Event Joins Hay Festival and Ibero-American Theater Festival for this Honor

BOGOTA, COLOMBIA – The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fernando Araujo Perdomo, has announced that The Cartagena International Music Festival is officially recognized as one of the three leading cultural events in the country, joining the Hay Festival and the Ibero-American Theater Festival for this honor.

“The support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is extremely meaningful to us,” says Julia Salvi, festival president and president of Salvi Foundation Colombia. “It is an important endorsement of our efforts for which we are very proud. It further validates our commitment to support and further enrich the cultural life of the country – most importantly, our efforts to expand educational music opportunities for gifted and talented young Colombian musicians of all ages.

Through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the festival will now be able to share information on the weeklong event directly with the 42 diplomatic missions represented in Colombia and with the Colombian diplomatic missions abroad.

To date, generous support for the 2008 festival has been provided by the Missions of Austria, Brazil, Italy, France, Germany and Spain. Donations from these countries have helped to cover artist fees, international airfare and lodging (for individual artists) and for masterclasses designed to expand educational opportunities for teachers and young Colombian music students.

“Collaborating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will enable us to strengthen the image of the festival internationally and enable us to pursue long-term financial support which will ensure the future of this event,” says Salvi.

Roster of International Artists Performing in the 2008 Cartagena International Festival of Music

United States
Maestro Charles Wadsworth, pianist and Artistic Director of the Festival.
Stephen Prutsman, pianist and Associate Director of the Festival
Paula Robison, flute
Wendy Chen, piano
Todd Palmer, clarinet
St. Lawrence String Quartet
Livia Sohn, violin

Finland
Elina Vahala, violin

Colombia
Angélica Gámez, violin

Chile
Andrés Diaz, cello

Spain
José Franch-Ballester, clarinet

France
Jean –Yves Thibaudet, piano

United Kingdom
Catrin Finch, harp

Brazil
Romero Lubambo, guitar
Cyro Baptista, percussion

Taiwan
Hsin- Yun Huang, viola

Canada
I Musici de Montreal, orchestra

Russia
Yuli Turovsky, conductor, I Musici de Montreal, orchestra.

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