Described in The New York Times as one of the "Places to Go in 2008," the Cartagena International Festival of Music took place January 5 to 12, 2008 in the historic city of Cartagena. Under the artistic direction of Charles Wadsworth, renowned pianist and creator of chamber music events worldwide and associate director, Stephen Prutsman, acclaimed pianist and composer, the festival set new attendance records this year and expanded the range of educational programs and activities it offered gifted and talented young musicians from throughout the country.
"Palenkumbé: Overture for Cartagena," an original work by Venezuelan composer Paul Desenne opened the week-long festival. It was commissioned by the Salvi Foundation – Colombia. The free public concerts held at night in the Plaza San Pedro once again drew standing room only audiences. The attractive 2008 festival poster was designed by noted Colombian artist Santiago Cardenas, whose work was displayed at the Museum of Modern Art in Cartagena from January 2 to February 2, 2008.
This year, more than 20,000 people attended some of the 19 concerts; over 1,400 visited the retrospective exhibition of Santiago Cardena’s work at the Museum of Modern Art in Cartagena; 300 people attended lectures on such topics as "The Importance of Supporting the Arts in the 21st Century"; "María Callas"; and "The Art of Music Recording" presented by guest lecturers, and more than 300 talented young Colombian conservatory students participated in 80 masterclasses given by the festival artists throughout the week. In addition, more than 40 students and their music teachers participated in the festival’s activities through "Formando Musica," the social program of Salvi Foundation – Colombia. Six concerts were broadcast live throughout the country by the government channel Señal Colombia.
Artists included: Charles Wadsworth, artistic director and piano; Stephen Prutsman, associate artistic director and piano; Yuli Turovsky, musical director and conductor to I Musici de Montréal; Paula Robison, flute; José Franch-Ballester, clarinet; Todd Palmer, clarinet; Catrin Finch, harp; Livia Sohn, violin; Elina Vähälä, violin; Angélica Gámez, violin; Hsin-Yun Huang, viola; Andrés Díaz, cello; Romero Lubambo, guitar; Wendy Chen, piano; Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano; Cyro Baptista, percussion; St. Lawrence String Quartet and I Musici de Montréal, orchestra.
This year for the first time, accomplished musicians from Colombia’s leading orchestras joined the roster of international artists performing in the festival. Among the artists were David Alonso Arboleda, trombone; Javier Cáceres, piccolo; Giovanni Scarpetta, trombone; Bibiana Ordoñez, harp; Sandra Duque, contrabassoon; Mario Alberto Sarmiento, percussion and Alejandro Ruiz, percussion who performed with I Musici de Montreal Chamber Orchestra during the festival.
"With the initial success, and now on-going Cartagena International Festival of Music, one of our major aims is to continue to involve distinguished Colombian musicians in the festival program," says Artistic Director, Charles Wadsworth. "We were pleased to include nine outstanding Colombian artists this year including, violin soloist Angélica Gámez. The remarkable I Musici de Montreal Chamber Orchestra was enhanced by these very talented musicians from Colombia, which resulted in a full chamber orchestra for audiences to enjoy. They were wonderful cultural "ambassadors" for Colombia," says Wadsworth.
An important part of the mission of the Salvi Foundation Colombia is to provide educational music opportunities for gifted and talented young musicians, the majority afflicted by war and poverty. The foundation’s goal is to reach more than 150,000 children through its efforts designed to improve harp and other music education programs, teacher training and the acquisition and care of music instruments. "Through our efforts and those of many dedicated individuals throughout Colombia and beyond who support our work, we hope to inspire and create opportunities for these talented young people," says Julia Salvi, president of Salvi Foundation Colombia. "We want to offer them hope and opportunities through music."
As a result of establishing a relationship with children from the Nelson Mandela Music Project of Fundación Música por Colombia, during the 2007 festival, musicians from I Musici de Montreal have continued to be actively involved with the project in a variety of ways including collecting instruments for the children’s benefit. At the festival this year, violinist Francoise Morin-Lyons, presented representatives of the Música por Colombia foundation (and the Batuta program in Cartagena) a cart full of instruments they had gathered and brought with them from Canada for the use of the children. "Through this experience in Cartagena, we understand why we are musicians," says Morin-Lyons. Colombian Vice President, Dr. Francisco Santos attended the presentation and spoke of his deep personal commitment to support cultural opportunities for the youth of the country.
"Concerts of the highest quality, free outdoor presentations and workshops for students and teachers consolidated the Cartagena International Festival of Music as an event of the highest quality and high social impact," according to Semana magazine (January 12, 2008). "The spirit of the International Music Festival has turned Cartagena into a laboratory of unpredictable consequences because of its scope … Almost always; the most important thing is less visible. After the closing concert the training programs for students and teachers, workshops for building and repairing instruments will follow and many of these children and teachers will remain in permanent contact with the musicians who have followed them. They are right all these musicians. A festival that brings high level performers to the citizens of the street, which educates the upper classes who are going to the concerts and that connect children with symphonic instruments, is definitely a special event."
Mark your calendars now, the III Cartagena International Festival of Music is scheduled for January 10-17, 2009.
Click here to download a copy of the original press release in PDF format.
