuy Regional Orchestra, Metropolitan Orchestra, National Children's Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, National Youth Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela. In 2018 he auditioned and joined the Simón Bolívar Orchestra until the beginning of 2022, when he was accepted into the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, where he is currently a member.

He has received classes and has participated in master classes with Alisa Weilerstein, Christoph Croisé, Pablo Ferrandez, Johan Stern, Francisco Vila, Gabriel Ureña, Paul Desenne, Valmore Nieves, among others.

He is currently in the first semester of a degree in music, instrumental performance and symphonic soloist at the National Experimental University of Arts (UNEARTE) along with a course by the Simón Bolívar Conservatory of Music for professional groups.

Zadlei Lobatón, 20, Venezuela

Zadlei was born in Barquisimeto in 2002 and is a student at the Vicente Emilio Sojo Conservatory (VES)and the National Cello School. She began her first cello studies with Maestra Katiuska Yustiz and is currently a student of teacher Edgar Calderon. She has participated in masterclasses with the maestros: German Marcano, Anna Ruth, Rodolfo Echegaray, Javier Peraza, Omaira Naranjo, Alejandro Sarda, Andrés Herrera, José Luis Meza, Haydee Hernández , Horacio Contreras, William Molina, Luca Franzetti, Daniel Arias, Samuel Pérez, Tarsy Mata, Wendy Warner and Francisco Villa.

She is a member of the cello section of the Lara Regional Orchestra and the Vicente Emilio Sojo Symphony Orchestra and was invited as a guest with the Lara State Symphony Orchestra. She participated in the festival of the piano department of the VES Conservatory and performed recitals with the Anne Frank Foundation, "Thinking about music" together with the Alliance Française, and in the Venezuelan Festival of Soloists in Barinas.

She is currently studying for a Bachelor of Music at the Universidad Centro Occidental Lisandro Alvarado with a specialty in cello performance.

Juanita Ardilla, 22, Colombia

Juanita started playing cello in 2012 in Batuta. In 2014 she decided to follow a professional path, so she began her training with the maestra María Fernanda Flórez in the PIJ program of the Javeriana University, where she received a half scholarship due to her academic performance. In 2015, she entered the basic program of the National University of Colombia and was tutored by maestra Cecilia Palma, and received scholarships for several semesters for her performance.

In 2019, she entered the Instrumental Music–Cello undergraduate program at the National University of Colombia under the guidance of maestro Diego Garcia. That same year she participated in the Suzuki Festival, had the opportunity to play with the National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia, joined the Alianza Colombo-Suiza Chamber Orchestra and the MET Symphony Orchestra of Bogotá. In 2021 she participated in the virtual festival "Cellísimo", representing Colombia.

Later, she participated in the gala concert "Batuta 30 años" with the maestra Cecilia Espinoza Arango at the Teatro Colón; and participated in the reinauguration of the Santa Marta Theater together with the Symphony Orchestra of the Conservatory which was a project of the Magdalena government. In 2022 she performed for the first time in the Teresa Cuervo Borda Auditorium of the National Museum with her trio “Senza 3”. In 2023 she participated in the Esmeralda Festival, in Guayaquil, Ecuador. She is currently in her eighth semester with the maestra Cecilia Palma.

She has had master classes with Florian Kitt, Michal Shein, Christine Lamprea, Aimon Mata, Francisco Vila and Karlos Rodriguez. She speaks Spanish, English and German.

Ángel Bustillos, 20, Mexico

Angel, originally from Chihuahua, began playing the cello at the age of 12 with maestro Sergio Carmona as part of the "Esperanza Azteca" project. He is currently under the tutelage of Mtra. Temenuzhka Ostreva at the Escuela Superior de Música y Danza de Monterrey where he has just finished his fifth year of the Cello Performance Degree. He is also studying for a Bachelor's Degree in Music Technology and Production (LTM) at the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education.

In the 2021 National Cello Competition, he was the first place winner in the 16–19 year-old category and recipient of the Best Interpretation of a Mexican Work Award. He is Principal Cellist of the Tecnológico de Monterrey Symphony Orchestra and recently became Assistant Principal in “La Súper” Philharmonic Orchestra of the Monterrey Superior School of Music and Dance. He has been a member of the Azteca Symphony Orchestra since 2022, and has played with the Children's Symphony Orchestra of Mexico on three occasions, the Mexico - USA Youth Philharmonic Orchestra "The Bridge", the Tecnológico de Monterrey Symphony Orchestra, the Esperanza Azteca Symphony Orchestra "Francisco Villa", the Cello Octet “Sul-Ponticello”. In addition, he has been invited to the Chihuahua State Philharmonic Orchestra, the Symphony Orchestra of the Autonomous University of Chihuahua, the Symphony Orchestra of the Autonomous University of Nuevo León, and the Camerata Arewá.

He participated in the International Cello Festival in Mexico "CFest" 2018 and 2019, León International Cello Festival in 2021 and 2022 (grantee), Festival Virtual Cellísimo in 2022 (grantee), CelloBello Audition Preparation Workshop in 2022 (grantee), International Festival of El Lago: Academy of Music (grantee), Guadalajara International Music Festival for which he received the Excellence Scholarship, Chihuahua International Festival and Chihuahua New Art Festival.

He has taken master classes with internationally renowned cellists including Santiago Cañón Valencia, Marc Coppey, Jesús Castro-Balbi, John-Henry Crawford, Leonhard Roczek, Kate Dillingham Eduardo Palao, Francisco Vila, Guido Schiefen, Yeesun Kim, German Marcano, Michal Shein , Christine Lamprea, Noémie Raymond-Friset, Marcio Carneiro, Alvaro Bitran, Ildefonso Cedillo, William Molina, Diego Carneiro.

Pablo Montero, 22, Mexico

Pablo was born in Ocosingo, Chiapas, Mexico in 2000. He began his cello studies in 2015, with maestro Alejandro Alfaro in the Orquesta Esperanza Azteca San Cristóbal. Between 2017-2021, he was a student in the music department of the University of Sciences and Arts of Chiapas under Vladan Koci. During his time in the Orquesta Esperanza Azteca San Cristóbal, he participated in the first choral meeting in the Southwest Region, and shared the stage with renowned national and international musical groups and musicians, including The Britania Quintet, KC Creative City Gospel Ambassadors and the marimbists Roberto Palomeque and Italo Villalobos.

As a UNICACH student, he participated in multiple chamber groups there, as well as in its camerata and symphony orchestra.
He has participated in the Children's Symphony Orchestra of Mexico (OSIM), and the Esperanza Azteca National Orchestra, under the direction of maestro Julio Saldaña and has accompanied the Cuban clarinetist, Paquito D`Rivera. He has participated in festivals such as the Guadalajara International Music Festival (FIMG), International String Festival (SA'Oaxaca), among others. He has received master classes with Gido Schiefen, William Molina Cestari, Francisco Vila, Ángel Hernández, Jean Carlos Coronado, Nathaniel Hoyt, Nicolás Capilla, among others.
He has appeared in many states of Mexico and has performed in renowned venues such as the Fox Center in Guanajuato, La Constancia Mexicana in the state of Puebla, the Palace of Fine Arts, the Nezahualcóyotl Hall, the Palace of Culture and the Congresses in the city of Guadalajara and the Los Pinos Cultural Center in Mexico City.

He is currently a member of the Ollin Yoliztli Youth Symphony Orchestra (OSJOY) and is in his second year of bachelor's degree at the Vida y Movimiento School at the same cultural center in Mexico City, under the tutelage of maestra Marta Fontes.

Moisés Medina, 24, Venezuela

Moises’ path as a musician was formed by El Sistema. Although he was born in the state of Nueva Esparta, he began his musical studies in the state of Monagas at the age of 12, where he showed such commitment and discipline with the cello that he was allowed to joint the Simón Bolívar Music Conservatory at the age of 14 under the tutelage of Juan Juan Romero and Francys Vázquez.

Throughout his training, Moisés has had the opportunity to take classes with renowned cellist teachers including Pablo Ferrandez, Johanes Moser, Robert De Maine, Gabriel Ureña, Anna Clift, Arístides Rivas, Germán Marcano, Patrice Jackson. He participated in the Summer Festival of the International Cello Institute 2021, and in the Summer Festival of the Caracas String Academy.

Moisés is currently studying cello with maestro Cesar Giuliani (principal cellist of the Simón Bolívar Symphony of Venezuela). In addition to his career as a musician, Moisés is committed to a balance between science and music, which has led him to be in his 4th year of Medicine at the Central University of Venezuela. After graduating, Moisés plans to pursue a master's degree in solo cello and a postgraduate degree in general surgery and plastic and reconstructive surgery.

Valentina Zavala, 19, Mexico

Valentina was born in Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato, Mexico. She received her first cello classes at the age of 12 at the School of Music of the University of Guanajuato with maestra Martha Lara Elicerio. She lived in Guanajuato from 2014 to 2022 where she studied with professors Michael Severens, Konrad Komusinski and Jean Carlos Coronado. Since 2022 she has been studying in the class of professors Krzysztof Karpeta and Henryk Zarzycki in Poland. In 2020 she was selected to join the OSIM (Children's Symphony Orchestra of Mexico) at the national level. She participated twice in the Live Virtual Concert of Ireland and in Cello Week at the Trinitate Academy in León, Guanajuato. She was also part of the Trinitate Sinfonietta.

Valentina has attended master classes with Maja Bogdanovic, Santiago Cañón Valencia, Adam Krzeszowiec, John Henry Crawford, Wojciech Fudala, Maria Grün, Roberto Trainini, Juliane Gilbert, among others. She has participated in various festivals such as the International Cello Festival of León, Mexico, Międzynarodowa Akademia Wiolonczelowa, Nysa Poland, Morawa Cello Master Classes, Poland and Allegro Vivo Festival, Austria. She has performed at various venues including Narodowe Forum Muzyki, Teatro Juárez, Teatro Principal, Trybunal Lublin, Morawa Palace, Teatro Bicentenario, kościół św. Apostołów Piotra i Pawła, w Nysie.

Maria Paola Tarazona, 19, Venezuela/Peru

María Paola began her cello career with El Sistema in San Agustín with maestras Erika Torres and Juana Díaz. She was part of the Cello Genius Ensemble led by maestro Valmore Nieves and later joined the José Francisco del Castillo Orchestra, directed by important conductors such as Gustavo Dudamel and Christian Vásquez.

At the age of 15, she emigrated to Peru where she became a member of the Peru Symphony Orchestra and toured Austria and Switzerland, appearing at festivals such as Salzburg, Lucerne and Gstaad together with the tenor Juan Diego Florez.

She currently receives classes from Iván Pierantozzi.

Mario Nucamendi, 25, Mexico

Mario is originally from Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas. He began his musical studies at the age of 11 as part of the choir in the "Esperanza Azteca Chiapas" Symphony Orchestra project. At the age of 13, he began his cello studies with Rodrigo Diaz. He had the opportunity to participate twice in their national meetings, in venues such as the National Auditorium and the Nezahualcoyotl Hall.

Later, in 2015, he entered the "Vida y Movimiento" music school of the Ollin Yoliztli Cultural Center under the tutelage of Marta Fontes Sala and was a member of the cello section of the Ollin Yoliztli Youth Symphony Orchestra for at least four years. In 2016 he received second place in Stage 4 of the National Cello Competition of the Superior School of Music of Monterrey.
In 2019 as part of a musical tour with the "Ensamble Alma de Cuerdas", he traveled to Beijing, China and participated in concerts such as the "Tribute to Alvaro Carrillo" in Washington DC and thus contributed to the dissemination of traditional and popular Mexican music with classical instruments. In 2021 he won 4th place and Honorable Mention in the professional stage of the National Cello Competition of the Superior de Música de Monterrey.
He has taken master classes with Johannes Raab, Christine Lamprea, Daniel Curtaz, Michael Dallinger, Valmore Nieves, Jorge Risi, Nicolas Capilla, Luis Capilla, among others.

He is about to present his professional exam for the Bachelor of Music - Instrumentalist with a specialization in Cello under the tutelage of Marta Fontes, in the School of Music Life and Movement.

Oriana Fereira, 22, Venezuela

Oriana began her musical studies at El Sistema de Orquestas at the age of 7, spending three years in a choir and then starting the cello at the age of 10. For four years she played in the Inocente Carreño Youth Symphony Orchestra, and then had the opportunity to be a guest at the Francisco de Miranda Orchestra.

She has had the opportunity to participate with cellists from the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Venezuela, and later with the Municipal Orchestra of Caracas. In 2022 she was a guest player with the Simón Bolívar Orchestra of Venezuela.

She has studied the cello with several teachers, including Franklin Altuna, Roy García, Valmore Nieves, Frank Valderrey and Cesar Giuliani. And she has participated in masterclasses with international teachers including Paul Desenne, Johan Stern, German Marcano, Horacio Contreras, Omaira Naranjos, Alejandro Sarda, Francisco Vila and Gabriel Ureña.

Ariam Fernandez, 22, Venezuela

Ariam began her cello studies at the age of 9 at El Sistema in her hometown. At the age of 12, he participated in the Mérida State Regional Children's Orchestra and later became part of the Merideña Regional Youth Orchestra. From a very young age,she was under the tutelage of maestro Yuri Rodríguez. She has also participated in various Cello courses and masterclasses with teachers such as: German Marcano, Valmore Nieves, Daniel Arias, Abner Padrino, Clara Rodríguez and Johan Stern. .

In 2018, she began studies at the Universidad de los Andes, studying with Professor Clara Rodríguez, and was part of cello ensembles that traveled nationally. At the beginning of 2019, she joined the Mérida State Symphony Orchestra through a contest and later got the position of associate principal cello.

Since 2021, she has been part of Camerata Strings360, a chamber music ensemble which focuses on premiering new works.

Grecia Villarreal, 21, Mexico

Grecia is originally from Monterrey Nuevo León. She began her studies in the Orchestra and Chorus of the Esperanza Azteca Nuevo León Symphony Orchestra at the age of 11. She was the winner of First Place in the youth category (Music) in the "The Best of Staying at Home" contest led by the Board of Trustees of the Monterrey Superior School of Music and Dance. She participated in the "Global String Program 2022" at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, during which he had classes with teachers including Eugene Friesen (winner of 4 Grammy awards), Mimi Rabson, Jenna Moynihan and Beth Bahia Cohen.

She has played with orchestras such as "La Súper" and the Symphony Orchestra of the Autonomous University of Nuevo León. Likewise, she has taken master classes with teachers including Maja Bogdanovic, Marie Ythier, Asaf Kolerstein, Alvaro Bitran.

She is currently in her 5th year at the Escuela Superior de Música y Danza de Monterrey as a student of maestra Temenuzhka Ostreva.

Andrea Zurita, 23 Chile

Andrea was born in 1999 in Santiago de Chile. She began her first cello classes at the age of 11 with the maestra Rita Plaza, but it was not until she turned 16 that she decided to formalize her studies and entered the Modern School of Music and Dance under the tutelage of the maestra Rita Plaza. She is currently in the third year of her degree and plays principal cello in the Interfaculty Orchestra of the Catholic University of Chile.

Andrés Ibarra, 20, Mexico

Andrés was born in 2003 in Cuernavaca, Morelos, where he began his cello studies at the age of 15. He has given several concerts in various theaters in the city.

He received masterclasses with renowned teachers such as Santiago Cañon, John Henry Crawford, Kate Dillingham, Ildefonso Cedillo, Johannes Raab, and participated twice in the International Cello Festival in León, Gto. He won second place in the IMAG for All-Mexico Cello Competition. He is currently studying at the Ollin Yoliztli Cultural Center under the tutelage of maestra Elzbieta Krengiel and is a member of the Ollin Yoliztli Youth Symphony Orchestra.

Valeria Reyes, 20, Mexico

Valeria began her musical studies at the Esperanza Azteca Symphony Orchestra in the city of Monterrey in 2012, where she continued her studies with maestros Juan Ángel Rodríguez, Belinsol Martínez and Leslie Ramírez until 2019 as principal cellist. Since then she has participated in the ESMDM Symphony Orchestra, the Mexico Opera Studio String Quartet and the Super Philharmonic Orchestra of the Monterrey Superior School of Music and Dance. She has received master classes with teachers such as Boyan Bonev, Álvaro Bitrán and Maja Bogdanovic, among others. Currently, she continues her studies at the Escuela Superior de Música y Danza de Monterrey under the tutelage of maestra Marieta Ivanova.

Cellisimo Festival 2023 attendees