Video of 16-year-old Ilyich Rivas, recipient of BSO/Peabody Conducting Fellowship
In Sunday's paper, I had a story about Ilyich Rivas, the exceptional 16-year-old, Venezuelan-born recipient of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra-Peabody Institute Conducting Fellowship. He's clearly a talent to watch.
Not many teens have high-profile management. Rivas is represented by IMG Artists, on the same roster that includes the likes of Temirkanov, Gilbert, Previn, Honeck, Flor, Welser-Most and Jurowski. Rivas has already made his Atlanta Symphony Orchestra debut and is bound to get other interesting opportunities, even while pursuing his studies at Peabody (he's in the graduate conducting class, just a few months after earning a GED to put high school behind him) and gaining further experience at the BSO.
It's impossible to predict any one's career, but all the signs look promising for Rivas. He not only has obvious and engaging talent, but also the marketing-ready back-story and looks to go far in today's music business.
Here's a taste on video of Rivas in action as a child and a teen, followed by a clip of his father, Alejandro Rivas, who is also a gifted conductor, and a major mentor for his son:
Comments
First Dudamel, and now Rivas. What's in the Venezuelan waters these days?
(I simply _must_ also mention the Venezuelan Eduardo Chibás, an advertising executive _and_ conductor -- not to mention a big proponent of Bruckner and Wagner in his native country! -- who bears no relation to the former Cuban politician, Eduardo René Chibás _Rivas_. I googled the one and found the other... That's _almost_ scary!)
Seems like that country has a lot more going for it musically than politically. TIM
Posted by: Doug Halfen | October 12, 2009 3:15 PM
That makes my day! THRILLING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Jenny Kelly | October 14, 2009 10:37 AM