Opening Concert “Joyful sounds of South-America”


Tuesday 20 Aug 2024 – 19.30
Sandnes church

René Oréa (flute and song), Raúl Perez (guitar), Sonia Coppey (violin), Cecilia Rospigliosi (flute)

duration 1 hour

René Orea and Raúl Pérez come together to offer you a glimpse into the musical universe of South-America, and Venezuela in particular, their country of origin. This journey through time and space will immerse you in the elegance of the waltz, the humor and lyricism of Caracas merengue caraqueño, the virtuosity of joropo, and the energy of calypso and Zulian dance. You will hear musical pieces from folklore as well as compositions by iconic figures such as Simón Díaz, Henry Martínez, Luis Laguna, Aldemaro Romero, or Antonio Lauro. Some musical surprises from other regions of Latin America will also be part of the experience.

Sonia Coppey (violin) and Cecilia Rospigliosi (flute) also join Raúl and René to share some pieces from the repertoire.

Resulting from a long historical process of cultural blending, Venezuelan music, like that of the rest of Latin America and the Caribbean, is marked by pre-Columbian native cultures, a significant presence of West Africa, and a strong European heritage. Currently, Venezuelan music continues to be enriched by other influences such as jazz, pop, and especially other neighboring Latin American traditions.

The concert has received support from Sandnes Kommune.

Ticket

Flutist and composer, musician of great versatility, René Oréa has education in both Western classical music(formal studies) and Latin American popular music (by family and cultural heritage). He obtained his master’s degree in instrumental performance (under Lise Daoust) and a DESS (under Denis Bluteau) at the University of Montreal, after his education in the National System of Venezuelan Orchestras (“El Sistema”) and the University Institute of Musical Studies in Caracas.
René Oréa is also a ethnomusicologist, graduated from the University of Montreal in 2016. He has been a laureate of several competitions: soloist with the Symphony Orchestra of the University of Montreal (2001), Radio-Canada Debut Series (2001), “Alain-Marion” scholarship from the International Academy of Domaine Forget (Quebec, 2002), and honorable mention at the First Latin American Flute Meeting in Caracas (2000). His compositions have been heard in Canada, the United States, England, Germany, Switzerland, France, Peru, and Venezuela. He has also arranged for various ensembles, including the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, and the National Symphony Orchestra of Lima (Peru).
René Oréa is passionate about pedagogy and transmission. He taught in “La Musique aux enfants” program, a pilot project of Maestro Kent Nagano and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. Alongside his wife, violinist Sonia Coppey, he also shares his passion and knowledge in their own teaching space, Oréa Musique (founded in Norway in 2013 and now established in Coublevie, France).

Raúl Pérez was born in Barquisimeto, Venezuela, in 1963. His interest in music began at an early age. Brothers José and Víctor Manuel introduced him to the bass guitar, guitar, and the traditional Venezuelan 4-string instrument “cuatro,” as well as musical genres including joropo, waltz, and merengue. Between 1980-1987, Raúl studied music and classical guitar at Lisandro Alvarado University in Barquisimeto, under the guidance of the renowned guitarist Rodrigo Riera. In 2007, he moved to Stavanger, Norway, where he founded the musical group Noruegaitas, which has become an important representation of Venezuelan culture in our Nordic country. Raúl has also performed with flutist and composer René Orea on several occasions.
Today, Raúl remains highly active in the musical community in Stavanger. He participates in his local church choir and provides private lessons as a guitar teacher. Last but not least, he serves as musical director, guitarist, and composer in Noruegaitas.

Sonia Coppey was a member of the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra in Norway from 2012 to 2016.  She has performed internationally in more than thirty countries, in venues such as the BBC Proms in London, the Sydney Opera House, Carnegie Hall in New York, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Musikverein in Vienna, and the Fenice in Venice. She has appeared on several television and radio programs, and as a member of the Verbier Chamber Orchestra (Switzerland) and has participated in numerous tours and recordings alongside, among others, Maxim Vengerov, Joshua Bell, and Martha Argerich. After receiving the highest distinctions from the National Conservatory of Grenoble (France), Sonia Coppey continued her studies at the Conservatoire de Musique de Montréal in Canada with Professor Anne Robert and unanimously obtained the First Prize in Violin. She also holds an Artist Diploma from McGill University (with mention “exceptional success”) as a student of Jonathan Crow. She then honed her skills with Vladimir Landsman, holder of the great Russian tradition.

Beyond her passion for music and pedagogy, Sonia is also interested in the mental preparation of musicians and is a professional and experienced coach.

Cecilia Rospigliosi is a Bolivian flutist based in Stavanger, Norway, who holds a masters degree in flute performance from UiS, and has played in several diverse orchestras/ensembles in Bolivia and Norway. Her passion is researching the music written by Latin American composers and based in Latino cultural heritage. She is a teacher, freelancer and plays at Sandnes Symphony Orchestra, besides her full-time job as a music librarian.
On the side she supports a social project that brings access to music lessons and instruments to children and youth in her home country through the collection of donations, and arranging free flute seminars during her visits to Bolivia.