FERNANDA GUTIERREZ
Fernanda joined the Bolivia Clasica Foundation music program at age six, a child in whom we discovered an extraordinary ability to capture and process information so quickly that it made one’s head spin. As our mission at Bolivia Clasica is to identify and support Bolivian artistic talent, Fernanda was given a full scholarship for violin and piano studies, while also participating in a weekly theatre workshop. It was there that we were able to spot her remarkable acting abilities, which later prompted us to put Fernanda forward for the main role in CIELO, a British-Bolivian film production. She not only got the part but has since won accolades worldwide for her performance. Fernanda is also academically outstanding, curious and hardworking. Despite skipping a grade at her local school, she still felt unchallenged, and this prompted Bolivia Clásica to raise funds to allow her to join the Colegio Franco-Boliviano in 2024. One year in, she had learned French and was top of her class.
MARCO PEREZ
Marco joined Bolivia Clásica at age thirteen, when he began working intensively with pianist Ana-Maria Vera for over a year. Highly motivated and gifted, both musically and academically, he continued to be involved in Bolivia Clásica’s activities over the following years, performing chamber music, as soloist with the Bolivia Clásica Chamber Orchestra, and much more. In 2015 and 2016, nominated by Bolivia Clásica, Marco was invited on scholarship to the Hamptons Music Sessions and the International Music Sessions summer courses in New York. When it became clear that his outstanding talent required him to move abroad in the long term, Bolivia Clásica helped him consolidate a full scholarship for him to study at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where Marco and fellow Bolivia Clásica alum Gabriel Bilbao were the first Bolivian musicians to be accepted as undergraduates. Marco is currently based in London, where he is pursuing a performing career, and plans to embark on a Master’s Degree focused on the research of Bolivian music. He has become an integral part of the Bolivia Clasica leadership team, bringing unique and valuable insights to the development process.
GABRIEL BILBAO
Gabriel joined Bolivia Clásica at age 14 as a pupil of Armando Vera. He had moved from Tarija to El Alto, and became part of an exodus of young violinists seeking a better way, traveling to Bolivia Clásica headquarters in La Paz several times a week to access the best training available. He worked closely with musicians such as Katharine Gowers and Jaime Laredo, and became an integral part of the Bolivia Clásica youth orchestra. Encouraged to aim high, he was the first Bolivian musician to be accepted to the Verbier Festival summer academy, and a few short years later, to the Royal Academy of Music in London where Bolivia Clásica helped him consolidate a full scholarship, enabling him to take advantage of this enormous opportunity. He has since earned his Master’s and embarked on a busy career as a chamber and orchestral musician, performing with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. Gabriel is also heavily involved in outreach, mentoring younger Bolivian musicians and teaching them online, with fantastic results.
LUCAS VISCARRA
While Ana-Maria Vera was living in La Paz and launching Bolivia Clasica, 12-year-old Lucas Viscarra was brought to her attention as an outstanding musical talent who had long outgrown his local teachers. He was instantly brought into the fold, where he was able to work closely with invited clarinettists such as Camila Barrientos and Matthew Hunt, and gave memorable performances at several Bolivia Clásica Festivals, both as a member of their chamber orchestra and as soloist. As Lucas came of age, we reached out to friends and colleagues in Europe including the renowned French clarinettist Patrick Messina, who unconditionally accepted Lucas as his pupil, recommending him for a full scholarship at the École Normale de Musique de Paris. After graduating with honours, Lucas went on to study with Romain Guyot and Antonie Marguier at the Haute Ecole de Musique de Genève where he received his Master’s Degree in Orchestra Performance. Lucas has continued to go from strength to strength, participating in numerous international festivals as soloist, as a member of the Schleswig-Holstein Festival Orchestra, and was recently awarded a coveted solo clarinet position at the Danish Philharmonic Orchestra.
ANDRES MOSTAJO
Andres was accepted into the Bolivia Clásica music programme in 2013, where he was part of the chamber orchestra and received lessons from Alexander Lapich. He was able to work closely with the many wonderful guest artists and conductors who travelled to Bolivia over the years, demonstrating immense promise and dedication. Subsequently, with the support of Bolivia Clásica and thanks to a full scholarship awarded by Iberacademy, he continued his training at EAFIT University in Medellín under the direction of maestro Santiago Medina. During his stay in Colombia, he joined the Iberacademy Orchestra, with which he participated in various tours and performances in renowned theatres in Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and the United States. Andres was invited to participate in New World Symphony workshops and performances in Miami on two separate occasions. He has performed in countries such as Chile and Mexico, broadening his international artistic experience, and received pedagogical training from Iberacademy alongside renowned violinist Guillaume Pasch. Andres has also done meaningful teaching work as a direct result of the partnership between Bolivia Clásica and Iberacademy, working with music students and projects across Bolivia.
CARLOS LAZARTE
We discovered Carlos when visiting the Clave Sol social music program for the first time, back in 2011. His natural talent was evident, as was the fact that he required better teaching. Carlos has therefore been a member of Bolivia Clásica from its inception, joining our string quartet program in 2012 and taking lessons with invited teachers such as Eric Hosler, Katharine Gowers, Marie-Francoise-Pallot, Thomas Gould and many others over the years, in addition to studying with Alexander Lapich, Armando Vera and Gabriel Bilbao. All this has led Carlos to become one of the most accomplished violinists, and more recently, to be accepted to study with Arisa Fujita at The Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, The Netherlands. The Bolivia Clásica Foundation raised the funds to make this possible, and we are very proud to see Carlos in his element and thriving.
Carlos and Kathy Gowers in El Alto in 2011.