Colorado Symphony Blog

Q: Your Piano Concerto No. 1 “Latin” is deeply personal, reflecting the beauty and complexity of Latin America. How does performing the work shape the way you communicate that emotional and cultural narrative to audiences?

Gabriela Montero: I try and bring my experience of being from such a complex and extreme part of the world by performing the work with all the emotional nuances I’ve tried to bring to the score. It is a mixture of the joy, heartbreak, spirit, frustration, fun, sadness, love and violence that defines Latin America. When I perform my Latin Concerto, I want people to feel and understand that beneath the fun rhythms and melodies, there is a constant threat to my beloved, difficult and magical place.

Q: What’s it like to collaborate with a conductor like Marin Alsop and the orchestra in bringing this concerto to life?

Gabriela Montero: Marin is a dear friend. I love her, her enthusiasm, her relentless drive and her humanity. These characteristics shine in her music-making. We’ve performed my concerto dozens of times by now, and I very much appreciate her love and support! I’m delighted to bring my piece to Denver with an orchestra that I love to work with and to an audience which will, most certainly, understand the underlying message of my concerto.

Q: This concerto engages deeply with the political and social realities of Venezuela. Has its meaning evolved in light of current events?

Gabriela Montero: The meaning and the need to discuss the “chiaroscuro” remains the same. Being from Latin America, I am very well aware of how enticing the “idea” of such an exotic place is to people.

Many hold on to their fantasies of what it is and what they wish it to be, despite the evidence to the contrary. I’ve repeatedly been in situations where I was told, “You don’t know what is happening in Venezuela”. I’ve heard the same from my Cuban friends.

You’re fighting against a romanticized version of a reality that is painfully miserable for people. My Concerto also touches on the challenge of revealing the dark side, which many do not want to even acknowledge is there. It goes against their “playground”. It bursts their bubble.

Perhaps it’s the chiaroscuro which has made people so adept at improvising in life and being resilient, and right now, Venezuelans are still having to be as resilient as ever. I’m still cautiously hopeful that the events of January 3rd will lead my country to a transition to democracy.

Politics are complicated, and although we think we are privy to real-time decision making, the reality is that we’re not. I am observing and watching with bated breath.

I hope my next composition about Venezuela, (in contrast to my piece “ExPatria”), is one of celebration and renewal.