2/6/2010 9:59:00 PM Harpist returns to Prescott for benefit
Courtesy photo "I wanted to give back to this community that is very dear to me," said Alfredo Rolando Ortiz, who brings his harp to the YC campus this Thursday.
Acclaimed harpist Alfredo Rolando Ortiz will bring his unique repertoire to town Feb. 11 in a special Valentine's Day performance to benefit Prescott Meals on Wheels.
The celebration begins at 7 p.m. at the Rowle P. Simmons Community Center and promises "a romantic evening with a champagne and sweets reception" after Ortiz plays his music.
Ortiz has performed worldwide on the Paraguayan harp and accepted an invitation to compose a piece that premiered in 2007 during the 10th World Harp Congress in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Originally composed for four harps or harp ensemble, 232 harpists performed the piece, breaking the Guinness World Record of the largest harp ensemble to date.
Ortiz's multicultural repertoire covers folk, classical and popular music from many countries, as well as his original compositions. He has recorded more than 40 albums, and his "Venezolana for Five Pedal Harps" has become a favorite of harp ensembles around the world.
A native of Cuba, Ortiz migrated as a child to Venezuela with his family. Four years later he began his studies of the Venezuelan folk harp and, a few years after that, he began his studies in medical school in Colombia. After practicing in the medical field for eight years, he returned to his first love - the harp.
Ortiz, who now lives in Corona, Calif., has personal ties to Prescott. His uncle, Dr. Edmundo Yrigoyen, used to work at the Prescott VA Medical Center, where he lived with his wife and two children more than 40 years ago. His sister, Diana, celebrated her 17th birthday in Prescott in the late 1960s while visiting the Yrigoyen family. Ortiz, whose music can be heard online at aroymusic.com, has been performing in Prescott from time to time for more than 20 years.
"Considering the difficult economic times and knowing the large population of seniors in the area, I thought of donating a concert to Meals on Wheels to help them during this challenging time," Ortiz said in an e-mail. "I wanted to give back to this community that is very dear to me. I hope the community will come and have fun with favorite melodies and surprises and at the same time, help the local Meals on Wheels program."
This past year, Prescott Meals on Wheels delivered 45,000 meals to older homebound residents and served another 20,000 in its dining room in the community center, said Pam Hanno, director.
Prescott Meals on Wheels does more than just provide a nutritious repast for people, said Vicky O'Hara, vice president of the organization's board and chair of the benefit.
"We may be their only human contact once a day," she said of the program's recipients who are confined to their homes. "It's something they look forward to each day."
Two particular homebound seniors who look forward to Meals on Wheels each day sent notes to Meals on Wheels expressing their thanks.
One said, "A big thank-you to everyone who makes Meals on Wheels such a wonderful operation. You made it possible for me to remain at home after surgery."
Said the other, "Thanks for the nice meals you bring me. Also, thanks to the wonderful volunteers who bring them. They are always so cheerful, and they brighten my day."
Since government financing amounts to just 30 percent of the costs to operate Meals on Wheels, the remainder must come from recipients who can donate and the community, O'Hara pointed out. "We work all on donations."
Special events such as the Ortiz concert "keep us operating," she added.
Tickets for the benefit are $20 each. People may buy tickets from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. by calling 445-7630 or at the door, depending on availability.
