Classic Latin – American Music for Violin, Cello and Piano

Lizzie Ball – Violin

Graham Walker – Cello

Iván Guevara-Bernal – Piano

www.classicolatino.com

info@classicolatino.com

21 Hardwick St

Cambridge

CB3 9JA

Phone numbers:

07957 220488 – Ivan (first contact for interviews)

07951 018385 – Graham (admin contact)

07852 719326 – Lizzie

Copy about Classico Latino

In 1999, two rising stars of the British classical music scene joined forces with Colombian pianist Iván Guevara-Bernal to create Classico Latino. Violinist Lizzie Ball and cellist Graham Walker developed new interpretations of the serenades and songs of the Fiesta; the unique style they evolved brings together traditional Latin-American melodies and rhythms with classical techniques to produce a phenomenal new sound. Making extensive use of their own arrangements, alongside vibrant new compositions, the music of Classico Latino—music of passion, of love, of hope and of despair—has been hailed by audiences world-wide.

Copy about the new Album, “Serenata”

In 1999, two rising stars of the British classical music scene joined forces with Colombian pianist Iván Guevara-Bernal to create Classico Latino. Violinist Lizzie Ball and cellist Graham Walker developed new interpretations of the serenades and songs of the Fiesta; the unique style they evolved brings together traditional Latin-American melodies and rhythms with classical techniques to produce a phenomenal new sound. Making extensive use of their own arrangements, their new album offers a sample of the songs—songs of passion, of love, of hope and of despair—which have inspired the trio, have been hailed by audiences world-wide, and which represent the essence of Classico Latino.

Although certain hard copies will be made for personal distribution by the group (and for sale through their website), Serenata will be primarily a digital-only release

History

• “The Latin Serenade” formed in 1997 by Colombian Iván Guevara-Bernal and English Graham Walker, while both were students at St John’s College, Cambridge

• Joined in 1999 by Lizzie Ball when she became a student at St John’s

• The group has performed extensively to classical and charity audiences across the UK and Europe.

• They undertook their debut tour of Colombia in 2006, being offered a contract by Sony-BMG and selling out the Bogota Opera House. Whilst there they spent two days teaching underprivileged children at the music school in Ibague.

Forthcoming points of interest

1. 15 April, 6pm-8pm. Album launch for Serenata, Ronnie Scott’s.

2. 26 April, 7.30pm. Gala launch concert, St John’s, Smith Square

3. June 10-14. Second tour of Colombia, where they will be the first European group ever to perform at the “Festival Mono Nunez” in Ginebra, Colombia. This prestigious festival of Colombian music has never had a non-Latin American group

Artists’ Biographies

Elizabeth Ball – Violin

Born in 1981, Lizzie studied at St John’s College, Cambridge and the Royal College of Music. Whilst at the College she was awarded the Robert MacFadzean Whyte Scholarship and the John Lewis Partnership Scholarship, and was variously leader, co-leader and principal for the college’s orchestral and opera performances, directed by Bernard Haitink, Sir Roger Norrington and others. As a soloist and chamber musician Lizzie performs regularly with many of the country’s leading artists, including Bernard Gregor-Smith, Huw Watkins, Morgan Szymanski and the Chilingirian Quartet. Lizzie was a founding member of the Kerem Quartet and performed regularly with them between 2003 and 2006. She has performed as a chamber musician across London and the UK (including in the Aldeburgh, Boxgrove, Windsor and Buxton Festivals), has toured Switzerland, Finland, Costa Rica and Colombia, and has given sell-out concerts in the opera houses of San José and Bogotá. She gave her concerto debut at 15, and has performed the Tchaikovsky, Bruch and Beethoven concertos, and Chausson’s Poème. Lizzie has been guest leader of orchestras including Elastic Band, I Maestri and the Opera Group, and plays regularly with the Britten Sinfonia, the Philharmonia, the Manning Camerata and the ROH, Covent Garden. She has also worked widely within the commercial music world, having played for a range of artists (including Simply Red, Il Divo and Kanye West) and for major UK television shows and awards ceremonies. Her latest collaboration is the aptly-named ECLECTICA!, a ‘string quartet’ incorporating violin, cello and two guitars, whose programmes range from Kodaly to Chick Corea. www.lizzieball.com

Iván Guevara-Bernal – Piano

Born in Bogotá, Iván began lessons on the organ and piano at the age of seven, and one year later enrolled at the Conservatoire at the National University of Bogotá. By sixteen he was already playing regularly with members of the Bogotá Youth Symphony Orchestra. Shortly afterwards, Iván began studying at a Law School in Bogotá; during this time he played duets with a violinist, and first started to introduce his own compositions into their repertoire. Iván played extensively until his graduation, but in the following years he devoted his time exclusively to his career as a lawyer. Iván arrived at St John’s College, Cambridge to study for an M.Phil and Ph.D. Soon after his arrival in Cambridge, Iván again began playing frequently with a range of instrumentalists and singers, and it was during this time that he met Graham Walker, then a choral scholar and an active musician within St John’s. This musical partnership led to many years of successful concerts as well as the recording of a CD. In 1999, Elizabeth Ball arrived in Cambridge to read Music. Late in the year 2000 she was invited to record together with Iván and Graham; soon afterwards she joined the ensemble for the memorable concert which was the group’s debut as a trio. Since that time, Ivan has continued to compose specifically for the group, and their many concerts and recitals together have revived a versatile musician and composer.

Graham Walker – Cello

Graham Walker has a busy career as a solo and chamber musician, playing at numerous festivals and other venues throughout Europe, the US and South America. Graham received his early musical education as a chorister at St John’s College, Cambridge, and was subsequently awarded a top music scholarship to Harrow School. In 1995, within the space of six weeks, he performed Elgar’s Cello and Schumann’s Piano Concerti, and gained a choral scholarship which allowed him to return to St John’s in 1996 to study Mathematics. In that year he won the UNICEF Young Conductors’ platform. Whilst at Cambridge he sang daily and performed widely on the cello, piano and organ, as well as conducting numerous choral performances. In 2000 he took up a scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music, where he studied cello with Lionel Handy and baroque cello with Jennifer Ward-Clarke. Graham combines his busy solo recital career (working with pianists Iain Farrington and Chris Whitton) with a full schedule of chamber music performances as cellist of the Farrington Ensemble, the British Camerata, and Janiculum. Highlights of his work as a continuo player include Charpentier’s Actéon under Emmanuelle Haïm. Principal cellist of Opera East and the Pepys Ensemble, Graham is a regular deputy for the ROH, Covent Garden, the ESO, BBC NOW and the BSO, and has played for the ENO and RSNO. He has recorded variously as a cellist, singer and conductor for EMI, Chandos, Nimbus, Quillisma and Naxos. Graham has been Director of Music and Organist of Christ Church, Isle of Dogs since 2003. In 2005 he undertook his debut recital tour of the USA and in April 2008 performed all of Bach’s Cello Suites there. www.grahamwalker.org.uk

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Secretos de una Rosa

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