International Harp Competition and Festival, Mexico

Baltazar Juárez

 

Principal Harp of the National Symphony Orchestra of Mexico, Baltazar Juarez has performed as a soloist and orchestral musician in North America, Latin America and Europe. His solo appearances include the Young Israel Philharmonic, Orquesta Filarmónica de Buenos Aires, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta Filarmónica de Jalisco, Xalapa Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of the National Institute of Fine Arts, Mexico National Symphony Orchestra and other orchestras.

 

Baltazar Juarez won several prizes in major competitions, fourth prize in the 1998 USA International Harp Competition in Bloomington, Indiana; second prize in the American American Harp Society 1999 in Los Angeles, California; among others.
Some of his solo recitals and concerts have taken place at Urbana University Champaign, Illinois in 2000; Israeli radio and television in 2001; 11th World Harp Congress 2011 in Vancouver, Canada; Harp Festival in Zagreb, 2013 in Zagreb, Croatia; RioHarpFest in 2015 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He is regularly invited to give masterclasses and concerts in different enclosures such as: Skola Glazbena Vatroslava Lisinskog in Zagreb, Croatia; the American Harp Society in the 41st National Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais en Belo Horizonte, Brazil; MasterWorks Festival in Winona Lake, Indiana, USA; Harp-Week in Buenos Aires, Argentina, etc. In 2008 he presented his first CD "Jardin des Paons", a duet with the prestigious harp harpist Isabelle Perrin. He is the Founder and Artistic Director of Mexico´s International Harp Competition and Festival.

Baltazar Juarez is the first harpist from Mexico to have the distinction of being invited to join the jury of the USA International Harp Competition, Bloomington, Indiana, USA, 2013; and to be the "Guest Artist" for the opening concert at the 41st American Harp Society National Conference in New Orleans in June 2014.

Baltazar Juarez was born in Mexico City at an early age and began studying harp with his father. He studied at the National Conservatory of Mexico and went on to complete his studies with Susana Mildonian (Accademia Musicale Chigiana, Siena, Italy) and Susann McDonald Indiana University, Bloomington, where he obtained his Diploma Performer and Artist Diploma. During his studies at Indiana University, he was appointed Graduate Assistant Professor Susann McDonald in 1998-2001.