Simon Gollo and Daniel Vega-Albela, violinists with La Catrina Quartet, have been working hard to build the string program at New Mexico State University, and to turn Las Cruces into what Gollo hopes will be “a very important city to study music in.” Gollo is now the conductor of a student orchestra that has drawn young musicians from the region and across the border, inspired and taught by the first-class musicians of the quartet. Next weekend, students will perform in a concert conducted by Gollo that will also feature Vega-Albela as the soloist, performing music of Tchaikovsky and Bach. The next night, Vega-Albela will present a recital with an entirely different program, along with visiting pianist Julia Russ, who teaches at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Gollo and Vega-Albela came to talk with Intermezzo host Leora Zeitlin about the busy weekend of concerts, the music they’ll perform, and the musical experiences they are giving their students.
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