BOGOTA, COLOMBIA- Juan Alonso Mendoza, artist and cultural manager will speak on “The Importance of Supporting the Arts in the 21st Century,” during the II Cartagena International Festival of Music January 5-12, 2008. His lecture will take place in the Chapel of the Charleston Cartagena Hotel on Wednesday, January 9 at 3.30 p.m.

Born in Bogotá, Mr. Mendoza earned an oboe soloist degree at Salzburg Mozarteum and later studied cultural management at Instituto de Administración Cultural-IKM at Vienna’s Superior School of Music where he was awarded a laureate master’s degree. His studies in Vienna were supported by a scholarship provided by Fundación Mazda in Colombia.

He has been a member of several orchestras including Camerata Academica Salzburg, European Symphony Orchestra and the Tenerife Symphonic Orchestra, among others. In addition, he has performed as a soloist with the following Colombian orchestras: Colombian Symphonic Orchestra, Bogota Philharmonic Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra of Valle. Mr. Mendoza has taught oboe and chamber music courses in Austria, Spain and Colombia.

As translator, Mendoza has collaborated on the Spanish editions of ABC de la Música Clásica and ABC de la Opera, Editorial Taurus, Santillana.

Mr. Mendoza has extensive experience as a manager of artists, orchestras and operas including Turandot by Puccini, performed under the direction of Zubin Mehta, at the Forbidden City in Beijing. In Austria, he worked for the “Melos Konzerte” agency, served as manager of “Sinfonietta Baden,” and director of the department of music of American Overseas Tours where he coordinated European tours for orchestras such as the Israel Philharmonic, Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester and Saito Kine, among others.

Mr. Mendoza has lived in Madrid since 1998 when he first joined the production department of the Teatro Real. Since 2000, he has been the Academic-Artistic Coordinator of the Reina Sofia Superior School of Music, the Santander Music Sessions and Academia and the Madrid International Chamber Music Institute – the primary programs of the Fundación Isaac Albeniz. In this capacity he is responsible for producing 240 concerts each year, coordinating its academic activities and serving as a member of the organization’s Board of Directors.

“The creation and expression of art is indispensable in the process of developing a thriving society,” says Juan A. Mendoza V. “In the 21st century it is essential for the community at large – both the public and private sectors, to assume responsibility for its support as the arts play an important role in the cultural life of our society.”

According to Mendoza, “a good example of an effective public-private partnership for the arts is the Fundación Albeniz in Madrid. It has created many noteworthy programs for the benefit of the public including, the International Piano Contest of Santander, the Reina Sofia Higher School of Music, the International Institute of Chamber Music of Madrid, the Music and Academia Meeting of Santander, and the musical education project via the Internet, among others. It is an interesting example of how private funds have been used effectively to support artistic creation.”

For more information about the 2008 Cartagena International Festival of Music including, the complete program please visit: www.cartagenamusicfestival.com

Editor’s Note: Digital images of the artists and festival venues are available upon request.

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