News

Gabriel Cabezas Premiers Orchestral Work
March 26, 2007

Violoncellist Gabriel Cabezas, 14 years old, added the premiere of his first orchestral work entitled “March” by The Northbrook Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Lawrence Rapchak to his impressive list of musical accomplishments. The young composer and award-winning musician entered The Northbrook Symphony Orchestra’s composition competition with his energetic and vigorous Latin-style march with which he won the first prize. “If (Brazilian composer Heitor) Villa-Lobos had a martial style, it would sound like his piece,” Maestro Rapchak remarked about Cabezas’ orchestral composition. The piece premiered as part of The Northbrook Symphony Orchestra’s “March for Madness” Concert on March 25, 2007 at The Sheely Center for the Performing Arts in Northbrook, Illinois.

On the same date as the world premiere of “March,” Cabezas performed as cello soloist in Karl Jenkins’ “The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace” with Kirsten Kunkle, soprano; Leah Dexter, mezzo-soprano; Jose Garcia, tenor; David Vaughn, baritone; Mohammed Al-Saadi, muezzin; Elijah Rhodenhiser, boy soprano; The Rackham Symphony Choir; The Birmingham-Groves Evergreen Singers Choir; The Mosaic Singers; and The Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings Ensemble under the direction of Maestra Suzanne Mallare Acton. “The Armed Man: A Concert for Peace” not only featured Karl Jenkins’ famous oratorio, but also the premiere of “The Armed Boy,” an original film written and directed by Robert Cucuzza. The concert took place at The Ford Community and Performing Arts Center in Detroit, Michigan.

Cabezas studies under the tutelage of Professor Hans Jørgen Jensen and Violoncellist Ji-Hee Kim of Northwestern University and Meadowmount School of Music, attends The Academy of The Music Institute of Chicago, studies music composition with Dr. Matthew Hagle of The Music Institute of Chicago, and is a freshman at the New Trier Township High School.