Internationally Acclaimed Guitarist René Izquierdo will be performing in person at Southern Oregon University, with very special guest Elina Chekan!
A musical partnership like no other, this duo presents performances that serve the music above all and feel like an intimate conversation as an extension of their love for each other. Elina Chekan and Rene Izquierdo have been performing as a duo since 2012. The couple met at Yale University when they were pursuing post‐graduate degrees, studying with acclaimed professor Benjamin Verdery.
Cuban-born René Izquierdo is a unique artist and passionate educator whose career has been dedicated to inspiring individuals and connecting communities. René has firmly established himself as one of the world’s classical guitar virtuosos. He has performed to critical acclaim touring extensively throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia. He is frequently invited by renowned festivals and institutions, having played at stages such as Carnegie Hall in New York, Manaus Opera House in Brazil, and National Recital Hall in Taiwan. Through his discography, René seeks to expand the guitar repertoire frequently performing new arrangements, lesser-known music of the 20th century as well as world premieres of concertos and new compositions.
A native of Minsk, Belarus, Elina (Ella) Chekan holds Master of Music degrees in Orchestral Conducting, Pedagogy and Classical Guitar Performance from the Belarus Academy of Music, a Master of Music from Yale (where she received the Louis and Anne Rosoff award), and Dr. of Musical Arts in Guitar Performance from Northwestern University. Elina has performed solo and in ensemble settings at prestigious venues and festivals worldwide, including Germany, Spain, Italy, the United States, Brazil, Belgium, and Mexico among others. In her belief that young players are the future, Ella works with musicians and composers encouraging them to write appealing and musically interesting pieces for the young generation of guitarists. Legendary Argentinean Composer and Virtuoso Jorge Morel dedicated to Ms. Chekan his composition “Campañas” published by Mell Bay in “The Magnificent Guitar of Jorge Morel”. Elina is on the faculty of the Peck School of the Arts at UW Milwaukee where she teaches classical guitar and is the director of the Suzuki Guitar Program.
” Izquierdo is a very self-assured performer who demonstrated amazing technical and expressive command of the music he plays…”
“ … unforgettable versatility, sensitivity and sublime musicianship.”
– Classical Guitar Magazine
“Flawless technique wedded to a perfectly refined aesthetic sensibility… notes are etched in place with gorgeous sound and infallible musical direction”
⎼ Soundboard Magazine
“…Izquierdo is already a seasoned performer of great accomplishment. His tone is clear, warm and robust, his musicianship impeccable, and his desire and capability equally great…”
– Eliot Fisk, 2003.
“I have rarely seen a musical talent equal to Rene Izquierdo. He is a virtuoso guitarist and a profound musical thinker”
– Benjamin Verdery, 2001.
“His playing delivers effortless technique and depth of emotion”
⎼ Guitar.com
“…the command and character of his playing lived up to the impressive credentials. His sound carried the guitar- friendly Recital Hall with power to spare. His secure technique eliminated the usual clicks, muffles and buzzes. Speed was no problem for him. …Izquierdo is a painterly guitarist. He changes angle of attack in the right hand and moves it from bridge to fingerboard to produce a wide spectrum of sonic color. He applies it thoughtfully, to cast particular light on particular melodies…”
– Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
