Roberto has written several new works: Pequeno Concierto (premiered April 13 by The San Francisco Contemporary Music Players)
El Jardin de las Delicias (commissioned by The Flinn Foundation and premiered by the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra in celebration of their fiftieth anniversary) and Cuentos (premiered
and commissioned by La Camerata, in Mexico). 'Cuentos' will be performed in Ithaca N.Y. at Cornell University. El Jardin was reviewed in The Arizona Republic by Kenneth LaFave calling it "impressively
constructed...skillful orchestral evocation of morbid fascination." Sierra's most recent work is Rimas (inspired by the work of the 19th century Spanish poet Becquer). 'Rimas' is
for violin and piano and will be performed in New York on June 27, along with Sierra's Five Aztec Poems featuring soprano Judas Kellock and pianist Philip Moll.
March was a stellar month for Sierra as his Concierto Barroco received its European Premiere in Italy by the Orchestra Haydn and was performed four times by the orchestra, conducted by Karl
Martin with guitar soloist Manuel Barrueco. Also in March: Collegium Novum Zurich performed Sierra's Concertino in Switzerland with Joel Sachs conducting, Milwaukee Symphony presented Let's
Do a Symphony (Roberto's three movement childrens' work) and Seattle Symphony played Sierra's Alegria with Jonathan Shames conducting. Shames called 'Alegria' "...one of those
marvelous works which unite folk inspiration and sophisticated musical craftsmanship."
We were happy to see Roberto's opera El Mensajero de Plata performed, recorded and videotaped in April, by The
Bronx Arts Ensemble with Genesio Ribaldi conducting. Congratulations are also due to Roberto for the great review of his CD Piezas Caracteristicas by Linda Bartley in The Clarinet.
She writes "the music is vibrant, compelling and rhythmic.''
It's difficult to determine which of Roberto's two orchestral works are more popular, 'Alegria' (6' ) or 'Ritmo' (10'). Both
were played extensively from August '97 through February '95 and both are still going strong. 'Alegria' will enjoy another 15 performances by The Houston Symphony Orchestra in June (Stephen Stein
conducting) and The National Symphony Orchestra performs 'Ritmo' on June 12 with Leonard Slatkin at the podium.
From July 30, through August 7, Roberto will be composer-in-residence in Morelia
(Mexico) at the International Music Festival.
Closer to (our) home, The New Jersey Symphony will be performing Sierra's well established Saludo on several dates next year. We'll keep you
posted!
Roberto is currently at work on a new percussion concerto for Evelyn Glennie. Scheduled for a January 21, 1999 premiere with the Los Angeles Philarmonic conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen, the new work
is colored by the sounds of the Caribbean, ranging from the rhythms of salsa music to the atmospheric sounds of the tropical night. The soloist will play traditional instruments as well as steel drums,
maracas, bongos and congas. Further performances are planned by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (Feb. 25, 1999) and the Festival Casals de Puerto Rico in summer of 1999.
He is composing a new chamber
concerto for two guitars and strings for the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Castellani-Andriaccio Duo in 2000.
[
