Dr. Alfredo Rolando Ortiz Workshop and concert

Internationally acclaimed by the critics, renowned soloist of the "arpa paraguaya" (Paraguayan harp), composer, author, educator and recording artist, Alfredo Rolando Ortiz considers his "most important concerts" PLAYING THE HARP IN THE DELIVERY ROOM during the birth of his second daughter, New Year's Eve, 1980, and also for the birth of a grandson from each one of his two daughters. 

Alfredo was born in Cuba. When he was eleven years old he immigrated with his family to Venezuela. Four years later he began studying the Venezuelan folk harp with his school friend Fernando Guerrero. A year later he became a pupil of Alberto Romero on the Paraguayan harp. Just two years after his first harp lesson, he began medical school at Universidad de Antioquia in Medellín, Colombia, began performing professionally and recorded his first album. Music supported his medical studies until graduation. Five years later he moved to the United States to continue studies of Music Therapy. Two years later he married Luz Marina Otero. For eight years from the time of his graduation from medical school, he worked in the medical field as well as continuing as a harpist and recording artist, until his wife became pregnant. In order to have time for his growing family, he then decided to dedicate his life only to them and to his first love: the harp. 

With a multicultural repertoire that covers folk, classical and popular music from many countries, as well as his original compositions, Alfredo has performed for audiences of all ages and backgrounds. He has recorded many albums and is the winner of a GOLD RECORD in South America. He has lectured on a variety of subjects at universities, colleges, harp conventions and harp festivals, is the author of several harp music books and articles and his compositions have been performed and recorded by pedal, lever and folk harpists around the world. 

His acclaimed “South American Suite for Harp and Orchestra” premiered March 3, 1996. Dr Ortiz was invited to perform his Suite at the World Harp Congress in Prague, Czech Republic, in 1999, with the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra. He has also performed his Suite in Venezuela, Guatemala, Brazil, Turkey, New Zealand, Israel and with several orchestras in the United States, among them the New Mexico Symphony, Corona Symphony Orchestra, and the El Paso Symphony. With this last orchestra he recorded his Suite, available in CD. (See Concerts with Orchestra  for more information)