Ana-Maria Vera
Ana-Maria Vera | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 15, 1965 Washington, D.C., United States |
| Occupation | pianist |
| Years active | 1973–present |
Ana-Maria Vera (born 15 April 1965[4] in Washington, D.C.[5]) is an American pianist[9] of Dutch and Bolivian origin. Her father (Mario Vera) was born in La Paz, Bolivia of mixed Spanish and Aymara heritage; her mother (Marianna Woudstra) was born in the Netherlands.[13]
She studied under Leon Fleisher[6] in Baltimore, Maryland.[14] At the age of 8, in 1973, she debuted as a soloist with the U.S. Air Force Symphony Orchestra.[14] At age nine, she performed at the Teatro Municipal in La Paz, Bolivia. At age eleven, she performed at the White House for President Jimmy Carter.[15]
As a recording artist for Philips,[6] she was awarded a Gold Record by the Philips' Dutch subsidiary label Phonogram B.V. for her 1976 LP of the Haydn D Major and Mozart K. 246 concerts performed with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra.[16][1][17]
In 1982, the Bolivian postal service issued a stamp in honor of Bolivian youth featuring Ana-Maria Vera.[18]
Together with her brother Armando Vera (a violinist), she is the founder and promoter of Bolivia Clasica, a not-for-profit organization that develops classical musicians in Bolivia.[19] In 2014, Bolivia Clasica sponsored a visit to Bolivia by violin virtuoso and acclaimed conductor Jaime Laredo.[20] Laredo also assisted in conducting orchestral arrangements of pieces by Bolivian composers ("Collita" and "Viva mi patria Bolivia").[21] In addition, Laredo gave master classes to young Bolivian musicians.[22]
Ana-Maria Vera lives in London with her husband and daughter. She is also a seasonal resident of La Paz.
Discography
[edit]Solo recordings
[edit]- Mozart & Haydn: Piano Concertos (Philips, c. 1976)
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Piano Concerto No. 11 in F major, K. 246
- Joseph Haydn – Piano Concerto in D major
- Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Edo de Waart
- Recorded when Vera was 11 years old.
- Piano Recital (Philips, 1982)
- Works by Frédéric Chopin, Felix Mendelssohn, and Claude Debussy
- Solo piano recital (LP release)
- Goyescas – Enrique Granados (Signum Classics, 2009)
- Granados – Goyescas
- Solo piano
Chamber music
[edit]- Spanish Landscapes (Universal Music Spain, 2013)
- With violinist Leticia Moreno
- Joaquín Turina – Poema de una sanluqueña
- Manuel de Falla – Siete canciones populares españolas
- Enrique Granados – Violin Sonata
- Works by Isaac Albéniz, Pablo de Sarasate, Ernesto Halffter, and Eduard Toldrà
Compilation appearances
[edit]- Vera's recordings have appeared on various classical compilation albums, including collections such as 100 Calm Classical Masterpieces.
Notes
[edit]- Vera's early recordings for Philips were made during her career as a child prodigy and received international recognition.
- Her later discography emphasizes Spanish repertoire and chamber music collaborations.
References
[edit]- 1 2 Liner notes:
Ana-Maria Vera, Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest, Edo de Waart. Mozart – Pianoconcert, K.V. 246 "Lützow" / Haydn – Pianoconcert In D
Mozart / Haydn - Ana-Maria Vera, Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest, Edo de Waart – Pianoconcert, K.V. 246 "Lützow" / Pianoconcert In D Releases – Discogs - ↑ Time. Time Incorporated. 1977.
- ↑ "Music: Classic and Choice | TIME".
- ↑ [1][2][3]
- 1 2 The New Yorker. F-R Publishing Corporation. 1977.
- 1 2 3 Ovation. Ovation Magazine Associates. 1985.
- 1 2 The Washingtonian. Washington Magazine. October 1981.
- ↑ Nuestro. Nuestro Publications. 1977.
- ↑ [6][7][8]
- ↑ Sargeant, Winthrop (7 November 1977). "Concert Records". The New Yorker.
- ↑ International Documentary: The Newsletter of the International Documentary Association. International Documentary Association. 1994.
- ↑ Americas (English Ed.). Division of Cultural Relations, Pan American Union. 1976.
- ↑ [7][5][10][11][12]
- 1 2 Américas. Unión Panamericana. 1977.
- ↑ Domeyko, Cecilia (1982). Portrait of Ana Maria Vera (video). documentary film (television). Virginia: WETA-TV (local PBS in Virginia). Retrieved June 28, 2025.
- ↑ Overture: The Magazine of the Baltimore Symphony. Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Association. 1981.
- ↑ "Ana-Maria Vera, soloist with Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest, playing Mozart Piano Concerto KV 246". 1976. Retrieved March 18, 2026.
- ↑ "Ana Maria Vera, pianist, 1982". colnect.com.
- ↑ Dinwoodie, Jenny (April 27, 2014). "Turning up the tempo: Bolivia Clásica School of Music helps young musicians take to the international stage". Bolivian Express. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
- ↑ Bolivia Clasica (August 15, 2015). "Bach Double Violin Concerto with Jaime Laredo, Albert Garcia and Bolivia Clasica Youth Orchestra". YouTube. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
- ↑ Bolivia Clasica (September 11, 2017). Collita & Viva mi patria Bolivia – arrangements for string orchestra by Agustín Fernández. Retrieved November 9, 2025.
- ↑ "Jaime Laredo imparte clase magistral a 5 jovenes violinistas" [Laredo gives master class to 5 young violinists]. Opinion Bolivia (in Spanish). Opinion Bolivia. August 11, 2014. Retrieved November 6, 2025.