Ana-Maria Vera
American pianist
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ana-Maria Vera (born 15 April 1965[4] in Washington, D.C.[5]) is an American pianist[9] of Dutch and Bolivian origin. Her father (Mario Vera) was born in La Paz, Bolivia of mixed Spanish and Aymara heritage; her mother (Marianna Woudstra) was born in the Netherlands.[13]
Ana-Maria Vera | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 15, 1965 Washington, D.C., United States |
| Occupation | pianist |
| Years active | 1973–present |
She studied under Leon Fleisher[6] in Baltimore, Maryland.[14] At the age of 8, in 1973, she debuted as a soloist with the U.S. Air Force Symphony Orchestra.[14] At age nine, she performed at the Teatro Municipal in La Paz, Bolivia. At age eleven, she performed at the White House for President Jimmy Carter.[15]
As a recording artist for Philips,[6] she was awarded a Gold Record by the Philips' Dutch subsidiary label Phonogram B.V. for her 1976 LP of the Haydn D Major and Mozart K. 246 concerts performed with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra.[16][1][17]
In 1982, the Bolivian postal service issued a stamp in honor of Bolivian youth featuring Ana-Maria Vera.[18]
Together with her brother Armando Vera (a violinist), she is the founder and promoter of Bolivia Clasica, a not-for-profit organization that develops classical musicians in Bolivia.[19] In 2014, Bolivia Clasica sponsored a visit to Bolivia by violin virtuoso and acclaimed conductor Jaime Laredo.[20] Laredo also assisted in conducting orchestral arrangements of pieces by Bolivian composers ("Collita" and "Viva mi patria Bolivia").[21] In addition, Laredo gave master classes to young Bolivian musicians.[22]
Ana-Maria Vera lives in London with her husband and daughter. She is also a seasonal resident of La Paz.
Discography
Solo recordings
- Mozart & Haydn: Piano Concertos (Philips, c. 1976)
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Piano Concerto No. 11 in F major, K. 246
- Joseph Haydn – Piano Concerto in D major
- Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Edo de Waart
- Recorded when Vera was 11 years old.
- Piano Recital (Philips, 1982)
- Works by Frédéric Chopin, Felix Mendelssohn, and Claude Debussy
- Solo piano recital (LP release)
- Goyescas – Enrique Granados (Signum Classics, 2009)
- Granados – Goyescas
- Solo piano
Chamber music
- Spanish Landscapes (Universal Music Spain, 2013)
- With violinist Leticia Moreno
- Joaquín Turina – Poema de una sanluqueña
- Manuel de Falla – Siete canciones populares españolas
- Enrique Granados – Violin Sonata
- Works by Isaac Albéniz, Pablo de Sarasate, Ernesto Halffter, and Eduard Toldrà
Compilation appearances
- Vera's recordings have appeared on various classical compilation albums, including collections such as 100 Calm Classical Masterpieces.
Notes
- Vera's early recordings for Philips were made during her career as a child prodigy and received international recognition.
- Her later discography emphasizes Spanish repertoire and chamber music collaborations.