Alta Classica Inc.

Mayda Prado, Board Member
is an Adjunct Professor at Kean University. She has a BM and MM degree from the Juilliard School, where she was chosen by Maria Callas to participate in her Master Classes. Winner of the Enrico Caruso Intrernational Award, Professor Prado's achievements include awards from the Martha Baird Rockefeller Foundation; The National Opera Institute; and the Liederkranz Foundation. She has served as Affiliate Artist at the Inter-American University in Puerto Rico, and has performed with the Opera Theaters of St. Louis, Dayton, and Toledo; Opera de Colombia; and the Metropolitan Opera of New York; the St. Louis Symphony, London Symphony, and the Brooklyn Philharmonic. As a recitalist, she has toured Europe, Latin and North America, and the Carribean. She has taught at the Borough of Manhattan Community College and gives Master Classes throughout Latin America on the interpretation of Lieder and Art Songs from the USA. Professor Prado was appointed to the Kean faculty in 2001 and teaches Latin American Music. MaydaPrado@aol.com

Dennis Reeder, Board Member
is the Executive Director of the Washington Heights and Inwood Development Corporation for 20 years. Mr. Reeder founded and directed the Medieval Festival for 19 years. He holds a Masters Degree from Columbia University and has been supportive of Alta Classica since 1996. WHIDC is the lead partner in a recent grant application to the NEA for Alta Classica to present Medieval Music from African, Judeo/Spanish and Arabic roots. The application received support from Congressman Rangel.WHIDC@aol.com

Francisco Roldán
is a Colombian born guitarist. He obtained a MM degree from the Mannes College of Music. He has performed throughout the US at Merkin Concert Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Weill Concert Hall, the Philadelphia Guitar Society, the American Institute for Guitar the Colombian Consulates of NYC and Boston, the Smithsonial Library, the Spanish Institute, Gracie Mansion, the Americas Society, Brooklyn Conservatory, and the NY Public Library. For the past six years he has accompanied Pilar Rioja at Repertorio Español. Roldfran@hotmail.com

Francisco Morales
Tenor from Venezuela, has sung with the Teresa Careño Opera, Opera de Oriente, Orquesta Sinfónica Municipal de Caracas, Orquesta Nacional Juvenil, Fundación Camarin del Carmen. Mr. Morales has credits such as "Alfredo"-La traviata; "Rodolfo"-La bohème; "Bastien"-Bastien and Bastienne; "Macduff"-Macbeth; "Pong"-Turandot; "Tamino"-Magic Flute; "Rinuccio"-Gianni Schicci; "Polidoro"-La Finta Semplice; and "Beppe" I Pagliacci. Mr Morales has been featured as the tenor soloist in Mozart's Requiem and Mass in C minor, Bach's Magnificat, cantata No. 142 and Rossini's Petite Messe Solenelle. He has performed in Venezuela, Coloambia, Latvia, Russia, Trinidad, Tobago and Germany.

Nelly Vuksic
Director of the Americas Vocal Ensemble was born in Argentina and has conducted extensively in Latin America as well as in the US, Europe and Asia. Ms. Vuksic is the recipient of several national and international music awards. She is also Director of New York's United Nations Singers. vuksic@earthlink.net www.americasvocalensemble.org.

David Robinson
tenor, placed twice as a finalist in the Carlo Morelli National Singing Competition He was then engaged by the National Opera Company for five seasons, during which he performed a great variety of operas, concerts, and oratorios. He was granted a Fulbright Scholarship to further his operatic career. Other grants include the Academy of Vocal Arts and the Israeli Vocal Arts Institute. He has performed Rodolfo in La Boheme with the Connecticut Grand Opera Outreach Program, as Javier in La verbena de la Paloma with the Jarvis Zarzuela Festival, as the Duke in Rigoletto with Opera North, as Tamino in The Magic Flute with Palm Beach Opera, and in an Arts Education Presentation. Future engagements include Camille in Die Lustig Witwe with Opera San Jose, a Guild Gala Concert with Connecticut Grand Opera and a series of oratorios and concerts in the U.S.

Camille Zamora
soprano, has performed throughout the United States, Mexico, Europe and the Middle East for the Guadalajara Symphony, the American Festival for the Arts, the Apple Hill Chamber Players the Rochester Philharmonic,the London Symphony and the Chamberlain Ensemble, in live recital on BBC radio, Sussex, and on national television broadcast live from Mexico's Teatro de la Paz. Operatic roles include Pamina, Adina, Nedda, Blanche, Xenia, Michaela, Floyd´s Susannah, both the Countess and Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro and Wolf-Ferrari's Susana. A champion of Zarzuela, she has recorded Luisa Fernanda and La verbena de la Paloma with the Jarvis Festival Orchestra and was the lead in Alta Classica's La tabernera del puerto. Recent performances include Brahms´Liebeslieder, Beethoven´s Symphony No.9, and at Weill Hall in Theofanidis´Song of Elos, which was repeated at the American Academy in Rome. In the fall of 2001 she was reviewed by Clive Barnes "one of the best moments of the evening...beautifully rendered by soprano Camille Zamora.

Rita Addico
soprano is originally from Accra, Ghana, in West Africa. She seriously began pursuing a musical carreer while at the University of Virginia, receiving her B.A. in Music, with a concentration in Musical Theater. This led to two seasons with the Heritage Repertory Theatre. She then received her Masters in Classical Voice from the Manhattan School of Music. Rita recently was cover for Marola in Alta Classica's La tabernera del Puerto. Future engagements include Olympia in Les Contes d'Hoffman with the Singing Actors Atelier.

Abraham Lind-Oquendo
Baritone, is Artist-in-Residence of Boriqua College. and director/founder of the Boriqua College Chorus. He is originally from Puerto Rico and he has been described as a powerfull singing-actor, whose performed operatic repertoire encompasses over forty roles. He was principal baritone with the Bremen and Heidelberg Opera Companies of Germany, and the Israel National Opera. He has made numerous appearances with Opera Nacional, Dominican Republic, Opera '68/ Opera de San Juan, Puerto Rico, in addition to U.S. opera companies. Mr. Lind-Oquendo won critical acclaim for his appearances in the title role of Gershwin's Porgy and Bess on Broadway, in Paris, Geneva, Houston, Philadelphia, Wolf Trap, Toronto, Ottawa, and in Germany. On the concert stage, he has appeared as soloist with London's Philharmonic, the Baltomore Symphony, Hamburg and Bremen Philharmonics of Germany, Casals Festival, Puerto Rico Symphony, and the Bronx Arts Ensemble. He has been presented in recital in Town Hall, Carnegie Hall, L'Accademia de Santa Cecilia of Rome, Today's Artists, Inc. Concert Series in San Francisco and Yachats Musical Festival, Oregon; and and two concert tours in Japan. Mr Lind-Oquendo's numerous music awards include the National Opera Auditions, Rockefeller and Sullivan Foundation Grants, Liederkrantz Foundation, Instituto de Puerto Rico in New York, ACE Award, Medaille de Vermeil from the French Academy of Arts, Sciences and Letters, as the first Puerto Rican recipient of the Fulbright Grant, and first place at the International Vocal Competition in Enna, Sicily.

Pablo Zinger
Pianist, was born in Uruguay, and resides in New York City since 1976. He has established a distinguished reputation as a conductor, pianist, writer and leader in the research and performance of Spanish and Latin American Music. His critically acclaimed CD's include Tango Apasionado with Astor Piazzolla, Las Puertas de la Manana (songs of Carlos Guastavino), two volumes of works by Spanish-American composer Carlos Surinach and Chamber Music from the South, with clarinetist Paquito D'Rivera and cellist Gustavo Tavares. The three perform chamber music of Latin America under the name of Triangulo. Mr. Zinger has lectured for the New York Philharmonic and the Brooklyn Philharmonic and written a series of feature articles on music for the New York Times, Opera News, Guitar Review, and the New York Opera Newsletter. Mr Zinger has conducted the Costa Rica National Symphony and the Simon Bolivar Orchestra of Venezuela, the Montivedeo Philharmonic and Montevideo Pro Opera, American Artists Series in Detroit and the Queens Opera Orchestra. He has been Assistant Conductor with the Washington Opera for the zarzuela Dona Francisquita, and conducted the Bronx Arts Ensemble in New York with Jazz greats Tito Puente, Dave Valentin, Nestor Torres and John Faddis. Mr. Zinger has played for several Alta Classica productions.

Sue Razavi
Susan Razavi LCSW-R is a bilingual therapist for 15 years with a private practice in Washington Heights. She is a Soprano, the General Director of Alta Classica Inc. which since 1996 has produced Master Classes, Competitions, Concerts, including Post Medieval Festival Concerts, an Arts Education Presentation and a Zarzuela, La Tabernera del Puerto. Ms. Razavi is the Director and an Artist in Residence at the New York Presbyterian Hospital Arts program, NYPART, Director of the Music Council of WaHI, producer of the Music Mile in the 2005 Uptown Arts Stroll. She currently is writing poetry, lyrics and music for Tangopera Transcendental to be performed at Thalia Theatre in Symphony Space; is collaborating in the Daytop Village Strawberry Festival on 42nd. Street; in summer concerts in collaboration with Culturarte at the Ann Loftus Playground, the September production of Celebration of WaHI, in Fort Tryon Park, and with Dr. Jorge Piña in a concert featuring his METAPOETRY. Ms Razavi is performing for Music at Our Saviour's Atonement Church May 2006. Ms. Razavi's mission is to create collaborations between underserved cultural organizations, thereby transforming her community.
She has performed Sandman/Dewfairy, Mimi, Tosca, Pamina, Frasquita, Voce dal Ciel/Tebaldo, Countess Ceprano/Page, and Annina in New York City. Ms. Razavi regularly does recital, oratorio and concert work, specializing in the Hispanic composers Garcia Lorca, Granados, Rodrigo, Montsalvatge, Turina, Villa-Lobos, Obradors, de Falla, and Ginastera. She also has performed concerts of music by Mozart, Purcell, Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, Faure, Lully, Schumann, Hue, Bellini, Argento, Telemann and Wagner.
She has performed ensemble concerts of Sephardic, Portugese-Galician, Turkish, and Andalucian songs and in traditional Latino songs "Amor Latino". She has performed at Merkin Concert Hall, the Donnell Library, the 92nd St. Y, the Liederkrantz, Bennett Park, Kingsbridge Community Center, the Isabella Center, the YM/YWHA of Washington Heights and Inwood, the Hebrew Tabernacle Congregation, the Columbia Alumni Auditorium, and has been a presenter/producer at the Riverside Church, The Church of Christ and St. Stephens, CAMI Hall, the American Academy of Arts and Letters as well as at local community and faith based centers.

Anna Tonna
Mezzo-Soprano, a singer noted for the beauty of her voice and committed stage presence, has appeaed in the New York area in the roles of Dorothea in Verdi's Stiffelio, Rosina in Pasatieri's Deluso, Sally in Barber's Hand of Bridge, Isabella in L'Italiana in Algeri and as St. Theresa II in Four Saints in Three Acts, Mercedes in Carmen, Hansel in Hansel and Gretel, and Orlofsky in Der Fledermaus. Upcoming engagements include the title role in La Cenerentola with Taconic Opera, Cherubino in Le Nozze de Figaro, Lola in Cavalleria Rusticana in New York Grand Opera, and Zanette for New Jersey Verisimo Opera. She was a soloist in Mozart's Requiem with the West Village Chorale. She has performed at the Pacific Music Festival in Japan, The Brevard Music Festival, New York Grand Opera, The Mannes Opera Ensemble, The Brandenburg Opera, Operaperspectives, The CoOPERAtive, Opera Northeast and the Clearwater Symphony Orchestra, The Regina Opera Company and New Jersey Verisimo Opera. Ms. Tonna regularly concertizes, including a concert at the Consulate of Argentina.

Waundell Saavedra
Bass, has an extensive background in the fine arts including opera, jazz, musical theater, gospel music, art, poetry and literature. He has performed Balthazar in Menotti's Amahl and the Night Visitors. His Mozart operas include Nardo in La Finta Giardinera, Don Alfonso in Cosi Fan Tutte, Sarastro in The Magic Flute, and Osmin in Die Entfuhrung Aus Dem Serail. Roles in Pucinni operas include Colline in La Boheme, The Notary, Simone, and Betto in Gianni Schicci. Roles in Verdi operas include Tom in Un Ballo in Maschera and Pistola in Falstaff. He has also performed the title role in Donizetti's Don Pasquale. He was the soloist in Mozart's Requiem with the West Village Chorale. As a composer, he has written vocal and instrumental arrangements of jazz, hymns, classical compositions for voice and piano, for solo piano and chorus. Mr. Saavedra has directed several plays and musicals for children and adult theater groups. He is also a writer of short stories and poetry; his poetry has recently been published by The National Library of Poetry.

Bruce Rameker
Baritone, and Countertenor, sings Athamas in Semele for Anchorage Opera and the title role in Handel's Solomon for the Sacred Music in a Sacred Place concert series in New York City. As Baritone, he tours Poland as Janusz in the Polish Theatre Institute production of Moniuszko's Halka. Other appearances this season include Lully's Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme with Concert Royal and Baroque chamber music concerts with Rialto Ensemble in New Yoek and Boston. He recently covered the roles of Armindo in Partenope and the Sandman in Hansel and Gretel at New York City Opera. Both his voices are featured in the world premiere, at the Spoleto Festival USA and on CD of One Body with Essential Music written for him by John Kennedy. He has performed Alexander's Feast with the Dessoff Choirs at Town Hall, Part's Miserere, Bernstein's Chichester Psalms, has been the soloist in Bach's Mass in B Minor, the baritone soloist in Mozart's Mass in C Minor, and in C.P.E. Bach's Magnificat. He has appeared with the Skylight Opera Theatre, San Francisco Ballet, Opera Company of Philadelphia, Friends of Musical Arts in Saratoga Springs, New York Ensemble for Early Music, Greenwich Village Singers, and the SEM Ensemble, as well as in a solo concert at Music Sources in Berkely.

Jose Melendez
Pianist, a native of Puerto Rico, Jose Melendez began his musical studies at the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico in 1990. He recently was invited to play in the prestigious Casals Festival of Puerto Rico. His performances include a recital showcasing the winners of the District Metropolitan Opera Council regional auditions. He has held the positions of being coach/accompanist for Met Opera Regional Auditions, the Indianapolis Opera, Operalia 99 Voice Competition, Opera de Puerto Rico, Teatro de la Opera, The Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico's Opera Workshop, and for the Alta Vocal Competition. He is currently Director of Opera at Westminster College in New Jersey.

Gerard Edery
was born in Casablanca of Sephardic, Moroccan and Argentine descent. Raised in Paris and New York City, he received his MM from the Manhattan School of Music. Gerard has sung over 30 roles with opera companies throughout the US. An outstanding guitarist he is considered one of the leading interpreters of Judeo-Spanish song. He is featured in major concert halls and festivals in the US, Canada, Europe, the Far East, Israel, Morocco, and Mexico.www.gerardedery.com

Rex Benincasa
Percussionist is one of the New York City area’s most sought after percussionists, with a particular mastery of the Sephardic, Flamenco and Middle Eastern styles. He has played with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Merce Cunningham and American Ballet Repertory Company, as well as numerous classical, music theater, and Spanish groups. He recently performed with Alta Classica in two concerts at the Hebrew Tabernacle Congregation. www.gerardedery.com

Fabio Gardenal
Pianist has been on faculty at NYU since 1986 and has collaborated extensively with NYU’s Chamber Music Society and the New Music and Dance Ensemble. He continues to perform regularly throughout the U.S., South America, and Europe. Dr. Gardenal made his orchestral debut with the Sao Paulo Symphony at age 17. He performed for Susan Razavi last year at the Riverside Cathedral. www.nyu.ed

Jerry Jean
Pianist and violinist is currently a music composition major at NYU. He has played with the NJ All-State Jazz Band where he performed with Clark Terry and Dennis DiBlasio. Jerry has performed regional theater, been musical director for Allegro Productions and All Childrens Theater. He performed twice for the Calaloo Project of Nori NkeAka.

Gustavo Morales
Baritone, busy recitalist and opera singer, has toured extensively in Latin America. His credits include appearances with the Staten Island Symphony, Central Florida Symphony, Treasure Coast Opera, Opera Northeast and the Riverside Opera. Gustavo has performed Sephardic ceremonies in Venezuela with Moises Sefarti. He recently sang in an Alta Classica concert at LaBelle Epoque. www.gamq.org sound clip

George Mgrdichian
Oudist has been acclaimed as “The world’s unquestioned master of the oud (Middle Eastern lute)!” by The New York Times. He has been featured on over a hundred Middle Eastern recordings. He performed with Rex Benincasa twice recently at the Hebrew Tabernacle with Alta Classica. www.gerardedery.com

Cristina Nassif
Soprano is originally from Andalucia, Spain, where she learned singing from her mother, Maria Nassif, mezzo-soprano. Currently an Artist in Residence at AVA, she recently performed as Elvira in Don Giovanni, Despina in Così fan tutte, Musetta in La bohéme, Mrs. Ford in Falstaff, Lisa in La sonnambula. She was chosen as a top performer in the Giagiari Competition. http://www.avaopera.com/html/25000.html

Nori NkeAka
Bass is a Cameroon born, Nigerian singer and performance artist. Nori began his Calaloo project while an undergraduate at Eastman. After receiving his doctorate in Vocal Performance, from Boston University, he began teaching Voice and Oral Literature at NYU. Since then he has performed at Dixon Place, Opera Ebony, NYU Tisch Center, with the Jupiter Symphony, at libraries, and at theaters in the NY area. www.performer-nori.com

Susan Young
Mezzo soprano and pianist, has been on faculty in Mexico in her own Opera Training Program and with Joan Dornemann. She has founded many workshops and has been a General Director in Puerto Rico. Ms. Young teaches voice and coaches privately in NYC and Philadelphia.

The Ivory Consort
specializes in Medieval Music using period instruments. They collaborated with Alta Classica and Nori NkeAka to create a program titled "Across the Pyrenees" which featured African, Judeo/Spanish and Arabic Medieval Music. Jay Elfenbein, Director, is a graduate of the Juilliard School of Music. He plays the violone, vielle, vihuela, and the rabab. He has appeared throughout the US and his commisioned works have been performed in the US, Europe and South America. Dennis Cinelli is a faculty member of Montclaire University. He has performed with the American Synmphony, the Aria Group, Artek, Ars Antigua, the Barrios Chamber Consort, and the New York Collegium. He plays early guitars, lute, and mandolin and researches and develops repertoire for early plucked instruments. www.cinellimusic.com. Margo Grib, singer, viellist and actress works with the Early Music Foundation, the Atlantic Theater Company, and was a soloist in the world tour of Einstein on the Beach. Todd Isler percussionist, has studied African, Indian and Braziliam music. He plays the Pakistani frame drum, Australian clave sticks, Tibetan cymbals and the Indian hagdini in addition to the standard set. www.gerardedery.com

Willy Mosquera
a native of Quito, Ecuador has worked on a myriad of projects in the music and entertainment industry. He is Associate Producer of Latino Programming and House Manager at Queens Theatre in the Park. A lead musician of ATTAKKU he has also performed with artists such as Jon Secada, Chayanne, Richard Montaner, and many more. He also has had parts in videos with artists such as Celia Cruz and Andy Andy. Willy is also Vice President of Sisa Pakare, an outreach organization that hosts an annual Sun Festival during the summer in Bryant Park.

Andrés Laprida
a native of Buenos Aires is not only a world-class guitarist, but he is also an exciting composer, arranger and producer. At a very early age he was introduced to the public by the great Brazilian music masters: Antonio Carlos Jobim, Vinicius de Moraes and Toquinho. In addition to his records "Latin Heart" and "Sortileggio", Andrés has participated in numerous recordings from internationally renowned artists. He has composed soundtracks for film as well as produced music for television and advertising. His score "Florinda" (premiered by organist Hervé Dersabre at La Madelaine Church, in Paris) was recently recorded and published by Editions Chant du Monde, France. Andrés and his music have travelled throughout many countries such as Argentina, Norway, Italy, Brazil, Canada, and the United States. A resident of New York City, he wrote the original score for the play "Geography of Desire",(written and directed by Academy Award winner Jaime Sanchez) which was performed at the Lee Strasberg Actors Studio. magico7@ix.netcom.com

Marco Antonio Ordoñez
a Singer/Guitarist originally from Cuenca, Ecuador, is the founder and member of many folkloric music groups. In Ambato, Ecuador he won national prizes while in the university for his Latinoamerican compositions. He is a member of TAF-NY Center of Cultural Development, an organization which promulgates the development of Ecuadorian and Lationamerican culture. mapachi1999@yahoo.com

The Oscar Perez Trio
Oscar Perez, Piano spends most of his time accompanying vocalist Cleve Douglass at many establishments such as the Metronome. He received his Master's at Queens College/New England Conservatory. Oscar has shared the stage with jazz legends George Russell, Curtis Fuller, George Garzone and has toured in the U.S and abroad with the Longineau Parsons Quartet, a United Nations sponsored tour of South America. Justin Varnes is currently the drummer of Phoebe Snow's ensemble and a member of the Doug Wamble Group. He received his Bachelor's from the New School of Social Research. He has played alongside such greats as Herbie Hancock, Reggie Workman, and Bunky Green. He has appeared in clubs such as Birdland, Small's and the Knitting Factory. He has taught at the University of North Florida Jazz Camp and at other Music Festivals along the east coast. Anthony Perez is currently matriculated at the New School's Jazz Program. He is a founding member of the Coby Brown Group, a singer that appears frequently in the Northeast venues such as the Bitter End and Arlene's. His work with that group as well as Jane Ira Bloom and Bobby Sanabria's Afro-Cuban Ensemble has proven his ability to take music to the highest level.oscarpereztrio@yahoo.com

Juan Valencia, Pianist
The exiting encounter between a brilliant concert pianist the Latin American continent and a concert grand piano. A native of Colombia, South America, Juan started his piano studies at the age of 5. At 15, he continued his musical training with the internationally known European concert artist Eva D’Hermann, a specialist in Latin American modern composers. He studied organ with the German organist Judy Krautzer for a period of 5 years. He also took lessons of orchestral conducting with the Italian conductor Piero Pezzutti and with the Brazilian conductor Joaquin Abreau. After high school Juan attended the “Jose Angel Lamas” conservatoire in Caracas, Venezuela. During his tenure there, he conducted instrumental and choral music from Latin America. He performed for television stations in Caracas and traveled with a chamber music ensemble throughout Latin America, the Caribbean Islands and Europe. He was the assistant organist at the Catholic Cathedral and the main organist at the Anglican Cathedral in Caracas, Venezuela for a period two years. Juan has 16 years of experience working in churches of various denominations as an organist and choir conductor, playing the organ (with pedals), accompanying soloists (vocal and instrumental) and ensembles.

Juan studied at the Ohio State University, School of Music with a full scholarship. While he was a student he received several awards and recognitions. In 1994 Juan took master classes with the Russian pianist Nikita Magaloff at the University of Chicago. Juan was invited to perform Latin America and Caribbean music at auditoriums, concert halls, museums, churches, high schools and different universities in the East-coast Mid-west area. He has performed in several cities; Chicago, Washington, Baltimore, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Toledo, Detroit, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Tallahassee, Orlando, Tampa, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami. Juan Valencia was part of the “Fee Support Artist Program” sponsored by the Ohio Arts Council during the 1994 season. He worked as a pianist and assistant conductor for the Latin American Symphony Orchestra in Miami Beach for the 1995-96 concert season. During the year 1997 and 1999, Mr. Valencia prepared two successful tours in the state of New Jersey, playing a total of 40 concerts. Two years ago, he was sponsored by the Staten Island Council on the Arts and Humanity to perform 10 concerts (Staten Island Tour). Juan is the artistic director and founder of "Niños Cantores Hispanos" in Queens, NY.