Con Amore: Of Strings and Song

Tenor

Yovanni Catalán Vázquez

Mexican tenor Yovanni Catalán Vázquez continues to solidify his presence on the international operatic stage. His artistic milestones include standout performances as Alfredo in La Traviata and Nemorino in L'elisir d'amore at the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City (2019).

Catalán Vázquez is an alumnus and scholarship recipient of the SIVAM Opera Workshop (International Society of Mexican Art Values). He is also a distinguished recipient of the Plácido Domingo Scholarship, which supported his advanced training with world-renowned mentors including Joan Dornemann (Metropolitan Opera), Cesar Ulloa (San Francisco Conservatory of Music), and other esteemed teachers. His artistic development includes a summer at Dolora Zajick's Institute for Young Dramatic Voices, as well as an apprenticeship under Corradina Caporello of the Juilliard Vocal Arts faculty.

Throughout his career, Catalán Vázquez has been recognized with several significant honors, among them the Distinction for National Culture from the Office of the Presidency of the Republic of Mexico and the Order for Mexican Education, awarded by the Secretariat of Culture of Mexico.

Violin

Luis Eduardo Vivas

Luis Eduardo Vivas is a Venezuelan violinist, violist, and conductor based in Chicago. He is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Music in Classical Violin Performance at Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts, following previous studies at Trinity College London.

An active orchestral and chamber musician, Vivas performs with the West Michigan Symphony Orchestra, Magellan Chamber Orchestra, Northbrook Symphony Orchestra, and several ensembles at the Chicago College of Performing Arts. His musical career has taken him from Venezuela to the United States, with performances and artistic collaborations spanning symphonic, chamber, contemporary, and Latin American repertoire.

As a soloist, he has appeared with the CCPA String Ensemble and has served as Artist in Residence with the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra and the Aragua Symphony Orchestra. His background also includes extensive work with Venezuela’s orchestral tradition, including the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra and the Youth Orchestra of Maracay.

In addition to his work as a violinist, Vivas is an emerging conductor, having led ensembles including the CCPA Contemporary Ensemble, CCPA Chamber Orchestra, Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra, and CCPA Symphony Orchestra. He is also dedicated to music education, maintaining an active teaching career in the Chicago area.