UW Symphony Students Travel to Bolivia for Cultural Music Exchange |  
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March 6, 2007 -- For only $50 each, members of the University of Wyoming Symphony Orchestra (UWSO) will use spring break to share Western classical music with South American youths.
During UW's spring break (March 10-18), the symphony will give five performances in Bolivia.
"The symphony has received incredible support from the university administration and from many individuals and Laramie businesses for our first international music exchange," says Michael Griffith, director of orchestral activities and UWSO conductor.
UWSO's international spring break is the cumulating event for this year's cultural exchange between UW and Bolivia's musical community.
Stephan Barnhart, professor of percussion in UW's Department of Music, made the initial contact at Christmas when he joined UW violin professors Naomi Gjevre and Javier Pinell, a Bolivian native, in the country's capital, La Paz. Over UW's winter break, the trio conducted music clinics in El Alto, a community outside of La Paz.
In January UW hosted a symphony performance featuring Bolivian musicians Fredy Cespedes, concertmaster of the Bolivian National Symphony Orchestra; Juan Jose Choque, percussionist and bass player for the Municipal Orchestra of El Alto; and Willy Flores, declamation teacher at the Municipal School of the Arts in El Alto.
Once again, it is the UWSO's turn to journey south. During spring break (March 10-18) UWSO will perform three evening concerts, two school performances and work individually with the El Alto youth orchestra.
"Some of our players will give private lessons, we'll also conduct clinics. We are going to do everything we can to help these kids improve their music skills," Griffith says. "It's all an effort to shrink a cultural gap between Bolivians and Americans; we hope to build some bridges."
Although the students will face language barrier challenges, Griffith predicts they will discover the international voice of music.
"In a way they are going to see how much we are all the same. You hold a violin bow the same way no matter where you are. You get the best sound the same way no matter where you are," he says.
El Alto, a severely impoverished community comprised mainly of native Bolivians (and not Spanish descendants), may seem like an unlikely Western classic music partner, but the opposite is true, according to Griffith. He cites a local story explaining how the genre became integral to the small community.
"A good number of years ago, Cespedes, a violinist from the city of La Paz, went to El Alto and started playing his violin in the city square. People gathered around to listen," he says. "Wanting to do something for these people, he offered lessons and soon people were lined up half way across town, as the story goes."
Sensing the community's hunger for music, Cespedes founded the city's youth orchestra and interest has never waned.
"This orchestra was so important to the kids that during a time of political unrest a few years ago, some people set fire to city hall, where the instruments were stored," Griffith says. "Kids went running into the burning building to rescue their instruments."
As part of the student outreach, more than 30 El Alto youths will be invited to perform a piece with the UW orchestra during the community concert there. Griffith says the El Alto musicians may be better conditioned for performing in the thin air.
"There is no way (for the UW students) to prepare for performing at a higher altitude. Being in great physical shape does not help; living at 12,000 feet does." Griffith says, noting that trombone soloist Lorralee Slough, a junior from Rapid City, S.D., is practicing her concerto with places for extra breaths.
UW student violinist Edgar Tumajyan from Armenia, also will perform a concerto. The program itself will feature the world premier, "Fanfare for Mountains and Peace," a piece Anne Guzzo, assistant professor in the Department of Music, composed for the exchange.
The UWSO cultural exchange with Bolivia is sponsored by the UW Foundation; Symphony Association for UW; UW International Programs; UW administrators including President Tom Buchanan, Vice President for Academic Affairs Myron Allen, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Oliver Walter; Cultural Affairs Office of the U.S. Embassy in La Paz; Government of Bolivia; City of El Alto; businesses and organizations including American Airlines, First Interstate Bank, Hill Music Company of Casper, Laramie Kiwanis Club, Laramie Pediatrics, Laramie Rotary Club and Realty Executives of Laramie; and individual sponsors Margo and William Bennett, Margaret Fester, Sandra and Charles Ksir, Beverly and Terry Roark, Sue Wedel, and Mary Winger.
UW orchestra students traveling to Bolivia and their hometowns are:
Armenia -- Edgar Tumajya.
Ashland, Wis. -- Lucas Swanson.
Billings, Mont. -- Taylor Cook.
Broomfield, Colo. -- Nathaniel HadleyDike.
Buffalo -- Michael Camino.
Casper -- Margaret Warner.
Chapel Hills, N.C. -- Frances Brewer.
Cheyenne -- Jonathan Cabot, Robert Johnson, Lindsay Laping, Amy Lenell, David Perry, Alicia Ruetz, David Wood and Francis Szott.
Chugiak, Alaska -- Laura Lundell.
Colorado Springs, Colo. -- Erika Helgeson and Lisa Sieberlich.
Dalton, Ga. -- David Peyton.
Denver, Colo. -- Scott Erickson and David Koch.
Mexico City, Mexico -- Antonio Camacho Canto.
Eagle River, Alaska -- Kaitlin Morris.
Elizabeth, Colo. -- Cassidy Grotheer.
Fairbanks, Alaska -- Heidi Delaney.
Fort Collins, Colo. -- Corinne Ong.
Fort Morgan, Colo. -- Natasha Snelson.
Gillette -- Michael Amend, Elin Mayo and Kelly Nedved.
Green River -- Lori Petersen.
Highlands Ranch, Colo. -- Jaclyn Cleary.
Katwijk aan Zee, Netherlands -- Jasmijn Rais.
Laramie -- Kyle Dobbins, Garam Kim (Laramie High School), Diana Havens, Paul Hertz, Christopher Laursen, Jesse Lee, Michael McDonough, Alyssa Wechsler and Lee Wolfinbarger.
Littleton, Colo. -- Chantal Cresci.
Monument, Colo. -- Kira Warner.
Omaha, Neb. -- Alex Minier.
Park City, Utah -- Christopher Taylor.
Rapid City, S.D. -- Teresa Anderson, Misty Blough, Neal Minton, Jacie Reams, Loralee Slough and Kaliyah Wood.
Rawlins -- Brandon Schumacher.
Riverton -- Heidi Crouch.
Rock Springs -- Laura Doser and Daniel Shineberg.
Scottsbluff, Neb. -- Nicholas Stich.
Smoot -- Kayla Walker.
South Korea -- Kuiwoo Lee.
Tomball, Texas -- Brie Black.
Torrington -- Kelsey Lawrence.
Posted on Tuesday, March 06, 2007
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