The Sphinx Competition, which promotes the involvement of ethnically diverse youth in the arts, produced two notable laureates in string performance. Both of Latin-American descent, cellist Gabriel Cabezas and violist Juan-Miguel Hernandez prove to listeners that classical music is still alive and well. Cabezas and Hernandez both chose programs befitting their heritage. Cabezas performs literature from celebrated composers such as Piazzolla, Villa-Lobos, and Ginastera and also branches out into lesser known compositions by Calderón and Cardona. All of 14 years old at the time of this recording, Cabezas possesses a generally solid technique and a surprising amount of musical flair and panache. There is, of course, room for improvement; intonation is not always precise, especially during long, slurred passages extending into the upper registers. Still, if he continues to develop as quickly as he already has, his career will most certainly be one to watch as he reaches adulthood. Hernandez's viola playing is similarly impressive for his age with room to grow as he matures. The instrument on which he plays produces somewhat of a strained sound across its range, but Hernandez makes the most of it and produces convincing performances of the viola sonatas of Paul Chihara and Edmundo Villani-Côrtes. Listeners needing a little reassurance that there are those in the next generation to carry the torch of art music will doubtless be reassured by this album.
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