Australian composer and pianist Dr Daniel Rojas has won second prize in the Solo division of the international Piazzolla Music Competition, held this year to celebrate the centenary of the birth of the legendary Argentine composer who single-handedly revolutionised the tango and brought this music of humble beginnings, into the classical concert hall.
Supported by PARMA Recordings, the Fundación Astor Piazzolla, and members of the composer’s family, proceeds from the competition are being donated to the Playing for Change Foundation to support music and art education in under-resourced communities around the world.
Read more about this in Limelight magazine, here and the competition, here.
- Rojas’ arrangement of Piazzolla’s Libertango can be heard on his acclaimed new album “Bliss of Heaven: Music of the New World” (Da Vinci Classics) now available online and via the artist’s website.
- Limelight Magazine’s 5 star review of the launch concert in Sydney earlier this year:
“Chilean-born Australian Daniel Rojas’ name is synonymous with brilliant Latin American pianism, grounded in the classical idiom. His aim he says, is to bring the “Latin American vernacular music into the classical concert hall.” He is achieving this with astonishing and popular success. In the high-octane performance that unfolds, Rojas and Ensemble Apex Strings stir the passions and seduce our souls. […] There is tremendous chemistry between Rojas and the Ensemble Apex Strings, cohesive and dynamic. Rojas is a charismatic performer whose music gives us a window into several worlds. His music speaks of myriad colours and tales from across Latin America; music of the old world is fused with the new; classical traditions are woven into indigenous Latin American aesthetics, paying homage to the great masters. Rojas spins his dazzling improvisations with ease, combining his music with entertaining insights and historical narratives. These earworms will take a while to dispel.” – Limelight Magazine, May 2021 (live review – 5 stars)