The energetic Duo del Sol, composed of guitarist Tom Farrell and violinist Javier Orman, brought an eclectic and energetic mix of American and Latin American hits to audiences at the Ralph E. Vavak Memorial Auditorium at Montezuma-Cortez High School.
During the two concerts, the duo performed selections of classical music, jazz, TV themes, the Beatles, Gershwin, many originals and tangos. Orman, who was raised in Uruguay, seemed born to the tangos, and they were exceptional. Farrell, on the other hand, showed his Chicago roots, bringing a mix of American styles of music.
The two musicians, soon to be called “KOZM,” got their evening concert on Nov. 7 off and running with the first song, drawing hoots, hollers and whistles from the Cortez crowd. The energy of the Duo stayed intact throughout the next two hours. This concert was their first for Allied Concert Services in a tour that will move on to the Midwest for several additional performances.
The morning concert on Tuesday, Nov. 8 was set up to be a performance/master class, made for students from M-CHS, Cortez Middle School and the Montessori School in attendance. Needless to say, the energy and attention given to the performers by the students was marvelous. Students were silently riveted as Orman and Farrell displayed their masterful musicianship. After a brief concert, the artists welcomed several questions from the students about their skills on various instruments, and answered each of them. Orman confessed to one student that the most difficult piece he has played was the “Violin Concerto by Sibelius.” And when students got a little personal, they were pleased to hear that Farrell is married to a professional classical violinist and Orman is married to a professional opera singer.
Students also learned that being classically trained doesn’t mean you necessarily perform in the world of classical music, but that it can open doors to perform whatever one chooses.
Often it is the smaller groups that must work the hardest to keep energy happening for an audience, and this certainly was the case with Duo del Sol.
The concert was the second of the 2016-17 season for SouthWest Colorado Concerts.