From Cuba and Spain -Art Song and Zarzuela

The Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona was the George Gershwin of the Latin-American world, a prolific creator of lush, swelling songs and scores for stage and film that helped elevate his homeland's popular music to an art form. His work, along with other masters in the classical theatrical vocal tradition known as zarzuela, gets its due on this Miami Chamber Players' concert at Steinway Piano Gallery. Sung by soprano Raquel Rubi, and pianist Oleksii Ivachenko present a wonderful program 'From Cuba and Spain: Art Song and Zarzuela'. This showcase of hauntingly beautiful pieces also includes works by such seminal composers as Gonzalo Roig, Manuel de Falla and others.

A native of Havana, Cuba, Raquel Rubi completed studies of piano and composition with the prestigious composer Harold Gramatges, and started vocal studies with the soprano Maria Eugenia Barrios at the Instituto Superior de Arte in Havana. Ms. Rubi was dedicated to the interpretation of Early Music for several years with the Early Music Ensemble "Ars Longa," and as a director of the Early Music Ensemble "El Gremio," where combined early music, acting and dance in their performances in the ancient juglares’ companies style. 

Ms. Rubi is currently working on the last year of the DMA program at University of Miami. Ms. Rubi has performed opera with Frost Opera Theatre and Miami Lyric Opera, operetta and zarzuela with the company Pro-Arte Grateli. With this company, she will performing the Spanish production of The Count of Luxembourg, by Franz Lehar, on March 28th and 29th at the Miami Dade County Auditorium.

Ukrainian pianist Mr. Oleksii Ivanchenko has won prizes in numerous international competitions: in France, the Pierre Lantier International Piano Competition (grand prize), 2003; in Italy, the Agropoli International Piano Competition (first prize), 1997; in Poland, the Glubczyce International Piano Competition (first prize), 1997; in Ukraine, Kiev, the International Piano Competition in Memory of Vladimir Horowitz (fourth prize) 1999; in Ettlingen, Germany, the International Piano Competition (encouragement award), 1998; in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States, the MTNA Steinway Competition (second prize), 2009.

Mr. Ivanchenko has performed as a soloist and with several international orchestras, including those in Russia, Poland, Switzerland, South Korea, the United States, and Finland. His broad repertoire includes some of the most demanding works in the piano canon. He is also an experienced accompanist and chamber music musician, participating in concerts and festivals with singers and instrumentalists.