World Renowned Pianist From Mexico to Perform with FCC Students
Fresno City College intermediate and advanced piano students will get the unique opportunity to gain experience from one of the best pianists in the world when Mexican artist Argentina Durán comes to the college to hold a master class and perform with students at the Intermediate/Advanced Student Piano Recital on November 17. Ms. Durán’s visit is made possible through a collaboration between Fresno City College and the Mexico Consulate in Fresno.
“As a Hispanic serving institution, we are thrilled to have Argentina Durán visiting to teach and perform alongside our students. Many of our students have Mexican heritage, and seeing a professional artist with the same heritage is important for our students,” said FCC piano instructor Dr. Brandon Bascom.
Master Class, November 27, 10:00 a.m., Recital Hall MS-132
Dr. Bascom says that in the master class, Ms. Durán will be working with three students who all have Mexican ancestry. “The students will perform, and then Ms. Durán will give comments to try and help make their performances better. It is like a private lesson in front of an audience so hopefully all can learn,” he said.
Other students in the audience will be able to participate in a short Q & A session with Ms. Durán.
Intermediate/Advanced Student Piano Recital
The recital will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the Old Administration Building Auditorium. Admission is free. Donations will be accepted at the door.
The evening’s program will include piano performances by nine FCC students. They will perform works by Bach, Chopin, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, and others. They will be followed by a solo performance by Ms. Durán titled El Sonido de la Plata (The Sound of Silver).
“Ms. Durán will be playing works by six composers who were either born in Mexico or lived and worked in Mexico. Two of the composers are contemporary composers that are still living. Many of the composers featured on the program continued in the compositional tradition of Europe, but also added elements of Mexican folk music and styles from their native land. This concert is a wonderful opportunity for everyone to hear music that will probably be new to them from some of the most famous composers from Mexico that do not often get performed,” Dr. Bascom noted.
More About Argentina Durán
Argentina Durán Fernández is the pianist of the National Symphony Orchestra of Mexico, the most important symphony orchestra in Mexico.
Ms. Durán has been studying piano since age 7 and made her debut with the Xalapa Symphony Orchestra at the age of eleven. She has won numerous awards in national and international competitions in Spain, Italy, and Mexico. She has performed as a soloist in many of the most prestigious halls in the world including venues in Dubai, Spain, Chicago, California, Azerbaijan, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Ecuador.
Ms. Durán is a graduate of the Universidad Veracruzana, completed postgraduate studies at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University and completed her Master's studies in Mexican Music Performance in concert at the National Conservatory of Music of Mexico.
