We the People, immigrant stories, part 5
~ Seaverns Room, Bushnell, Hartford, May 28, 2023, 3 pm
~ New Britain Museum of American Arts: June 11, 2023, 3 pm
Haydn: Symphony No. 49 (‘La Passione’),
Javier Farias: El Vuelo de tu Alma,
Ernesto Ferreri: Verlangen, Op.28 (world premiere)
Scott Hill, guitar and Carlos Boltes, viola & charango
Sending rhythmic vibrations straight to the heart of audience members with their groundbreaking performances, Alturas Duo—the only group of its kind—has been recognized as one of the most entertaining and engaging ensembles performing in the chamber music world today. With its unusual combination of viola, charango, and guitar; Alturas Duo creates spirited and passionate programs that move with ease between the Baroque of Bach, South American melodies and rhythms learned through the oral tradition and newly commissioned repertoire. Their performances oscillate from beautiful and serene to strong and pulsating, taking audiences on a journey to new musical heights and earning Alturas Duo numerous awards from First Prize at the New England International Chamber Music Competition, a CMA/ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming, and the 2020 World Folk Vision popular vote award and jury selection for best Latin Music Band.
Carlos Boltes was born in Santiago, Chile, where he began his musical studies by learning the charango from his brother Giovanni Vaccani, later mastering that instrument while touring extensively throughout South America as a member of the Chilean group Barrocco Andino. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the Universidad Catolica de Chile and a master’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University, both in viola performance. His main teachers have been: Enrique López, Atar Arad, and Larry Dutton. Mr. Boltes has served as Principal Violist of the Orquesta de Cámara del Teatro Municipal de Santiago and Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra. He has recorded for Naxos, Brioso, and CBS Records. Mr. Boltes has been a recipient of the Boston Fund Individual Artist Fellowship and an Andes Foundation Performance Grant. In 2010, he received the Connecticut 2010 “Latino de Oro” award. In addition to his work with the Alturas Duo, Elqui and ADAA trios, Mr. Boltes teaches privately and is on the faculty of the Mancera Festival in Valdivia, Chile.
Scott Hill, a native of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, has performed with orchestras, choirs, instrumentalists, and vocalists throughout Canada, United States, Europe, and South America as a soloist and chamber musician. Most recently, he gave the Canadian premiere of Richard Harvey’s Concerto Antico for Guitar and Small Orchestra” with the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra. Hill has also premiered music for solo guitar by Javier Farías and Masatora Goya as well as works for guitar and voice by Thomas Schuttenhelm and Maxim Vladimiroff and music for guitar and flute by Arthur Hernandez. He has performed in master classes for some of today’s finest musicians including Oscar Ghiglia, John Williams, and the Miami String Quartet. He is a Canada Council for the Arts grant recipient. In addition to his work with the Alturas Duo, Elqui and ADAA trios, he is a Play USA Carnegie Hall Teaching Artist through his work with the INTAKE organization, and maintains a private teaching studio in Avon, CT. Mr. Hill earned an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in music from Lakehead University and a Master’s Degree in Guitar Performance and a Graduate Professional Diploma in chamber performance from the Hartt School of Music.