CAMERATA PANAMÁ
The appearance of the Camerata Panama in the Panamanian music scene has marked a milestone in the cultural life of the city, confirming the country’s musical growth. Composed by Panamanian and foreign musicians, Camerata Panamá is dedicated to the study and dissemination of the string repertoire, from the baroque to the 21st century.
Founded in November 2012, by Venezuelan maestro Víctor Mata, it has been presented with great success in various stages of the capital city and the interior. In 2014 Camerata Panama inaugurated the Saint Malo Festival, in homage to the Panamanian composer Fermin Castañeda and also participated in the Centennial Gala of the Panama Canal at Figali Convention Center, being the only classical music orchestra of the event. Since 2015 he has participated uninterruptedly in the Saint Malo Festival.
In March 2017 he had the first guest conductor, the teacher Albert Bade, director of the Miami Dade College Symphony Orchestra. In June of 2017 they presented the Four Seasons of Vivaldi, in its integral version, for the first time in Panama, with the maestro Efrain Lara as soloist and in July following the Four Seasons of Astor Piazzolla, also in an integral version, for the first time in Panama, the maestro Eddy Marcano acting as a violin soloist. In 2018 the International Concert stands out, at the Teatro La Plaza, for the 10th anniversary of Guataca Nights.
Víctor Mata
Venezuelan Director, founding member of “El Sistema” (Youth and Children’s Orchestras of Venezuela). He is currently the Head of the Music Department and Director of the Orchestra and Choir of the Isaac Rabin School in Panama, Artistic Director and Founder of the Chamber Orchestra. Camerata Panama.
Mata is a collaborator and advisor to the National Concert Association, the Opera Foundation of Panama and the Polyphonic Choir of Panama. Student of José Antonio Abreu (Founder of “El Sistema”), Alfredo Rugeles (Artistic Director of the Simón Bolívar Orchestra of Venezuela), Rodolfo Saglimbeni (Director of the Municipal Symphony Orchestra of Caracas), at the “Simón Bolívar” Conservatory, and the University Institute of Musical Studies (IUDEM) and George Hurst (+), in The Canford Summer School of Music (England).
In 1993 he received the End of Studies Diploma in Orchestral Direction from the Inter-American Council of Musical Studies (CIDEM), an institution sponsored by the OAS.
He has acted as Guest Director at the head of the most important Symphony Orchestras of Venezuela, among them the Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra, the National Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orquesta Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho, Chamber Orchestra of the University of Carabobo and almost all the provincial orchestras of your country.
He made his debut as an opera director directing the opera “La Médium”, by Giancarlo Menotti, during the Caracas Theater Festival of the year 2000; In December 2005 he directed the world premiere of the comic opera “The Day of the Innocents”, by Venezuelan composer Cesar Guillen, in September 2006 and April 2007 he directed the opera “Las Bodas de Fígaro” by WA Mozart, in January and June 2008 he directed the opera “Cavalleria Rusticana”, in April 2009 he directed the opera “Gianni Schicchi” and in July 2011 he directed the world premiere of the opera “El Quijote Cuerdo” by César Guillén.
In November 2012, as a group of Panamanian and Venezuelan musicians, he founded the Camerata Panama string orchestra, with which he performed in the most important venues in Panama City and in the interior of the country.
As a violinist he has performed in Curaçao, Colombia, England, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Panama and in the prestigious Mozarteum of Salzburg.
He was the Conductor of the “La Rinconada” Children’s Symphonic Orchestra “Núcleo” between 1987 and 1989, of the “José María Vargas” Youth Symphony Orchestra between 1989 and 1993, of the San Luis Rey de Cura Philharmonic Orchestra, between 1994 and 2005. of the “Haydn” and “Vivaldi” Orchestras of the Emil Friedman College of Caracas between 2000 and 2011.