Aurelio De La Vega Centennial Celebration Concert on Tuesday May 19 in New York City

Max Lifchitz and The North/South Chamber Orchestra perform music by Aurelio De La Vega. Anne Marie Ketchum and Martha Marchena will appear as soloists.

NEW YORK CITY, NY, UNITED STATES, May 13, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- On Tuesday evening, May 19, the North/South Chamber Orchestra, directed by Max Lifchitz, will present a special concert featuring the music of Aurelio De La Vega, the late Cuban-American master.

We are particularly excited to welcome guest soloists soprano Anne Marie Ketchum and pianist Martha Marchena, both of whom are closely associated with De La Vega’s work.

This retrospective concert will highlight five compositions by De La Vega, created over a span of fifty years. The pieces to be performed include Danza Lenta, Antinomies, Extrapolations, Tropimapal, and Recordatio.

The event will take place in person, starting at 7 PM and concluding around 8:30 PM at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music, located at 450 West 37th Street, New York, NY 10018.

Seating is limited, so please email ns.concerts@att.net to secure your spot.

ABOUT AURELIO DE LA VEGA

Aurelio De La Vega (1925-2022) received numerous accolades throughout his career as a composer. He won the prestigious Friedheim Award from the Kennedy Center twice, first in 1978 and again in 1984. De La Vega was also honored with the Cintas Foundation's William B. Warren Lifetime Achievement Award and the Ignacio Cervantes Medal for Lifetime Achievement. Additionally, he received four nominations for the Latin Grammy Awards. In 2018, he was inducted into the Imperial Spanish Order of King Charles V, receiving the title of Comendador.

De La Vega studied composition under Fritz Kramer in his native city of Havana and later continued his studies with Ernst Toch in Los Angeles, California. During the 1950s, he held significant positions in Cuba, including serving as president of the Cuban National Music Council and chairing the Music Department at the University of Oriente. In 1959, he lectured throughout the United States before relocating to Los Angeles, where he became a U.S. citizen in 1966. For thirty-four years, De La Vega taught composition at California State University, Northridge, where he held the title of Distinguished Professor of Music. In 1971, he received the Outstanding Professor Award for the entire California State University system.

After becoming a U.S. citizen, De La Vega emerged as a vocal critic of the Castro regime, particularly regarding its poor human rights record and persecution of dissident artists and intellectuals. As a result, his growing international acclaim was overlooked in Cuba. It wasn’t until 2009, during an overdue acknowledgment of his lifetime achievements, that his piece "Intrata" for orchestra was performed in Havana by the Cuban National Orchestra.

In his later years, De La Vega received well-deserved tributes and accolades. The documentary "Aurelio: Rebel with a Cause," narrated by actor Andy García, was released in 2014. Subsequently, two books detailing his life and works were published. This year, three new books have been released, and a new biography is expected to be published this fall.

MEET THE PERFORMERS

Soprano Anne Marie Ketchum is renowned for her interpretation of contemporary art music and twentieth-century Latin American art music. She has performed at various prestigious venues, including the International Forum of New Music in Mexico City, the Santa Fe Chamber Music Series, the Southwest Chamber Ensemble, the Monday Evening Concerts series at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Green Umbrella New Music series, and the Sunday Live series presented by Los Angeles County. In addition to her performance career, Ms. Ketchum has taught at Pasadena City College and served as the Stage Director for the Metropolitan Opera National Council – Western Region Showcase Concerts in Palm Springs. She is also the Founding Artistic Director of the acclaimed Verdi Chorus, based in Los Angeles, which is currently celebrating 42 years of performing operatic choral music.

Pianist Martha Marchena has been inspiring audiences around the world for decades with her unique repertoire, captivating performances, and innovative recordings. Born in Cuba, she graduated with honors from the University of Miami’s doctoral program and later served as a professor in the Music Department at Kean University. Critics have celebrated the intensity of her interpretations and the emotional impact she delivers to her audiences. Her playing has been described as "exquisite and breathtaking," with praise for her deep involvement in each work and her ability to uncover and recreate its essence, establishing her as a formidable pianist. Among her highly regarded recordings is one that features the complete piano works of Aurelio de la Vega.

A dynamic figure in America’s musical life, Max Lifchitz was born in México City and has lived in New York since 1966. Active as a composer, pianist, and conductor, Lifchitz won first prize at the 1976 International Gaudeamus Competition for Performers of Twentieth Century Music in the Netherlands. The San Francisco Chronicle described him as "a stunning, ultra-sensitive pianist," while The New York Times praised Mr. Lifchitz for his "clean, measured and sensitive performances.” The American Record Guide remarked, “Mr. Lifchitz is as good on the podium as he is behind the piano.”

Founded in 1980, North/South Consonance, Inc. is dedicated to promoting music by composers from the Americas and around the world. Its activities are supported in part by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, as well as grants from the Music Performance Fund, the BMI Foundation, the Zethus Fund, and the generosity of numerous individual donors.

For further programming information, please visit the North/South Consonance website @ https://www.northsouthmusic.org/

North South Consonance
North/South Consonance, Inc
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Aurelio De La Vega: Orchestral Works

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