January 4, 2015 was our annual membership meeting and potluck supper at the gracious Beverly Hills home of Dorothy Victor. We heard about recent and upcoming events, were introduced to some of the new officers who were elected last August, informally entertained each other on Dorothy's harps, and then were treated to some music and great stories from the life of our guest of honor, Alfredo Rolando Ortiz. He told us about his early days in Los Angeles (after growing up in Cuba and Venezuela, then getting his medical degree in Colombia, he moved to the US and was working both in medicine and in music until he decided to devote his time to music!) He said the people he met through the Los Angeles Chapter of AHS were wonderful in helping him get his music career off the ground here. He told us wonderful stories of the settings and origins of some of his most evocative compositions, and also about his recent performances in Israel, of his South American Suite for Harp and Orchestra!
above: Alfredo Rolando Ortiz regales us with tales of his musical adventures.
Above: Alfredo plays for us. The technique of playing Paraguayan harp is quite different from Celtic or Pedal harps, and the strings are closer together!
Above: Alfredo enjoys mingling with Dorothy and guests after his presentation. (Paraguayan harps don't stand up! They lie on the ground or are propped up in a corner when not being played.)
Above: Elaine Murphy listens as Dorothy Victor plays some of her lovely arrangements for us.
Above: Alfredo let us try his Paraguayan harp: Stephanie Bennett and Amy Wilkins looking somewhat befuddled.
Some of the guests: Front row: Tina Lenert, Stephanie Bennett, Tom. Back row: Bonnie Mohr, Stella Castellucci, Ted Nichelson, Brian Noel, Amy Wilkins, Maria Casale, Philip Young, Dorothy Victor, Elaine Murphy, Alfredo Rolando Ortiz.
See also: pictures from January membership meeting / parties: 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011