Graciela Arguedas Herrera To Make Her

Newtown Debut During Holiday Concert

Graciela Arguedas will star as the piano soloist in Mozart’s 21st Piano Concerto in C major, K. 467, when she makes her Newtown debut during the Seventh Annual Holiday Concert by The Concert Society Chamber Orchestra. Newtown resident Richard E. Serbagi, president of the orchestra, will once again conduct the orchestra.

This year’s concert will be on Friday, December 28, at 8 pm, at Trinity Episcopal Church, 36 Main Street.

Miss Herrera was born in Herédia, Costa Rica, on March 30, 1989, and grew up in the village of San José de la Montaña  in the home of her Aunt Edith, a music teacher. She attended Arturo Morales Elementary School there, followed by studies in the Program of Open Education of the Ministry of Public Education in Costa Rica, which allowed her to continue her secondary education while pursuing advanced musical training. She began playing the guitar at age 5, and was quickly identified as exceptionally musically gifted.

Miss Herrera began piano studies in 1997 at the age of 9 with Russian professor Tamara Skilouvskaia, and later continued with Alexander Skliouvski, at the Instituto Superiór de Arte in the capital, San José. In 2001 she was finalist of the 5th Pinault International Piano Competition in New York, and was invited to perform at Carnegie Recital Hall in June 2002. In April 2003 she won honorable mention in the Pinault International Competition and was again invited to play Carnegie Hall.

Miss Herrera came to Connecticut in September 2004; in September 2005 she began the pre-college program at the Mannes School of Music in New York City, studying with Richard Shirk and Seymour Bernstein.

In June 2006 she completed her sophomore year at New Canaan High School, where she performed the Beethoven Third Piano Concerto with the Concert Society Chamber Orchestra under the direction of conductor Richard Serbagi.

Miss Herrera performed her New York City debut on March 6, 2007, when she performed the Chopin Piano Concerto #1 at Merkin Concert Hall with the Camerata New York Orchestra.

One exciting event this fall has been the young pianist’s appearance on the same stage with Whoopi Goldberg  at NYU’s Skirball Center for the Arts where Ms Goldberg narrated “Peter and the Wolf.” Miss Herrera performed the Mozart 21 Piano Concerto there and will reprise her performance in Newtown.

To be featured prominently on the program this year, in addition to the full chamber orchestra, is a return engagement by the highly admired soprano Maria Ferrante, who will sing several selections.  New this year will be the participation of the Newtown High School Singers under the direction of Choral Director John Harned. 

This concert has quickly become one of the favorite holiday traditions in Newtown and each year sees the pews and the organ loft of Trinity Church filled with enthusiastic concert goers.  A gala reception follows the concert.

Ticket sales benefit Newtown Friends of Music’s School Outreach Program.

Please note that only 250 tickets will be sold, interest in this annual affair has always been strong, and tickets will not be sold at the church nor on the day of the concert. Contact Friends of Music President Ellen Parrella, at 426-6470, for tickets and additional information.

Tickets for the Holiday Concert, all $30 each, can be purchased at Newtown Savings Bank, Cyrenius H. Booth Library, Drug Center Pharmacy, Newtown Country Club, and other venues in Newtown. They can also be purchased by sending a check together with a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Newtown Friends of Music, PO Box 295, Newtown CT 06470-0295.