A Venezuelan Celebration!
About A Venezuelan Celebration!
Thursday, May 29 & Friday, May 30, 2025
7:00pm | Old Thompson Barn
Join us for the finale program of a sold-out inaugural season of the
Barn Music Series!
To celebrate the diverse cultures in our community, our season finale takes a deep dive into the soul of Venezuela with “Roots and Wings: A Venezuelan Celebration!” Featuring four extraordinary musicians from Venezuela who have interwoven their virtuosity into the music scenes of Boulder, Denver, Houston, and Miami, we bring you the authentic sounds and songs of Venezuela that will sweep you off your feet.
Seated Tickets: $40 | Standing/Dancing Tickets: $30
Youth 17 and under: Free
Kindly process a separate order for each ticket type you wish to purchase (seated, standing, and youth).
Venezuelan Music Ensemble:
Gonzalo Teppa
bass
Gonzalo Teppa is a highly accomplished jazz and classical bassist, composer, and educator. A two-time Latin Grammy nominee for "Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album" and "Best Latin Jazz Album" for his contributions to Linda Briceño's "Tiempo" and Luisito Quintero's "3rd Element," Teppa was also recognized by Downbeat Magazine as "Best Jazz Soloist" for three consecutive years (2004-2006) and received the "Best Jazz Soloist" award at the Greeley Jazz Festival in 2004 and 2005. His impressive performance history includes collaborations with renowned artists such as Wynton Marsalis, Jeff "Tain" Watts, Chris Potter, Tom Harrell, and Ron Miles, solidifying his reputation as a versatile and sought-after musician
Victor Mestas
piano
Victor Mestas was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela. He studied piano with Carmen Moleiro.
He has performed as a pianist, keyboardist and arranger for renowned bands including Guaco and Trabuco Venezolano. He has also worked with an array of world-renowned singers including Soledad Bravo, Cheo Feliciano and Julio Iglesias.
He represented Venezuela at the World Expo ‘92, in Seville, Spain, and in World Expo ‘98, in Lisbon, Portugal, and festivals in Brasilia, Buenos Aires, London, NYC, Havana, Bogotá, Cannes, Santiago and many more.
Victor teaches at CU Boulder Jazz Piano and conducts the Latin Jazz Ensemble. He is an endorsement artist for Yamaha keyboards in Venezuela.
Héctor Molina
cuatro
Héctor is an exceptional Venezuelan composer and accomplished cuatro and guitar player, holding a Bachelor of Music Degree in Composition from UNEARTE, showcasing his foundational musical training. A founding member of the Venezuelan music ensemble "Los Sinvergüenzas," he contributed to five of their recording productions, marking the beginning of his collaborative journey. However, his international recognition truly blossomed through his integral role in the innovative "C4 Trío" since its inception in 2005, a group that has recorded six albums and a DVD, earning significant critical acclaim and five Latin Grammy nominations (winning two) alongside two prestigious Grammy nominations, resulting in an extensive and demanding concert schedule across North, Central, and South America, as well as Europe. Demonstrating his individual compositional skill, Héctor's work "Suite Latinoamericana" for Plectrum Orchestra was awarded 2nd Prize in Spain in 2010, and he has further unveiled his unique artistic vision through his solo albums, "Giros" released in 2018, featuring collaborations with prominent Venezuelan musicians, and "Travesía" in 2022, a dedicated exploration of the solo cuatro, firmly establishing his multifaceted significance in contemporary Venezuelan music.
Manuel Rojas
flute
Manuel Rojas, a Venezuelan flutist born in Barquisimeto, began his musical studies in El Sistema, specializing in transverse flute at the Jacinto Lara, Vicente Emilio Sojo, and Simón Bolívar conservatories under maestros like José García. He honed his skills with teachers such as Jean Claude Gerard and Michael Hasel, earning his Music degree in 2012. Rojas has performed with renowned orchestras like the Simón Bolívar Symphony and recorded with artists like Jeff Berlín and Ensamble Gurrufío, which he joined in 2012. Representing Venezuela in countries like the USA, Japan, and Germany, he blends classical and Venezuelan folk music. As an educator, he has taught masterclasses worldwide and served as a jury member at the Villavicencio International Joropo Festival. He premiered works composed for him, such as Antonio Giménez Freitez’s “Vísperas.” Rojas has received honors like the “Maestro Antonio Carrillo” and “Barquisimeto City Button.” He is currently a flutist with The Houston Latin Phil, a flute professor in Houston, and released his tenth album, “Equipaje de Mano,” with the RojasTorrealba Duet.
From Gonzalo Teppa, program curator:
“Raíces y Alas” – A Tribute to Venezuela and Its People
In times of transition and uncertainty, music becomes a home for the heart. This concert is a tribute to the Venezuelan spirit—a celebration of our cultural roots and a message of hope for those building a new life far from home.
Through the rich diversity of Venezuelan music—from the soul of joropo and the rhythm of gaita, to the tenderness of merengue caraqueño and the driving pulse of Afro-Venezuelan traditions—we come together to reconnect with our identity, honor our heritage, and inspire one another.
Joined by the extraordinary talents of Manuel Rojas on flute, Victor Mestas on piano, Héctor Molina on cuatro, and Gonzalo Teppa on bass, we invite our community to share in this moment of joy, resilience, and unity.
This concert is for every Venezuelan carrying their homeland in their heart while paving a path forward for their children and future generations.
May the music remind us of where we come from, and give us the strength to keep moving toward where we are going—with dignity, love, and esperanza.
“Raíces y Alas” – Un Tributo a Venezuela y su Gente
En tiempos de transición e incertidumbre, la música se convierte en un refugio para el alma. Este concierto es un homenaje al espíritu venezolano—una celebración de nuestras raíces culturales y un mensaje de esperanza para quienes construyen una nueva vida lejos de casa.
A través de la diversidad de nuestra música—del alma del joropo y el ritmo de la gaita, a la ternura del merengue caraqueño y la fuerza de nuestras tradiciones afrovenezolanas—nos reencontramos con nuestra identidad, honramos nuestro origen y nos inspiramos mutuamente.
Acompañado por el talento de Manuel Rojas en la flauta, Víctor Mestas en el piano, Gonzalo Teppa en el bajo y Héctor Molina en el cuatro, les invitamos a compartir un momento de alegría, resiliencia y unión.
Este concierto es para cada venezolano que lleva a su país en el corazón mientras abre camino hacia el futuro por sus hijos y generaciones por venir.
Que la música nos recuerde de dónde venimos y nos dé la fuerza para seguir adelante—con dignidad, amor y esperanza.
BenFeng Music Productions
Team
MinTze Wu | Executive & Artistic Director
Jem Moore | Media Production
Adelaide Moore | Stage Manager
Elizabeth Winn | Publicity & Design
Board
Janet Braccio
Sharon Caulfield
Amy Kimberly
A Venezuelan Celebration! is generously supported by Carbondale Arts and Aspen Snowmass Sotheby’s International Realty.
