Aristides Rivas

Aristides Rivas

Aristides Rivas

Adjunct Faculty Member
Office:
Rm 405

Expertise

Cello, Cello Ensemble

Biosketch

Aristides Rivas is becoming one of the most versatile cellists nowadays. While trained and fully active as a classical musician, Rivas is also part of projects in the styles of jazz, folk, and world music, among others. Rivas’ education includes a Bachelor in Music from Baylor University in Texas, and a Master in Music from the New England Conservatory of Music. He has won prizes at competitions such as the San Antonio Tuesday Music Competition in Texas, Sphinx Competition, and the Baylor University Concerto Competition.  His orchestral experience starts at age fourteen, when he became the principal cello of the Los Llano Symphony Orchestra in Venezuela. Other orchestral positions includes performances at the Pacific Music Festival in Japan, the Youth Orchestra of the Americas, and another principal cello position at the Waco Symphony Orchestra, during his years as a college student. Rivas performs and teaches at a variety of groups and organizations in Venezuela, Spain, and USA, including the Boston Philharmonic, Boston Ballet, A Far Cry Chamber Orchestra, among others. He also holds solo recitals and participates in chamber music events, performing some of the greatest works in the classical repertoire. He has performed numerous times with multiple Grammy award-winner Paquito D’Rivera, one of the living legends in Latin Jazz. In the summer of 2008 he joined the up and coming world renown jazz guitarist Julian Lage for the recording of his first album Sounding Point, which was nominated for a Grammy for the 2010 awards. Following the recording the Julian Lage Group began a series of tours locally and internationally and currently receives enthusiasm by the critics and the audiences. Another great project that Rivas is involved is the Voci Angelica Trio, formed by Meena Malik (voice), Jodi Hitzhusen (voice/piano), and Rivas on cello. The trio performs locally and it specializes on a diverse compilation of folk songs from around the world, especially arranged for this group. Rivas teaching activities includes chamber music, cello sectionals, high school orchestra conducting, and cello lessons through institutions such as the New England Conservatory Prep Division and Project STEP, among others. Rivas is also an adjunct Faculty at UMass Lowell where he teaches applied cello and conducts the cello ensemble. In his experience as a cellist, he has performed in some of the most prestigious halls and venues in the world, including the Teresa Carreño in Venezuela, Teatro Colon in Argentina, National Theatre in Spain, Caramoor Music Festival in Katonah, New York, Carnegie Hall in New York, Kennedy Center in Washington DC, Sapporo Concert Hall in Japan, Symphony Hall in Boston, and the Montreal Jazz Festival. Among his most significant mentors and teachers are Roberto Zambrano, Gary Hardie, Natasha Brofsky, Marylou Speaker-Churchill, Mihail Jojatu, and Bernard Greenhouse.