Dr. William and Evelyn Lamden Masterclass with Pacho Flores

“He’s like a showman. He loves going on stage. It’s an absolute joy to make music with him.” Music Director Rafael Payare speaks affectionately about his colleague and former roommate in Venezuela, Pacho Flores. Most recently, this month Pacho performed with the San Diego Symphony for the West Coast premiere of Altar de Bronce, a piece composed for him by Mexican composer Gabriela Ortiz as part of the Symphony's Jacobs Masterworks series. Internationally acclaimed for his engaging presence on stage, Pacho is also an artistic tour de force behind the scenes, engaging the musical community around him. During his time in San Diego he took on the role of teacher as part of the Dr. William and Evelyn Lamden Masterclass series where he led a group of local student musicians in artistic demonstrations to a full house of attendees. Stephen Salts, San Diego Symphony’s Director of Learning and Leadership recounts this special occasion of musical mentorship:

“Pacho began the masterclass by guiding the entire audience through his warmup routine, so the room was literally buzzing for 45 minutes of inspiring and demanding technical exercises. This was a particularly special experience for the many brass players in attendance who weren’t performing a solo for Pacho and created a sense of welcome and community among everyone present. Five students selected by San Diego State University’s Dr. Eric Starr and John Wilds then performed solo repertoire and were brilliantly coached by Pacho. The audience was able to follow a projected score of each piece and we all took notice of the excitement and improvement of each student performer.”

Pacho Flores is one of many artists being featured in the Dr. William and Evelyn Lamden Masterclass series presented by the San Diego Symphony and San Diego State University throughout the season.  Next month’s masterclass will feature pianist Sir Stephen Hough at San Diego State University’s Rhapsody Hall on March 15^th at 6pm, open to the general public.

The San Diego Symphony recognizes the importance of not only presenting exciting musical concerts but also the importance of fostering meaningful musical connections that enhance community partnerships.  Thank you to the artists, staff, donors and audience members who help make all our educational programs a success.