Pacho Flores and Elena Abend

The Music Institute of Chicago's Celebración de la Música Latinoamericana series concludes with the trumpeter Pacho Flores and pianist Elena Abend performing works by Pablo Sarasate, Astor Piazzolla, Antonio Sánchez Pedro, Pacho Flores, Santiago Báez Cervantes, Paquito D'Rivera, and Enrique Crespo.

Trained in the marvelous Orchestra System for Youth and Children in Venezuela, trumpeter Pacho Flores has received worldwide recognition for his performances, recitals, and recordings as a soloist. In addition to winning First Prize in the prestigious “Maurice André” International Contest, Flores is the First Prize recipient in the “Philip Jones” International Contest and “Cittá di Porcia” International contest. Capable of managing classical or popular styles, Flores adds to his captivating interpretations a great deal of energy tinged with the most beautiful instrumental colors. “Music is music,” Flores has said, “whether it comes from South America or Europe. In my view, Venezuelan popular music is no less serious than classical music.”

More about Pacho Flores

As a soloist Flores has performed with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Kiev, Camerata from St. Petesbourg, Orchestral Ensemble from Paris, Orchestre de la Garde Républicaine, NHK Orchestra from Japan, Symphony Orchestra of Tokio, Philharmonic Orchestra of Osaka, Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra from Venezuela, Symphony Orchestra of Dusseldorf, and the Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra among many others. He has also given recitals in concert halls including Carnegie Hall in New York, Pleyel Hall in Paris, and the Opera City in Tokyo. Serving as one of the founding members of the Simón Bolívar Brass Quintet, he has taken part in numerous tours around Europe, South America, United States, and Japan. An experienced orchestral musician, Flores has held the principle trumpet in the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, Saito Kinen Orchestra from Japan, and the Symphony Orchestra of Miami, under the musical direction of Claudio Abbado, Sir Simon Rattle, Seiji Ozawa, Giuseppe Sinopoli, Rafael Frübeck of Burgos, Eduardo Marturet, and Gustavo Dudamel among others.

Founding Director of the Latin-American Trumpet Academy in Venezuela, he fosters a promising generation of young talents. Flores is extremely keen on promoting Contemporary Music. His repertoire includes commissions and premieres of works by composers such as Roger Boutry, Efraín Oscher, Giancarlo Castro, Santiago Báez, Juan Carlos Nuñez, and Sergio Bernal. Recently he has carried out an important concert tour across Norway and Austria with the Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Maestro and Composer Christian Lindberg, interpreting his concert “Akbank Bunka,” a piece for trumpet and orchestra, making his debut at the Fiestpielhaus of Salzburg, and at the Musikverein of Viena. His first album “La Trompeta venezolana” was released by the record label Guataca Producciones.

Artist from the Stomvi family, he plays instruments that have been exclusively manufactured for him by this renowned firm, and is actively involved in the developments and innovations of his instrument. Pacho Flores is a Deutsche Grammophon exclusive artist with three recordings to date: Cantar with Konzerthaus Orchester Berlin and Christian Vásquez; Entropía, Gold Medal of the Global Music Awards; Fractales with Arctic Philharmonic and Christian Lindberg; and the double CD-DVD Cantos y Revueltas with Real Filharmonía de Galicia and Manuel Hernández-Silva.

About Elena Abend

Venezuelan born pianist Elena Abend, has performed recitals and chamber concerts as well as toured and recorded with major orchestras of her country. As a recipient of the William Schuman Prize for outstanding achievement and leadership in music, Abend received her Bachelor and Master degrees from the Juilliard School.

Performances have taken her to venues such as London’s Wigmore Hall, Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Toulouse Conservatoire, Theatre Luxembourg, the Corcoran Gallery in Washington D.C., and Teatro Municipal.

Abend is an avid chamber music collaborator and performs on chamber music series and festival across the country. She has recorded for Albany Records and Avie label, as well as recording and editing projects for Hal Leonard’s G. Schirmer Instrumental Library and Schirmer Performance Piano Editions. Abend is Chair of Piano at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee where she teaches piano and chamber music. Abend is also faculty at Lakeside Chamber Music Workshop and the Collaborative Piano Institute held at Louisiana State University.