PRESS RELEASE
- Pro Arte Musical, Inc.
- Comunicaciones y Desarrollo
- Teléfono: (787) 722-3366 / (787) 436-3655
- Email: proarte@proartemusical.com
Impressionist evening among cobblestones
El retorno de Pro Arte Musical al icónico Teatro Alejandro Tapia y Rivera con el pianista Harry Aponte.
San Juan, Puerto Rico | October 15, 2025 – Pro Arte Musical will present Puerto Rican master pianist Harry Aponte and guests in the concert, Impressionist Evening Among Cobblestones, on Thursday, November 6, at 7:30 p.m. at the historic Alejandro Tapia y Rivera Theater in Old San Juan.
Nominated multiple times for Grammy Awards for his work as a music producer, Harry Aponte has forged an extensive career as a musician, arranger, and sound engineer, accompanying countless local and international artists. Although his career has been mainly linked to the performance of popular music, on this occasion he returns to his formative roots as a classical music performer, inspired by the iconic Tapia Theater and the impressionist repertoire.
“I have always been a classical pianist; my training is in classical music, but throughout my professional career, I have been called upon more as a musician, producer, or arranger in popular music projects,” explains Aponte. “However, I have never stopped playing the classical repertoire. That’s why, when Pro Arte Musical asked me to do a classical concert, I accepted immediately,” he said.
Harry Aponte began studying music at age 13 and studied at the Antonio Paoli Free School of Music in Caguas and the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in piano performance from the renowned Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. As a producer, he has been nominated for Grammy Awards in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, and 2015. Among his most notable productions are Busco un Pueblo (2011), Muy Personal (2009), and Yo Mismo (2009) by Víctor Manuelle, as well as the eponymous album Gilberto Santa Rosa (2012) by the renowned salsa singer.
As a performing musician, Harry Aponte has performed on major international stages such as Carnegie Hall and Madison Square Garden, and in more than 15 countries in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. He has collaborated with the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra and the Arturo Somohano Philharmonic, and for years has been a pianist in salsa and jazz orchestras, accompanying renowned international artists in their performances on the island.
On the influence of the Impressionist movement on music
Impressionism was a movement that emerged in France between the mid- and late 19th century, which sought to capture the momentary visual impression of light, atmosphere, and color—rather than capturing precise details—as a break with academic traditions. Painters such as Monet, Degas, and Renoir sought to capture these fleeting sensations of light and movement with brushstrokes that moved away from rigid contours to show vibrant and fluid atmospheres. This free spirit also resonated in music.
Musical impressionism flourished with Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel as its leading exponents. Like the painters of the time, they sought to create sound impressions of feelings and convey sensations beyond fixed structures. Thus, impressionist music sought to evoke images, emotions, and atmospheres by emphasizing timbre, orchestration, and harmonic color. It is distinguished by the use of free harmonies with extended chords and exotic scales, less defined melodies with fluid tempo, seeking the sensory pleasure of sound itself and drawing inspiration from nature.
Regarding the concert on Thursday, November 6, at the Tapia Theater, the pianist noted: “Pro Arte Musical has been an inspiration since my years as a student at the Libre de Música and the Conservatory. From a very young age, I attended the concerts of the great artists they presented. It has been a privilege for me to collaborate with such a prestigious organization, first as an accompanying musician and now as a soloist. I feel that they are part of my journey as an artist, and I hope that this concert will inspire new generations.”
The evening’s program will include works by Maurice Ravel, Claude Debussy, Camille Saint-Saëns, Sergei Rachmaninov, Aram Khachaturian, and Jules Massenet, evoking the spirit of musical impressionism with the colors, atmospheres, and free melodies that marked an era of artistic renewal. Master pianist Harry Aponte will be accompanied by young musicians:
Paula Lastra, violinist – Winner of the Robert I. Ferdman Award (2019) and featured in Pro Arte Musical’s 2020 New Virtuosos Series, she has established herself as one of the most promising young performers in the country. She began her studies at the age of three, training at the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music, Indiana University, and Arizona State University. She is currently a member of the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra and a teacher at the Suzuki Association and the Conservatory Preparatory School.
Diego Marrero, cellist – He holds a bachelor’s degree from the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music and a master’s degree from the University of California, Fresno. He has been a member of the Nightingale String Quartet and an adjunct professor at the University of Nevada, Reno. He has collaborated with the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra, the Arturo Somohano Philharmonic, and the Reno Philharmonic. He currently teaches at the University of the Virgin Islands in Saint Thomas and at the Puerto Rican School for Music, where he continues his commitment to music education and the training of a new generation of performing musicians.
Andrés Maldonado Feliciano, clarinetist – A native of San Juan, Andrés is the principal clarinetist of the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra. He studied at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and the Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya in Barcelona. He has been a soloist in Europe and America, a finalist in the Ghent International Competition, and a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. He currently promotes chamber music projects and Puerto Rican repertoire for clarinet.
For tickets to Impressionist Evening Among Cobblestones with pianist Harry Aponte and guests, visit the PRTicket.com online box office. Special-price tickets will be available for seniors over 65 and students at the Tapia Theater two hours before the performance. For more information, call (787) 722-3366 or write to proarte@proartemusical.com.
About Pro Arte Musical
Pro Arte Musical is the oldest non-profit cultural organization dedicated to the promotion and dissemination of classical music in Puerto Rico. Founded in 1932, with renowned pianist Elisa Tavárez as its first president, Pro Arte Musical has left an indelible mark on the cultural development of the country for 94 years, cultivating a taste for the classical repertoire and promoting access to chamber music, opera, and other classical genres, while contributing excellence to the cultural environment of Puerto Rico by presenting virtuoso exponents of jazz, world music, and dance in major concert halls. In addition, its mission extends to youth, offering scholarships and educational programs focused on their musical and artistic development. Visit our website: www.proartemusical.com.
Photos: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1XPLEZ9_SDNp8Ivnou0mPmhFV8ZViw6Uy?usp=sharing
Music: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Nr7CYNP_Mlsgpvx5tNxaNedcaGLDwkwJ/view?usp=sharing
Media contact:
- Claudia Aponte, Lic. R-20
- Public Relations
- Móvil: (787) 525-6713
