Album Notes

Chamber performer and soloist Lizary Rodríguez Ríos attended the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico and studied with noted Puerto Rican harpist María Rosa Vidal. She earned both Masters and Doctoral degrees from the University of Arizona, where she studied with world renowned harpist Dr. Carrol McLaughlin. She subsequently finished two postgraduate degrees from Madrid's Royal Conservatory of Music, studying under the tutelage of celebrated harpist Dr. María Rosa Calvo-Manzano.

Ms. Rodríguez Ríos has performed internationally at numerous venues and festivals, including the prestigious Casals Festival in Puerto Rico. In addition to her career as a soloist, she has toured with the Grammy nominated international harp ensemble, Harp Fusion, performing in the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Spain and Russia. She has recorded three CDs with the group, featuring her as harpist and arranger. Among many exceptional honors, Rodríguez Ríos was the first harpist to receive the Centennial Achievement Award in the history of the University of Arizona.

Rodríguez Ríos has won prizes in competitions such as the President's Concerto Competition at the University of Arizona, the International Tournament of Musicians (TIM) in France, the Cita di Padova International Music Performance Competition in Italy and the Notes at 9,000's Emerging Artist Series Competition in Colorado.

Lizary Rodríguez Ríos' debut CD features the works of composers from six different countries. This musical voyage transports listeners through the sounds of traditional Spanish, French romantic, Russian nationalism, both Italian and German Baroque and finally ends with contemporary and popular Puerto Rican music. This dynamic album also features premier recordings of two original works for harp, as well as some of Lizary's own arrangements.

Press reviews:

"The harp is one of the most exquisite instruments ever invented, and this is an exquisite recording...The recorded sound is ideal; Lizary has also provided notes on each work in the programme. This is a disc not only for lovers of the harp, but for anyone wanting a relaxing listening experience that is also of the highest artistic merit" William Yeoman, The Classical Source.
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"Ethereal. Delicate. Haunting..." Paul Siegel, The Colorado Music Buzz.
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"Her playing, while leaning towards the Spanish side of the spectrum in this recital, is brilliant and fluid, musical in every area where such things are judged, and her program is intelligent and entertaining..." Steven Ritter, Fanfare Magazine.
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"…In the slow movement of Pescetti's Sonata in C minor Lizary lays back, allows space for the music, and the mixture of rubato and note placement makes for quite the most affecting track of the album. This is matched by her clean touch and ability to layer texture in the first movement, and her control and articulation in the third... The playing overall is of a consistently high standard on the technical side of things…" Paul Sarcich, Music & Vision Magazine.
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"...[Lizary] possesses a remarkable technique, and does not leave obviously to impress itself by certain more fearsome passages..." Frederic Cardin, La Scene Musicale Magazine.