Mar 2nd, 2012
For the fourth year running, Jackson State Community College will host the Duo Guitiano concert on Thursday, March 22 at 6:30 p.m. in Ayers Auditorium at the colleges Jackson campus.
Duo Guitiano is the term the duo uses to describe the fact that Dr. Amanda Virelles plays piano and Dr. Carlos Castilla plays classic Latin American guitar, hence the term Guitiano. Both artists are world-renowned and this year, also bring with them guests Dr. Mary Chung, an active soloist and collaborative artist who has performed both nationally and internationally, and Brazilian flute playerCarlos Feller.
Virelles performances have been described as sensible, profound and energetic. She has performed as a soloist as well as collaborative artist throughout the United States, France, Russia, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina and Cuba.
Virelles began piano studies in Cuba, continued at Moscow State Conservatory Tchaikovsky and received her Master of Fine Arts Degree from the Russian Academy of Music Gnessins in Moscow, Russia. Virelles also holds a Master Degree and a Doctoral Degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Southern Mississippi.
In 1987, Virelles won First Prize and a Special Prize for best Cuban and Latin-American music performance in the Amadeo Roldn Piano Competition in Cuba.
After this success, she appeared as a soloist with several orchestras in Europe and South America under the direction of renowned conductors such as Yoshikatsu Fukumura, Mikhail Shervakov, Dmitir Manolov, Fillipo Zigante, Kimbo Ishii Eto and Miguel Harth-Bedoya.
Most recently, she was featured with the winners of the William T. Gower Concerto Competition with the USM Symphony Orchestra under conductor Jay Dean andwith the Chamber Orchestra conducted by Alejandro Drago. As a pedagogue, Dr. Virelles has served as an Associate Professor of Music atUniversidad del Atlnticoin Colombia, theConservatorio Nacional in Lima, Peru. Since her arrival to the United States, she has also served at the University of Southern Mississippi, Lane College, Vanderbilt University and Belmont University.
Colombian-American guitarist, Dr. Carlos Castilla, has been featured as a soloist with orchestras and chamber ensembles, as well as in solo recitals in different cities of Latin-America and the United States. He has worked as a collaborative artist with orchestras featuring stars such as Placido Domingo, James Galway and Bernadette Peters, among others.
Castilla is the co-founder of Duo Guitiano, along with Cuban pianist Amanda Virelles, and is known for his innovative technique, clear sound and soulful interpretations.
Castilla holds a Bachelor of Music from Los Andes University at Bogot-Colombia, Master and Doctorate degrees in Guitar performance and pedagogy from the University of Southern Mississippi, and further musical studies at Instituto Superior de la Habana (ISA) in Cuba. In the academic field, he has worked as guitar instructor atLa Universidad del Atlntico(Colombia), William Carey University, Bethel University, University of Southern Mississippi, Middle Tennessee State University and Tennessee State University.
Dr. Mary Chungholds a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from North Greenville University, a MM, and DMA in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Southern Mississippi.
Chung is an active soloist and collaborative artist. She has performed both nationally and internationally, in Canada, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Brazil. Her solo awards include first place in the 11thLuis A. Ferr International Piano Competition (Puerto Rico), winner of the William T. Gower Concerto Competition at the University of Southern Mississippi, finalist in the Concerto Competition at the Brevard Music Festival, alternate winner in Mississippis MTNA Young Artist Auditions, as well as recipient of the Music Teachers National Associations Student Achievement Recognition Award.
During her doctoral studies, Chung was the recipient of one of the University of Southern Mississippi Doctoral Assistantship Award, a competitive award for doctoral students who have demonstrated outstanding work.
She has accompanied numerous degree recitals and master-classes, as well as state, regional and national competitions for both singers and instrumentalists. Chung served as full time faculty at The University of Southern Mississippi, as well as an adjunct professor at Belhaven College, piano instructor at the William Carey University in Mississippi, and at the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Michigan.
Chung has served as adjudicator for piano competitions in Alabama, Mississippi and Oklahoma. In the fall of 2011, Chung joined the faculty of the Oklahoma Baptist University as the new Assistant Professor of Piano.
Brazilian flute playerCarlos Felleris currently pursuing his Doctorate of Music in Flute performance under Professor Eva Amsler at Florida State University (FSU). Feller holds a B.M. from The School of Music and Arts of Paran - Brazil, and a M.M. in flute performance from The University of Southern Mississippi.
Feller was a prizewinner in competitions such as the William T. Gower Concerto Competition at USM, performing the Flute Concerto by Jacques Ibert with the USM Symphony Orchestra, the state and regional rounds of the MTNA, at the Flute Society of Kentucky Young Artist competition, and performed at the Myrna Brown Flute Competition in Dallas, Texas, and in 2011 was selected as one of the participants of the prestigious Young Artist Competition promoted by the National Flute Association.
Enthusiast of new music for flute, Feller performed at theInternational Computer Music Conferencein New Orleans, in the final round of theInternational Michel Debost Composition Competitionin Curitiba-Brazil and in the 15thBiennial Festival of New Musical at Florida State University.
Feller also plays the traverso and has performed with the FSU Baroque ensemble and with the baroque ensembleTraverso Colore.He has performed in master-classes for flutists such as Michel Debost, Robert Langevin, Robert Dick, Carol Wincenc, Alberto Almarza, Jeffrey Khaner, Jonathan Keeble and Tadeu Coelho, and in baroque flute master-classes for Christopher Kruger, Colin St Martin, and Linda Peretska.
The entire community is cordially invited to attend this world-class musical event. The cost to attend is free, though donations are appreciated. There will be refreshments served during intermission.
For more information, please contact the JSCC Spanish Club Advisor, Mary Wadley, at mwadley@jscc.edu or by calling (731) 424-3520 ext.252.