Music Institute's Contreras Partners on Latin American Cello Catalog

Dr. Horacio Contreras, a member of the Music Institute of Chicago's cello faculty, has partnered with cellist Dr. Germán Marcano and the Sphinx Organization to update a comprehensive resource: the Sphinx Catalog of Latin American Cello Works. Contreras and Marcano, internationally active cellists from Venezuela and recognized experts in Latin American cello repertoire, will continue to revise the work as the repertoire continues to grow.

Marcano originally created the catalog in 2004 as his doctoral dissertation at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the Sphinx Organization revived it in 2018.

"One of my main interests as a performer and a teacher is to introduce excellent works to musicians and audiences," explained Contreras. "I was interested in Germán's first catalog, and I knew about the Sphinx Organization while I was a student at the University of Michigan, when I had the opportunity to meet and perform with performing artist and social entrepreneur Aaron Dworkin, founder of the Sphinx Organization and a professor at the University of Michigan. Germán and I had talked about making his work more widely available through a website, and Mr. Dworkin recommended we reach out to Sphinx. They generously offered to support the initiative, and, after more than a year of work, it is now a reality! We are very excited about the catalog's potential to exponentially increase the exposure of work by Latin American composers."

The catalog, which is free and accessible at sphinxmusic.org, is the most extensive source of its kind, with more than 2,000 entries on the date of its release. It provides information about a wide range of works in which the cello has a prominent role as a solo instrument, as soloist with orchestra, in duo with another instrument or electronic media, or in cello ensembles.

"One of the hottest issues in the classical music world today is increasing diversity in programming," Contreras commented. "Many renowned institutions have taken steps to expand their repertoire, but it is harder for individual players and teachers to find information about pieces that are underrepresented. I believe our catalog can help to increase diversity in programming for professionals and students by offering a place to easily find information about compositions by hundreds of composers from Latin America. It can also serve as a bridge between living Latin American composers and performers."

Music Institute President and CEO Mark George commented, "The catalog is an invaluable resource for cellists and an important monument to some very talented, but too often overlooked, Latin American composers."

Contreras has taught cello in the Music Institute's Community School, as well as its Academy for gifted pre-college musicians, since 2017. He is also an assistant professor of cello at Lawrence University. He has soloed with major Latin American orchestras and has played chamber music with members of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, principal members of top orchestras in the United States and Europe, and faculty members of world-class music schools.

"I have already used lesser known Latin American repertoire with my students at the Music Institute. In fact, one of my Academy students recently used a Venezuelan solo piece for his college auditions and was accepted and offered generous scholarships at some of the most prestigious institutions in the country. I believe it is important for students to feel that they have something important and unique to share, and finding great works for cello that only a small number of people know is a powerful way to build awareness of the individuality of a student's artistic voice.'

Sphinx President and Artistic Director Afa S. Dworkin said, "This project is an important resource for our industry, for string musicians, and for teaching artists worldwide. We are honored to have the opportunity to work with Drs. Horatio Contreras and Germán Marcano."

Contreras is grateful to Sphinx for bringing this project to life. "Without Sphinx's support, this initiative probably wouldn't have the potential to reach as many people as it has now."

The Music Institute of Chicago is dedicated to transforming lives through music education. Founded in 1931, the Music Institute has grown to become one of the largest and most respected community music schools in the nation. For more information, visit musicinst.org.

Students and alumni of the Music Institute have excelled in the annual Sphinx Competition for more than 10 years, including alumna violinist Ade Williams (second place laureate, Senior Division, 2019 and, as a student, first place, Junior Division, 2011 and 2012); student violinist Hannah White (first) and violist Mira Williams (second) (both Junior Division, 2015); student violinists Clayton Penrose-Whitmore (first) and Alexandra Alvarado Switala (second) (both Junior Division, 2008); alumnus cellist Gabriel Cabezas (first place, Senior Division, 2012 and, as a student, first place, Junior Division, 2006); and many more.

The Sphinx Organization is dedicated to transforming lives through the power of diversity in the arts. Visit SphinxMusic.org for more information.

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