Marcelo Zigaran, Musician, Cellist, Writer
USA, Houston
My approach to classical music:
We wonder…What is the power of music that transports us from one place to another?
When listening or performing music we had thought…What is happening to me?" Why are my emotions so powerful that I have the sensation of going to another world?"
Can we understand the enjoyment of music? Chopin used to name that impact as “The Blue Note”. Throughout the Blue Note, music imposes on us an unquestionable "Yes" as our response. In music we find an "Other" that is not so foreign. The simplicity of this “Yes” does not mean that we understand it: our response, our “Yes” without questioning, is beyond our comprehension. We understand it emotionally, searching for the Blue Note in every piece we perform.
Our practice, study, recitals, and lectures are constant attempts to improve our expressive musical skills which are nothing less than the result of a Yes that has to do with love. This is like love understood as music listening to us; it reveals a lack, a dimension of our being that somehow turns us into lovers of music.
Profile
Marcelo Zigaran is a Houston based cellist. He has been described by Kansas City critics as a “cellist of deep, philosophical expression with a great technique.” Mr. Zigaran has appeared regularly as a soloist with orchestras in Houston, Buenos Aires, his native city, among other cities in the States and abroad. His Duo La Note Bleue got great reviews in Houston such as “…Highly engaging with musical dynamics. …beautiful!”
Marcelo has an active life as a chamber musician, recitalist, and soloist, performing with members of the Houston Symphony, Houston Opera, and colleagues in United States and around the world.
Marcelo created the Duo La Note Bleue, starting a series of thought provoking, innovative lecture-recitals featuring programs of the traditional repertory of cello and piano. His presentations unveiled a new horizon of music making, combining philosophy and psychoanalysis in engaging discussion on how we perceive music.
His book “Powers of Music” was published in Germany and US, in 2007. He continues to win great reviews and invitations from universities to theaters, as to private homes and congresses in Arts and Humanities around the world.
Mr. Zigaran’s performances span an exceptionally broad range of historical and modern repertoires. He also is a passionate promoter of Latin American classical music and contemporary music. Since 2013 Dr. Zigaran is Cello and composition professor at Houston central College and since then he became a member of The Houston Latin Philharmonic, performing at Houston Opera House, The Wortham Center, where Marcelo has also appeared as soloist.
Mr. Zigaran was the New York CORST 2011 1st prize winner and in January 2012 he performed his debut recital in New York City. Mr. Zigaran has toured as a guest artist United States, Mexico, South America and Europe.
Graduated from the National Conservatory of Buenos Aires, Marcelo came to the United States where he studied two Masters at The University of Missouri Kansas City: cello with Nina Gordon, and Composition with famous conductor Chen Yi among others. In 2002 he won scholarship to study his doctoral degree on Cello with Vagram Saradjian, himself a student of Rostropovich, at The University of Houston, receiving his DMA Diploma in 2008 and continued working with Professor Saradjian in post-doctoral studies until 2015.
He regularly gives masterclasses throughout the United States, and Latin America,
Including Universities in Mexico, Argentina, and Uruguay among other countries.
During 2016 Marcelo will perform in New York City, United Nations and Carnegie Hall and recitals in Europe with pianist Anna Sutyagina.
For further information and audio or video links, please visit www.marcelozigaran.com
