Freddy Cadena

Freddy Cadena (born 1963) is an Ecuadorian orchestra conductor, a resident of Russia. From 2000 to 2006 he worked as a teacher in the Tchaikovsky Conservatory of Moscow. He is the founder of the Amadeus Chamber Orchestra ^[1] from Moscow Composer's Union, and its conductor since 1995.

Studies and early career

He began his musical studies at the Quito National Conservatory. In 1988, after his first performances as a conductor, he entered the Tchaikovsky Conservatory of Moscow studying at the Faculty of Symphony and Opera Conduction. In Moscow, he took part in the master classes given by the German Helmuth Rilling, and he was also invited by the Internationale Bachakademie Stuttgart and the European festivals in Spain and Germany, where he conducted the Bach-Collegium Stuttgart orchestra and the Gächinger Kantorei. In 1994 he finished his studies at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory, obtaining a diploma with Summa cum laude. In his performances as a student and after his recent graduation, he has emphasized his innate qualities: real musicality and respectful contact, as well as exacting discipline over the musicians ^[2]

Opera and symphony orchestra conductor

Freddy Cadena has worked with the Opera Studio Orchestra of the Moscow Conservatory (operas such as Don Giovanni by Mozart, La Traviata by G. Verdi, etc.); the Defense Department Orchestra and the Yurlov State Academy Capella (A German Requiem by J. Brahms and Mass of Glory by G. Puccini), and the choir "Spiritual Renaissance" from the Shnitke Institute, etc. Moreover, he has collaborated with the Aragon Symphony Band, among others. "...Freddy Cadena has left an unforgettable impression..." ^[3] His performances have taken place at important concert halls of Moscow and abroad. He has accompanied Russian artists such as Irina Arkhipova and Vladimir Krainev.

Some aspects of his career

From 1992 to 2000 he was invited to give lessons in conducting, in summer courses in several regions of Aragón, Spain. Since 1994, he participated in the Moscow Autumn International Contemporary Music Festival, in which he performed a lot of premiere works by contemporary Russian and foreign composers. He has also participated in other festivals like: Russian Music Scene, Glinka International Festival in Smolensk, Japan's Sou in Japan, Ibero American Culture Festival (commemory concert for the Ecuadoran composer Luis Humberto Salgado's centenary) and others. From 2000 to 2006 he worked at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory of Moscow as a conductor and master at the Opera Chair of the institution, becoming the first foreign teacher who gave lessons there.

Since 2005 he has been invited to conduct the Satire Theatre Orchestra of Moscow, the shows: Andriusha, We still laugh, Krechinsky wedding, Levsha, Liberty for love.^[4] Currently he collaborates with the Spanish publishing house Periferia Sheet Music, being its representative ^[5] in the Russian Federation.

He is the creator and conductor assigned to the Amadeus Chamber Orchestra, from the Composers Union of Moscow, since its foundation in 1995. This group has made recordings, tours and concerts throughout Russia, Spain, Belgium, France, etc. In 1998 he participated in the First international festival of pulsed string with his orchestra in Asturias (Spain).

He has performed more than 150 world premieres of works from Russian, European, Japanese, North American and Latin American composers with his Amadeus Chamber Orchestra.

He has participated as an invited conductor in the three more important orchestras in Ecuador: National Symphony Orchestra, Guayaquil Symphony Orchestra and Cuenca Symphony Orchestra. "...A professional with a lot of strength …" ^[6]

Appraisal, comments, and honors

"...His passionate nature, delicate taste, on-stage charm, and the magic of his gesture brought the success of this night to the young conductor Freddy Cadena "^[7]

"Mozart is the best evidence for the quality of a musician, and the soloists ensemble of the Defense Department Orchestra, conducted by Freddy Cadena’s baton, unquestionably proved this quality."^[8]

Because of his active participation and contribution in the prestigious Moscow Autumn International Contemporary Music Festival, the maestro Freddy Cadena was awarded the Gold Medal together with famous Russian Artists as Genady Rozhdestvensky, Valery Poliansky, Vladimir Ponkink and Vladimir Fedoseev. Moscow, 2008.

References