OPUS 2

Opus TWO

“an outstanding pianist who will be well worth following”

Rorianne Schrade for New York Concert Review; New York, NY

José Navarro-Silberstein
February 28, 2025
Merkin Hall at Kaufman Music Center, NYC

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Sergio Escalera Soria, piano
"
Kantuta Concerts Op. 1 was a terrific experience. Very seldom do I have the opportunity to curate and perform a program in front of an audience that has so much to do with my Bolivian background and personal life story. Doing so at such a wonderful venue, surrounded and supported by top-notch music colleagues was definitely a highlight in my musician life."
Sergio Escalera Soria, piano

Opus TWO

February 28, 2025 | 7:30pm
Merkin Hall at Kaufman Music Center
129 West 67th Street, New York, NY 10023

Accent heading

Sergio Escalera Soria, piano
"
Kantuta Concerts Op. 1 was a terrific experience. Very seldom do I have the opportunity to curate and perform a program in front of an audience that has so much to do with my Bolivian background and personal life story. Doing so at such a wonderful venue, surrounded and supported by top-notch music colleagues was definitely a highlight in my musician life."
Sergio Escalera Soria, pianoSynergy, Property Management

Foundation for Bolivian Artists proudly presents Kantuta Concerts, Opus 2 with José Navarro-Silberstein in his New York recital debut. Foundation for Bolivian Artists supports classical musicians of Bolivian background by providing performance opportunities on the world's most prestigious stages. Through its programming, they showcase the often-overlooked works of Bolivian composers.

This program celebrates the artistic dialogue between Latin American and European composers, exploring how they have influenced and inspired each other over time. By highlighting these connections, the concert underscores the cultural and humanitarian richness embodied in each work.

José Navarro-Silberstein, piano

EDUARDO CABA – Selección de Aires Indios (1937)
FERRUCCIO BUSONI – Indian Diary BV. 267, Book I (1912)
HEITOR VILLA-LOBOS – Ciclo Brasileiro, W. 374 (1936-1937)
MARVIN SANDI – In Memoriam “En memoria a Caba," Op. 1b (1958)
ALBERTO GINASTERA – Suite de Danzas Criollas, Op. 15 (1957)
DARIUS MILHAUD – Saudades do Brasil, Op. 67 (1920)
MARVIN SANDI – Ritmos Panteísticos, Op. 1a (1957)

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$25 student tickets are available. Call the box office at 212 501 3330.

The young Bolivian pianist has performed in different countries in venues and festivals in Europe, Asia, and North and South America. Venues include the Teatro Municipal “Alberto Saavedra Pérez” in his hometown La Paz and the Musikverein in Vienna. He is supported by Talent Unlimited in London. He was one of the last pupils of Paul Badura-Skoda, from whom he gained a particular interest in period instruments.

As a soloist, he has performed with the Jena Philharmonic Orchestra, Norddeutsche Philharmonie Rostock, Georgian Philarmonic Orchestra, La Paz Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta de Jóvenes Musicos Bolivianos and Orquesta Sinfónica Juvenil de Santa Cruz de la Sierra under the baton of Timothy Redmond, Markus L. Frank, Wojciech Rajski, Andreas Penninger, Weimar Arancibia and Boris Vásquez.

His debut CD “Vibrant Rhythms” recently released by GENUIN Classics garnered international acclaim from important musical publications such as the BBC Music Magazine, Pizzicato, PianoNews and Interlude among many others. He has been awarded the Supersonic Award by Pizzicato and was nominated for the ICMA 2024.

Jose is a prize winner at the Anton Rubinstein Piano Competition in Düsseldorf, Tbilisi International Piano Competition in Georgia, International Competition Young Academy Award in Rome, Claudio Arrau International Piano Competition in Chile among many others. He was a finalist at the Eppan Piano Academy and at the 63rd Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition.

He is a co-founder and the Artistic Director of Masurka Concerts, a new concert platform in Cologne, Germany. The platform aims to connect young performers with a younger audience through a unique concert experience.

As a pedagogue he has given masterclasses in La Paz Conservatory, Sucre Conservatory Santa Cruz Fine Arts College and Laredo School in Cochabamba and in the framework of the Eppan Piano Academy 2021. He served as a jury member at national music competitions.

He studied with Balasz Szokolay at the Franz Liszt University in Weimar and with Claudio Martínez Mehner at the University of Music and Dance in Cologne. In 2017-18 he had an Erasmus Year at the University of Arts in Graz and the Music Academy in Zagreb with Milana Chernyavska and Ruben Dalibaltayan. He just concluded his Artist Diploma programme at the Royal College of Music in London under the guidance of Norma Fisher and Ian Jones. Since September 2023 he is an Artist in Residence at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel under the guidance of Frank Braley and Avo Kouyoumdjian.

He has scholarships from The Robert Turnbull Piano Foundation, Herrmann Foundaiton Liechtenstein- Bolivia, Theo and Petra Lieven Foundation of Hamburg, Clavarte Foundation in Bern and Elfrun Gabriel Foundation for Young Pianists.

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITES

Lecture / performance at Manhattan School of Music, Precollege
Lecture / performance at Rutgers University, Mason Gross School of the Arts
Masterclass at Third Street Music School Settlement

PRESS

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Grammy winner pianist, Kristhyan Benitez, has appeared at some of the world’s most prestigious stages such as Philarmonie Hall (Berlin), Davies Symphony Hall (San Francisco), Lincoln Center (New York), Walt Disney Concert Hall (Los Angeles), Ehrbar Saal (Vienna), Salle Cortot (Paris), National Center for the Performing Arts (Beijing), Palacio de Bellas Artes (Mexico City), Amadeo Roldan Theater (Havana), Teresa Carreño Cultural Complex and Simon Bolivar Hall (Caracas), with performances throughout Asia, Europe, South America and the United States.  

Benitez has performed under the baton of Claudio Abbado, Gustavo Dudamel, Alondra de la Parra, Carlos Riazuelo, Felipe Izcaray, Christian Vasquez, Lina Gonzalez-Granados, Giancarlo Guerrero, Piero Gamba, Patrick Lange, James Orent, Benjamin Zander, Eduardo Marturet among others.

Kristhyan is an exclusive Steinway & Sons Artist.

Website: https://www.kbenitez.com/

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Spain
Costa Rica

Dr. Gabriela Calderón Cornejo
Pianist
Costa Rican pianist Dr. Gabriela Calderón Cornejo is a multifaceted musician with a unique voice full of creative approaches. Gabriela has acquired wide-ranging experience as a solo performer, chamber musician, collaborative pianist,, adjudicator, and teacher through her involvement in numerous projects and organizations in Costa Rica, the United States, and Europe. Her experiences also include involvement in a variety of wind ensembles, choirs, and orchestras, world premiere of compositions, recording collaborations, and interdisciplinary activities with theater, visual arts, and dance.

Her work in rediscovering, adapting and promoting previously undigitized works by Latin American female composers has been featured at international conferences and concert series, as well as radio, podcast, and magazine interviews, culminating in the release of her first studio album and digital anthology Musas. Recently, Gabriela has joined forces with her friend and colleague, Astrid Morales Torres, to also promote piano works for piano 4-hand by women composers from around the globe with their program: Celebrating Women in Music: Exploring Works for Piano Duet.

Gabriela is an active member of the U.S. most prominent music organizations and contributes to the profession by teaching, performing, participating in conferences, and serving as a board member for the Cayambis Institute for Latin American Studies in Music (CILASiM), the Branch Recital Director for the Music Teachers’ Association of California (MTAC) – San Mateo County, and an active adjudicator for the California Certificate of Merit (CM) and the United States Open Music Competition (USOMC). Gabriela is a faculty member at the Community School for Music and Arts (CSMA) and Cañada College.

On the undergraduate level, Gabriela completed a Bachelor of Music and Licentiate of Music Degrees in Piano Performance at the University of Costa Rica. She then completed a Master’s of Music Degree in Piano Performance at Ithaca College and earned her Doctor of Arts degree in Piano Performance at Ball State University, with a Certificate in Entrepreneurial Music. Currently, it is her ambition to continue a well rounded performing and teaching career accentuated by her minor as an entrepreneur.

Website: https://www.gabrielacalderonc.com/

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New York

Mariel Mayz
Pianist
New York native Mariel Mayz is a sought-after composer, pianist, educator, and administrator. Mariel’s original works have been described as inventive, colorful, compelling, and well-crafted. As a composer, her first large-scale work for the stage—a one-act, chamber opera— was commissioned by American Opera Projects and the Hunter Opera Theater. The work was premiered by the Hunter Opera Theater and Talea Ensemble during the 2018 New York Opera Fest.

In September 2022, Mariel’s debut album Leo Brouwer: Cuban Sketches for Piano was be released by the ZOHO music label, featuring premiere recordings of piano works by Leo Brouwer as well as original compositions and arrangements.

Mariel’s most recent works include commissions by the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center (Los Angeles, CA); Sarasa Ensemble (Cambridge, MA); two commissioned works for “The Illustrated Pianist,” celebrating the centennial of American author Ray Bradbury; the Higher Ground Festival (NYC), guitarist Nora Spielman, violist Elise Frawley, the Bloomingdale School of Music; Nyack College; and two-time Latin Grammy nominee João Luiz— whose piece Stifled was a finalist in the Portugal International Guitar Composition Competition.

Mariel’s arrangements have also been performed by renowned artists such as Atlantic Collective, Anthony Roth Costanzo, and Lara Downes— who just recorded Mariel’s arrangement of I’ll Be Seeing You on her latest album release by Pentatone. Mariel is currently working on the publishing and recording of her solo piano compositions, as well as preparing additional recitals in Europe, New York City and Boston.

Mariel Mayz made her debut as a pianist with the Rockland Symphony Orchestra at the age of sixteen, and thereafter continued to perform in places such as Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, the Chamber Society at Lincoln Center, Steinway Hall, the French Embassy in New York, Tenri Cultural Institute, Roulette, and many other venues. In 2022, Mariel made her debut with the Greenwich Choral Society and Orchestra as the piano soloist for the Beethoven Choral Fantasy, Op.81. Mariel is an avid performer of contemporary music and frequently premieres new musical works in concert alongside standard repertoire.

Mariel Mayz has been invited to a number of summer festivals, including Pianofest in the Hamptons, the Boston University Tanglewood Institute, and the Gijon International Piano Festival (Spain) where she has worked closely with Logan Skelton, Jean Saulnier, Dominique Weber, James Giles, Marc Durand, Julian Martin, Robert MacDonald and Miyoko Lotto.

Mariel has studied a variety of musical genres, such as jazz, gospel and improvisation with musicians such as Jean-Michel Pilc and Mac Brandon. Additionally, her experience with musical theater has been developed throughout work with Broadway vocalists and choreographers, as well as her musical direction of productions at New York University.

Mariel received her Bachelor’s degree from New York University with a BM in Piano Performance from the Steinhardt School, and a minor in Social Entrepreneurship from the Stern School of Business and Wagner School of Public Service. She later completed a dual Master’s degree in piano performance and composition at CUNY Hunter College, and is currently a PhD Candidate at Brandeis University.

Mariel’s major teachers include José Ramón Mendez, Seymour Bernstein, Geoffrey Burleson, Suzanne Farrin, Justin Dello Joio, Erin Gee, and David Rakowski.

Mariel taught as an Adjunct Professor of Music Theory and lecturer for the Arts Management & Leadership Certificate at CUNY Hunter College. She additionally worked as the Program Coordinator of the Hunter Mellon Arts Fellowship— a pivotal program for diversity and inclusion within the field of arts management and leadership— from 2019 through 2021.
Mariel is currently a Teaching Fellow in the music department of Harvard University.

Mariel is the Co-Founder and Associate Director of Porto Pianofest— an international piano festival occurring annually in Porto, Portugal.

Website: https://www.marielmayz.com

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