Binational Guitar Recital in the CAF auditorium

(Caracas, August 22, 2007). The Andean Development Corporation invites the public to the Guitar Recital, Binational Encounter given by the musicians Gentil Montaña and Luis Quintero, as part of the activities organized by the Corporation in favor of the human development agenda based on valorization of culture. The event will be held this Thursday August 23 at 7 pm in the Antonio José de Sucre Auditorium in Torre CAF, Avenida Luis Roche de Altamira. The program to be performed by Montaña will include three of his Suites, his piece entitled Hilma, su Vals número 1, and an arrangement for guitar based on the Venezuelan piece Alma Llanera. Quintero will will perform works by Agustín Barrios Mangoré, Astor Piazzolla, Rubén Darío Salcedo, Ernesto Lecuona, Indio Figueredo, Antonio Lauro and Gentil Montaña himself, ending with an adaptation and arrangement of the piece Pajarillo. Gentil Montaña, born in Ibagué, Colombia, in 1952, began his violin studies in the conservatory of that city at the age of seven. Six years later he took up the guitar with teachers of the stature of Domingo González, Daniel Baquero and Juan Carruba. At age 19 he made his debut as a concert guitarist in Medellin; since then he has been a recognized pioneer of the classical guitar in his native country. He studied contemporary music in Europe with Kakleén Keinell, specializing in instrumentation. He later participated in the Alirio Díaz World Guitar Competition in 1975 where he won third prize. He has been soloist with various Colombian philharmonic and symphony orchestras and has given successful concerts in some 20 American and European countries. He has also taught in prestigious academies and acted as judge for important international competitions. His record production includes recordings for Discos Zeida and Discos/Bambuco, especially six discs as soloist with the Bogota Philharmonic Orchestra in honor of the Kings of Spain. As well as a performer, Gentil Montaña is a recognized composer. Luis Quintero was a Venezuelan child prodigy at age 11 when he took part in a festival in Martinique. He made his debut at age 14 in Carnegie Hall, New York, with the group Solistas de Venezuela. Quintero is the only Latin American with postgraduate studies in guitar from The Juilliard School of Music, honored with a scholarship for Excellence in the Arts granted by that institution. He concluded his studies under the direction of Sharon Isbin in 1993. He won the Antonio Lauro Biennial Prize for Professional Performers awarded by CONAC and the Rodrigo Riera Competition. He has recorded five CDs and recently returned from a triumphal concert tour of Russia and Italy with the Venezuelan Symphony Orchestra. This concert is part of the cultural activities promoted by CAF under the Social Responsibility Program of the External Relations Office. The event promotes and disseminates new works by composers from the region and strengthens the cultural presence of Colombia and Venezuela as factor of friendship, cooperation, exchange and understanding.