THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 2, 1996 TAG: 9610020028
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY CRAIG SHAPIRO, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 105 lines
JORGE AGUIRRE describes himself as a believer in the beauty of concepts, like the power of music to not only enlighten and enthrall, but to bring people together.
The gifted violinist, a member of the Virginia Symphony and Virginia Opera orchestra, an instructor at Old Dominion and Christopher Newport universities, conductor with the Bay Youth Orchestra, gives that concept a test run Thursday night at Virginia Wesleyan College.
Aguirre, Sam Dorsey, founder of the Tidewater Classic Guitar Society, and symphony cellist Carter Melin will present a program of Hispanic classical music as part of VWC's ``Familiar Faces'' series.
In the broader scheme, it's the first program sponsored by Sociedad Artistica y Cultural Hispana, an organization founded last spring by Aguirre and Professors Mavel Velasco and Rene Perez-Lopez of Wesleyan and Olga Lucia O'Hearn of Norfolk State.
Taking in the music of Puerto Rico, Argentina, Spain, Paraguay and the United States, the recital is indicative of the society's mission - to expose Anglos and Latinos to the diversity of the culture. Aguirre, born in Lima, Peru; Velasco, a native Bolivian; Perez-Lopez, from Cuba, and O'Hearn, from Colombia, have already shown that the common good knows no ethnic boundaries.
The recital coincides with Hispanic Heritage Month, Sept. 15-Oct. 15.
``How to put it? When you are Anglo, what's the first impression you have when someone says `Latino'?'' Aguirre asked. ``Illegal alien. Selling drugs. Basically, it's not a good image. Being in this community, we want to show the other side of the coin that any nationality has, not just Latinos.
``It's also a very personal thing to me, an introduction to what classical music is all about. It's music that can be understood and enjoyed in a relaxed way.''
Aguirre estimates that there are 40,000 to 50,000 Spanish-speaking people living in Hampton Roads. The society hopes to bring in speakers, sponsor a bilingual theatrical production and hold a pot-luck dinner where people can simply share ideas.
``We want to have the Latino community closer to each other and educate the children so they can remember their roots,'' he said. ``We feel very strongly about that. When you come to the United States, it's important to remember where you are. But you can't forget your roots.
``By educating our own people, not just Anglos, we can be closer to our Latin American brothers and give to the community.''
Aguirre, 38, was born into a musical family. His late father was a violist with the Peruvian National Symphony and later its conductor. Everyone on his mother's side were musicians.
``I seemed to have a sense that I had to be a musician. It was my destiny,'' said Aguirre, who lives with his wife Sherie Lake Aguirre, the symphony's principal oboist, and their 5-year-old son, Daniel, near Norfolk's Wards Corner.
Not that he heeded the call right away. As a boy, most of his time was devoted to soccer. One day, his mother informed him that duty called.
``She said I was outside way too long and that I had to play an instrument,'' he recalled. ``I was almost 13, and like most young teenagers, I didn't think it was a cool thing to do.
``In our house, we had pianos, cellos, violins, violas.''
Aguirre, though, smitten by Khachaturian's ``Saber Dance,'' told his mother he wanted to play trombone. The violin won out. ``I guess I learned fast. By the time I was 15 or 16, I realized it was my love.''
He received a scholarship to study in Mexico, later performing with orchestras there and in Italy. He met his wife in Madrid, where he was principal violin with the Madrid Symphony.
In the States, Aguirre played in the South Florida Symphony, the Miami Chamber Orchestra and the Detroit-based New American Chamber Orchestra. He came north when Sherie was hired by the Virginia Symphony.
``I like to teach,'' Aguirre said in his heavily accented English. ``I educate my students not just to be professional musicians, but to feel the love in what classical music is all about. When a student 14 or 15 tells me she loves that passage in Debussy or Mozart, it gives me goosebumps.
``It seems we're not giving classical music a chance, not just in the Hispanic community in the area, but the community in general.''
Which brings Aguirre back to his current project.
``Every dancer, musician, singer and performer,'' he said, ``every artist is a missionary to make a stronger cultural community.
``I want Daniel to be proud of his roots. I'm not doing this for recognition, I'm doing it for values. A community that has moral values and is educated is a stronger community.'' ILLUSTRATION: MARTIN SMITH-RODDEN/The Virginian-Pilot
Guitarist Sam Dorsey, left, cellist Carter Melin and violinist Jorge
Aguirre will present a program of Hispanic classical music.
Graphic
CONCERT FACTS
What: Hispanic Cultural Music concert, with violinist Jorge Aguirre,
guitarist Sam Dorsey and cellist Carter Melin; sponsored by Sociedad
Artistica y Cultural Hispana
When: 8 p.m. Thursday
Where: Hofheimer Theater, Virginia Wesleyan College,
Suggested donation: $10
Information: 455-3200 by CNB