Product Description
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Berta Rojas is a musician who moves easily from classical to
other musical genres. Rojas has captivated music-lovers in the
Americas, Europe, and Asia. Most notably, she's appeared at the
Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall and the Frederick P. Rose
Hall, home of Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York. She sold out
her performances at both the John F. Kennedy Center in
Washington, DC and the South Bank Centre in London. In 2004, she
opened the International First Ladies Summit in Paraguay with
special guest Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton. Praised by the
Washington Post as a 'guitarist extraordinaire,' and by England's
Classical Guitar Magazine as 'Ambassador of the Classical
Guitar,' her musicianship and cordiality make her an audience
favorite. The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has
recognized Rojas' artistic excellence and named her a Fellow of
the Americas. She holds a Master's Degree in Music from
Baltimore's prestigious Peabody Conservatory. Beyond her own
musical talents, Rojas is committed to supporting South American
artists. She has served as the Artistic Director for several
competitions including the John and Susie Beatty Competition, the
Ibero-American Guitar Festival in Washington DC, and the Cardozo
Ocampo Competition in Paraguay. She is Paraguay's Ambassador of
Tourism and a Professor of Guitar at George Washington University
in Washington DC. The critics have spared no praise about the
quality of her interpretation. '90 minutes maintained at the
highest level of performance and interpretation.' Colin Cooper /
Classical Guitar Magazine/ October 07 'Only once in a great while
does a classical CD come along which is so impeccable in every
aspect of professionalism -heart touching musical artistry,
interesting repertoire, and excellent technical production.
Paraguayan guitarist Berta Rojas' 'Cielo Abierto' is one of
these.' Jim McCutcheon / Soundboard / December 07 'The
performance Paraguayan guitarist Berta Rojas gives on this
enterprising, very entertaining new release is top class from
beginning to end. Her phenomenal seemingly effortless technical
ability allows her the luxury of presenting some very difficult
works with finesse and beauty.' Steve Marsh / Classical Guitar
Magazine / October 2007 Mrs. Rojas' mere arrival onto the concert
stage enthralled all present with her beauty and graceful
manner...her interpretation of 'La Catedral' was the best ever
heard by reviewer. The fabulous and effortless manner of her
playing coupled whit the quality of her phrasing provided
convincing evidence that Barrios truly wrote for her alone to
perform. Charles J. Walsh / Guitar Magazine / USA 2005 "It takes
a skilled guitarist to toss off the demanding reaches in the
Agustín Barrios classic "Un Sueño en la Floresta", while
sustaining a fingered tremolo. The Peabody trained Rojas
dispatched the song elegancy with a tremolo like liquid crystal,
so seamless that one could imagine a balalaika player had joined
her onstage" The Washington Post USA / December 99.
Review
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Berta Rojas combines the best of Russell - musicianship and
beautiful phrasing - with the slightly more polished technique of
John Williams. She is a native Paraguayan who grew up listening
to Barrios' guitar music, and it shows: Her phrasing, her sense
of this wonderfully idiomatic guitar music is superb, as is her
technique. Granted, John Williams, at least in his CD "From the
Jungles of Paraguay," is incredibly polished, with a technique
that outdoes David Russell. Yet Williams' phrasing, his approach
to Barrios' music has a sameness to it that ultimately
disappoints. David Russell, on the other hand, feels this music
instinctively as well as possesses a fine technique. That
combination seems to me to be a hallmark of David Russell's
s in general. He is a consumate classical guitarist who
seems in his element almost no matter what he plays in the
classical guitar repertoire. Yet Berta Rojas, in her "
Barrios" / all Barrios CD, combines the best of David Russell -
the musicianship and phrasing - with the best of John Williams,
to create guitar playing that is fresh , songful and alive. It is
a very very special CD, an absolute must if you are a Barrios
fan, or a classical guitar enthusiast. Strongly recommended.
--Classical Guitar Magazine
