Alondra de la Parra

Alondra de la Parra (born October 31, 1980) is the founder and artistic director of the New York-based Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas, an orchestra that promotes young soloists and composers from the Americas.

Early life and history

Raised in Mexico City, Alondra began her piano studies at age 7 and the cello at age 13. During adolescence she discovered her passion for conducting and at the age of 16 moved to London to study music at the St. Leonard’s Mayfield School. Alondra was awarded the Presser Scholarship at Manhattan School of Music and in the year 2000 at age 19, moved to New York City to study Piano and conducting, obtaining a BM in Piano Performance under the direction of Jeffrey Cohen. It was during her undergraduate studies at Manhattan School of Music that Alondra created what would be the start of the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas. In 2004 the Mexican Consulate asked Alondra to produce a concert featuring Mexican music for the Mexico Now Festival. A 65-piece orchestra concert was produced to critical acclaim from major publications. [cite web
author = ALEXIS SWERDLOFF
title = Her Gestures Speak Louder Than Words
publisher = New York Sun
url = http://www.nysun.com/article/6393
date = 2004-12-16
accessdate = 2008-01-25 ] [cite web
author = Barrymore Laurence Scherer
title = YOUNG CONDUCTORS LEARN FROM MASUR
publisher = THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
url = http://www.kurtmasur.com/edu_01_04_04.html
date = 2004-04-01
accessdate = 2008-01-25 ] It was at this event that Alondra became the first Mexican woman to ever conduct a concert in New York City. [cite web
author =
title = 26-Year-Old Woman Leads Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas
publisher = TimesSquare.com
url = http://timessquare.com/music/music-interviews/26%11year%11old-woman-leads-philharmonic-orchestra-of-the-americas/
date = 2007-06-05
accessdate = 2008-01-29 ]

In 2007, the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas completed its first International Tour to Mexico City, Dallas and Washington, D.C. [cite web
author = POA Staff
title = POA's No-Borders Concert Tour
publisher = POA Blog
url = http://www.poatour.blogspot.com/
date = 2007-12-10
accessdate = 2008-01-25 ] [cite web
author = Marisa Treviño
title = Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas performing in Dallas
publisher = Pegasus News
url = http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2007/nov/19/philharmonic-orchestra-americas-performing-dallas//
date = 2007-11-19
accessdate = 2008-01-25 ]

Career

Alondra has appeared as guest conductor with the Houston Symphony, Westchester Philharmonic, Buenos Aires Philharmonic, Orquesta Filarmónica de Jalisco, Orquesta Sinfónica Juvenil de Veracruz, the Orquesta Sinfónica de Aguascalientes, Uruguay’s Montevideo Philharmonic and Mexico’s National Symphony Orchestra, among others. She recently made her Carnegie Hall debut as guest conductor of the New York Pops Orchestra. She has also conducted the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra in Venezuela where she was awarded the highest honor given to a musician. Alondra studied with Kenneth Kiesler and has participated in workshops with Kurt Masur, Marin Alsop and Sir Simon Rattle. [cite web
author = Andrew Calow
title = Gustav Mahler Conducting Competition
publisher = Calow Classics
url = http://www.calowclassics.net/bamberg.html
accessdate = 2008-01-25 ]

Awards

*New York Women’s Agenda – Rising Star of 2007 [cite web
author = New York Women's Agenda
title = Bringing individuals and organizations together to affect public policy issues in New York City
publisher = New York Women's Agenda
url = http://www.nywa.org/
accessdate = 2008-01-25 ]
*1010 Wins “Newsmakers of Tomorrow” Award – winner in the Arts and Entertainment category [cite web
author = 1010 WINS Blog
title = Tomorrow's Newsmakers Awards
publisher = 1010 WINS
date = 2007-09-23
url = http://1010winstomorrow.blogspot.com
accessdate = 2008-01-25 ]
*“Banda de Honor”, highest honor given to conductors by the Venezuelan System of Orchestras (FESNOJIV)
*Gabe Wiener Merit Scholarship for an Outstanding Student
*Manhattan School of Music Taki Concordia Fellowship for Conductors Honorable Mention Award
*“El Micrófono de Oro” Award, (Highest price given yearly from the Mexican Broadcasting Association) [cite web
author = National Arts Centre
title = The NAC Orchestra presents a free concert on June 29...
publisher = National Arts Centre
url = http://nac.ca/en/nacnews/viewnews.cfm?ID=1205&cat=catNACO
date = 2006-06-22
accessdate = 2008-01-25 ]
*Presser Merit Scholarship Award, Manhattan School of Music
*Amigos de la Música Music Award, Cuernavaca, Morelos

References

External links

* [http://www.poamericas.org Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas official website]
* [http://www.imgartists.com/?page=artist&id=854 Biography from IMG Artists]