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jingram@aspentimes.com
Embrace the diverse cultures in our community with a “A Venezuelan Celebration!”
The concerts are set for two evenings at the enchanting Old Thompson Barn at River Valley Ranch in Carbondale at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 29, and at 7 p.m. Friday, May 30.
The concert will be an “immersive exploration into the heart and soul of Venezuelan music,” according to a BenFeng Music Production press release. There will be Venezuelan merengue, which is distinct from others, playing at ⅝ beats.
“Venezuelan music is very unique in terms of rhythm and styles,” said performer Gonzalo Teppa. “We have so many different musical styles. I would say, be ready to dance. It’s very happy music.”
This will be the final program in the groundbreaking inaugural season of the Barn Music Series, presented in partnership with Carbondale Arts and Aspen Snowmass Sotheby’s International Realty. Every show so far during the series has sold out.
“I think this might be the first Venezuelan concert in the Valley, and I think people will want to come and celebrate that,” famed violinist MinTze Wu said.
This series is a continuation of the Garden Barn Series that ran in 2021, thanks to the ingenuity of the former Carbondale Arts Director Amy Kimberly. Kimberly brought in Artistic Director Wu to join forces to design a program bringing diverse, dynamic, and world-class music to the community following COVID-19.
“The inspiration for this show came from when a group of 60 to 100 Venezuelan newcomers came to Carbondale and took shelter at the Third Street Center,” Wu said. Since Wu has an office located there, she felt like they cohabitated for months.
“It brought to my attention these are the people that are just like us — engineers, teachers, moms and dads and uncles who are seeking a better life,” Wu said. “I want to have a place where we can peek into their heritage and celebrate their music.”
At the time of the concert’s creation, Wu emphasized how different the social and political climate were.
“With the current climate, it’s even more important to celebrate and learn about who they are through their music, songs, and dance,” she said.
Wu shared that it feels more compelling than ever to have these four virtuoso musicians — Teppa, Victor Mestas, Manuel Rojas, and Héctor Molina — who came to the states after touring with the best musicians in the world and chose to make their home here.
“They are coming to Carbondale to bring us the most authentic Venezuelan music,” Wu said.
These musicians are not strangers to each other. Bassist Teppa, who has been living in and around Colorado for the past 15 years, has performed with pianist Victor Mestas before.
“He is a wonderful piano player,” Teppa said. “Mestas even played the piano for my bands back in Venezuela.”
Mestas, who leads the Thompson Latin Jazz Ensemble at CU Boulder, has the talent level of piano legend Oscar Peterson, according to Wu.
Teppa also praised flutist Rojas, who resides in Houston where he plays with the Houston Latin American Philharmonic.
“Rojas is amazing,” Teppa said, before giving the same accolades to Molina.
Molina founded the two-time Latin Grammy-winning band C4 Trio, out of Miami. Molina was brought in because he plays the guitar and the cuatro — a stringed instrument similar to a small guitar, particularly associated with Venezuelan music.
“Cuatro is the most traditional instrument we have in Venezuela,” Teppa said. “We say that every house in Venezuela has a cuatro available for when we need to sing ‘Happy Birthday.’”
The next season of the Barn Music Series will begin in September. The upcoming list of events will be announced at this finale concert. The series runs until June, with three or four programs during the season.
These tickets are likely to sell out! Tickets are $40 seated and $30 for those who want to stand/dance. The production is free for youth aged 17 and under. For tickets, go to benfeng music productions.org.
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