Description
Pianist Beatriz Helguera-Snow and guest artists bring classical music educational presentations to audiences of all ages, with diversity of programming and instrument combinations, from cello and piano duos to trios, quartets and quintets. Some examples: music by women composers, Latin American, African American composers and more.
I am a Mexican-American pianist. I was born in Mexico City, where I received the concert pianist degree at the Conservatory of Music of Mexico, and my Masters in Piano Performance at the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. I have lived in Chicago since 1986. I always have loved Chicago, for its vibrant diversity and cultural life. As a music educator and collaborative pianist, I have worked with immigrants or descendants of immigrants from dozens of countries around the world. That is what makes Chicago so great, its diversity.
I founded, with my husband, cellist Andrew Snow, in 2009, the Chicago Panamerican Ensemble, a group that embodies diversity and also the represents the music of all the Americas. Collaborating with some of Chicago's finest musicians, we have presented over the years many concerts to diverse audiences. At this point of my life and career, I feel I have both the experience and the time to offer more to the community. My dream is to create a chamber music series where I can perform with many of my excellent musicians colleagues (professional instrumentalists and singers) and do a repeat performance of each program -an educational version- for Hispanic students, college students and music students of underprivileged communities, presenting great music from the classical universal repertoire from the Baroque period to Contemporary. My website: www.chicagopanamericanensemble.com
Work Sample
The first work sample is a movement of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) Sonata in F, part of an educational project I recorded during the COVID19 pandemic, when live performances were not possible. This was made possible in part from a grant from Illinois art Council. I recorded 6 videos of contrasting classical composers (3 piano solo, 3 cello and piano).Victor LeJeune Media Productions. Beatriz Helguera-Snow, piano; Andrew Snow, cello. I also created educational biographical capsules for each composer in both English and Spanish: https://youtu.be/SPyo2J2Bp9w
https://youtu.be/9Iic54mQIoE
The second video is Stephen Sondheim "Send in the Clowns" for cello and piano, recorded with my husband, cellist Andrew Snow, who is my main collaborator for my educational projects. An homage to the great American composer who died recently (1930-2021). We have brought many music presentations to bilingual schools in Chicago over the years, most recently (March 2022) a presentation for Chicago Sinfonietta, an outreach concert for Tonti Elementary School in Chicago (a predominantly Hispanic student community).
The third sample is "Prayer" from "Jewish Life, by Swiss-American composer Ernest Bloch (1880-1959).His music reflects the Jewish cultural traditions and the post Romantic style in classical music. Bloch is one of the composers that Andrew and I will feature in a program we are preparing this year of Jewish composers, which will be presented at a Chicago Synagogue and (we hope, depending on funding) at the Holocaust Museum. Several of my husband's ancestors died during the Holocaust, so this music is close to our hearts.
I chose 3 short contrasting works: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (a piano solo work by one of the greatest composers of all time), Stephen Sondheim (the worldwide acclaimed American composer that died just last year) and Ernest Bloch (Jewish Swiss American composer that wrote poignant, beautiful works that represent the suffering and endurance of the Jewish people). These selections relate to my entire body of work, because starting with just piano it is possible to do high quality educational performances, and the cello and piano duet form is basically the nucleus of our ensemble. My husband and collaborator, Chicago Sinfonietta cellist Andrew Snow, has worked with me for the last 36 years on the international cello and piano repertoire extensively. The richness of the chamber music repertoire is immense. We often invite other guests and present concerts for trios, quartets, quintets and more (voice and other instruments) depending on the funds available to us. We have prepared and researched repertoire from all periods and styles of classical music and are ready, at any given time, to perform an entire educational program for any audience (in English and Spanish). More recordings on my website, and information about our guest artists that collaborate with us: www.chicagopanamericanensemble.com
History
My name is Beatriz Helguera-Snow, and I am a pianist. I was born in Mexico City but have lived most of my adult life in Chicago. I graduated with highest honors from the Conservatory of Music of Mexico City and received my Masters in Piano Performance from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas (Meadows School of the Arts), where I was a scholarship international student and received the Epstein B'nai Brith Award and the Meadows Outstanding Achievement award. I have worked as a music educator and collaborative pianist in the Chicago area for the last 36 years, teaching hundreds of piano students, and accompanying young instrumentalists and singers for auditions, festivals, competitions and recordings. I have taught at several institutions over the years (DePaul Music University Music Community, Betty Haag Suzuki School, Midwest Young Artists Conservatory (chamber music), etc and now hold a private piano studio for students ages 6 to high school. I am the director and active performer of the Chicago Panamerican Ensemble, where I perform with some of the finest musicians in Chicago. We have played many concerts in prestigious venues both in Chicago and Mexico City, for the last 12 years. However, securing funds to pay my musicians is always a struggle, and I often end up playing for free or at a very reduced rate, to be able to produce a high quality concert and pay my excellent colleagues.
My website is: www.chicagopanamericanensemble.com
Artistic Vision
At this point of my life and career, I feel I have both the experience and the time to offer more to the community. My dream is to create a chamber music series where I can perform with many of my excellent musicians colleagues from Chicago Sinfonietta, Chicago Philharmonic and other guests (professional instrumentalists and singers) and do a repeat performance of each program -an educational version- for Hispanic students, college students and music students of underprivileged communities, presenting great music from the classical universal repertoire from the Baroque period to Contemporary. I have done several presentations for People's Music School in Chicago (a music school that provides free music lessons to low income families, predominantly Hispanic and African American students) and many other schools in the Chicago area, but I need to secure some funds to pay my collaborative musicians (we present duos, trios, quartets and quintets, and larger ensembles if funds are secured). I was so fortunate to receive a small grant in 2020-21 from the Illinois Art Council, which enabled me to produce 6 virtual performances. I hope to be able to continue to present high quality educational concerts, and a grant from IAC would help me tremendously on this endeavor now that we can again present public concerts after the very challenging Covid quarantine. I would be very grateful if I could receive some additional help and would work extensively to make this project a success.
Programs for Specific Audience(s) Expertise
I have dozens of educational programs available for performances (Examples: Music by women composers; music by African American composers, Music by Latin American composers, music by composers of the USA, etc). I have worked over 3 decades with children and teenagers, at my own piano studio, as a faculty member of several organizations: DePaul University Music Community, Betty Haag Suzuki School, Midwest Young Artists; and dozens of High Schools and Middle Schools in Illinois as an accompanist for contests, auditions and concerts. My work for the last 36 years comprehends teaching piano at all levels, from beginning to college; and rehearsing with music students (orchestra and band instruments and voice) preparing them for competitions, college auditions and more. I have also presented concerts with my ensemble for many years for schools, universities and conservatories. I am a bilingual artist so I have an instant connection with Hispanic audiences and have performed for many low income community schools in numerous occasions. Both myself and my husband and collaborator Andrew Snow, have a special ability to relate to children and young students and experience as educators and mentors.
Traditional Folk/Ethnic Artform Statement
As a bilingual Mexican-American artist (I have both nationalities, I was born in Mexico City but have lived in Chicago since 1986), I believe I have a special connection with Hispanic audiences; and my husband and collaborator, cellist Andrew Snow has a strong connection with the Jewish community in Chicago. With our group: Chicago Panamerican Ensemble, we have presented countless performances in the US and Mexico to all audiences, featuring not only music by composers of USA and Latin America, but works by classical composers from all over the world, from the Baroque to contemporary. In 2014, I was awarded a grant from FONCA (National Foundation for the Arts in Mexico) to record a double CD called "Voices of Mexico Past and Present", recorded in Chicago at WFMT Radio and released in 2015, in which I recorded with 6 colleagues, works for piano with voice, violin, cello, clarinet, flute and cello. We presented this CD in Mexico City and other cities of Mexico at major concert halls, radio and TV, and also in Chicago for Chicago Latin Music Festival at the Art Institute of Chicago, at WFMT studios, and in New York City for the Panamerican Musical Art Research.
This project was possible thanks to FONCA's generous grant, and reached many audiences.
I believe my experience working closely with American and Latin American musicians and my knowledge of the classical music of my native country and the US, are very valuable to present high quality programs to my community.
Name
Beatriz Helguera-Snow
Type
Individual Artist
Address
1205 East Ironwood Drive
Mount Prospect, IL 60056
Artistic Director
Beatriz Helguera-Snow
[email protected]
847.913.2629
Contact Person
Beatriz Helguera-Snow
[email protected]
847.913.2629
Web Site
www.chicagopanamericanensemble.com
Artistic Discipline(s)
Family/Youth Programming
Music
- Classical
- Heritage
- Solo/Recital
- Tribute
Geographic Availability
Chicago/Chicagoland
Northern Illinois
Fee Ranges
Depending on how many musicians collaborate with me (I am the pianist,) in duos, trios, quartets, etc.Fess can range between $500 to $5000 for travel expenses, per diem and honorarium of musicians).
Additional Services
Demonstrations
Lectures
Master classes
Residencies
Workshops
Core Audience(s)
Adult
Bilingual
- Spanish
Children
Seniors
Youth