Carlos Acuña, dancer
	This very talented dancer was born in Colombia, where he trained at the Classical Ballet School.  He performed in and produced many dance shows including the 1992 REVISTANGO, a musical homage to Astor Piazzolla. In Spain, Carlos danced with the Hot Bodies Dance Company and after moving to the United States, he performed with the Houston Ballet, Ballet Hispanico of New York, and the National Theater Group. This year, Carlos won first place in a widely-televised dance contest on UNIVISION’s El Show de Don Francisco.   In 1995, he turned his focus to Argentine Tango, training with Nito & Elba, Carlos Gavito, Paul Peliccoro, and Angel Garcia.  He represented New York in the Avignon, France dance festival. In New York, he performed in STARS OF BROADWAY, and BROADWAY GALA. In 2000, Carlos came to Washington, DC to dance in a performance celebrating Hispanic Heritage month.  In 2001, he returned to his early dance passion for folkloric music, and performed with the Ballet Mestizo for the world premiere of COLOMBIA: Our Heritage, at the Thalia Spanish Theater in New York, and then also at the Thalia in 2003 for Folkloric Fantasy Two.

Julio César Almeida López, guitar
	Julio Almeida is a critically acclaimed and internationally respected guitar soloist and chamber musician. The German newspaper Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger described the Ecuadorian musician, a long-time resident of Cologne, as "a first-class guitarist". His recitals throughout Europe, North America and South America have been enthusiastically recieved by the public and the international press alike.   His frequent performances as a soloist and in chamber music collaborations have taken place in prestigious concert halls such as the Beethoven Hall of Bonn, the Chiesa della Pontificia di Sant' Anna in the Vatican, the Basilica de Lourdes in France, the Marble Hall of the Hungarian National Radio in Budapest, the Concert Hall of V. V. Mayakovskiy National Museum in Moscow, the Teatro Colón of Buenos Aires, the Sala Figari, Palacio Santos in Montevideo, the Teatro Prometeo in Quito, the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., and Hepburn Hall in New Jersey, among others.   His discography includes two solo albums and a disc of music for violin and guitar with Duo Paganini. He has made various recordings for radio and television in partnership with broadcasters such as WDR (West German Radio), SFB (Radio Berlin), Radio Bartók of Budapest, National Radio of Buenos Aires, and Sí TV of Ecuador.   Almeida has won prizes in several national and international competitions, including: 1982    First prize in the National Competition for Classical Guitar in Quito/Ecuador 1996    Third prize in the Competition for the Scholarship for Cultural Promotion, given by the   Association of Business and Industry, Münster/Germany 1998    Second prize in the Chamber Music Competition of Wuppertal with the Duo Encuentro for      flute and guitar, with flutist Thomas Brögger 1999    Diploma al Mèrito in the Torneo Internazionale di Música in Rome/Italy   Almeida first studied classical guitar with Riuhey Kobayashi at the "Conservatorio Antonio Neumane" in his hometown, where he was later awarded the position "Professor of Classical Guitar" by the Ministry of Education at the young age of 21. The support of various grants including the KAAD-Grant of Bonn, the Gopfelstiftung of Munich, and the Paul and Maria Kremer-Stiftung of Cologne, enabled him to further pursue his career in Germany. He studied with Tadashi Sasaki at the College of Music in Aachen and with Reinbert Evers at the College of Music in Münster, completing his studies with the highest distinction. This was followed by the Soloist-Degree "Konzertexamen" within the programme of the International Chain Study in Enschede/Netherlands, Gent/Belgium, and Essen/Germany.   He has participated in masterclasses offered by many outstanding artists, among them Wolfgang Lendle, Abel Carlevaro, Olivier Chassin, Antonio Ruiz Pipó, Ida Polk, Luis Ignatius Gall, Hubert Käppel, Dieter Kreidler, Roberto Aussel and Aniello Desiderio.   Almeida currently resides in Cologne and is Instructor of Classical Guitar at the Music Academies of Neuss and Meerbusch.

The Aurora Guitar Quartet
	The Aurora Guitar Quartet brings together guitarists from Europe, Japan and the United States. Recent performances include a sold-out New York debut at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, a concerto performance with Pan-American Symphony in Washington, D.C.’s Lisner Auditorium, and recitals in Baltimore’s Shriver Hall and The Kennedy Center. All members of the group are also accomplished soloists and have performed in recital and with orchestras in Europe, Asia and South and North Americas. The ensemble has toured extensively in Japan and performed for guitar societies in Philadelphia, Austin, Denver, Baltimore, and Miami, Tampa, Orlando, and other cities through the Florida Guitar Alliance. Aurora is expanding their guitar repertoire by frequent collaborations with composers. The Quartet was featured as Artists in Residence for the Baltimore Composers Forum and participated in Peabody Conservatory’s tribute to world-renowned composer Roberto Sierra from Cornell University. The group was invited to perform and conduct masterclasses for the National University of Costa Rica in San Jose and performed twice for the annual Manuel Barrueco Masterclass and Festival. Aurora’s recording “Fandango” has been highly praised and featured in leading guitar magazines, including Japan’s Gendai Guitar, and was also broadcast on National Public Radio.

Bandó, tango quintet
	Bandó, a quintet of talented young musicians from the province of Mendoza, Argentina, have dedicated themselves to the worthy endeavor of promoting Nuevo (new) Tango, focusing on the music of the late bandoneon master and composer, Astor Piazzolla. Observing Piazzolla's original arrangements and instrumentation, they play primarily Piazzolla's compositions from the 1970's and 1980's.  Bandó has performed with famous tango orchestras, such us Macifesta, Tango y Punto, among others. In 2003, sponsored by the Astor Piazzolla Foundation, they premiered Piazzolla's operita Maria de Buenos Aires, in Mendoza. Bandó has played in numerous theaters throughout Argentina and also in New York City, Chicago, and Washington DC.   Bruno Cavallaro, violín Rodolfo Zanetti, bandoneón Federico Diaz, electric guitar Jorge Mansilla, piano Germán Montenegro, bass

Anamer Castrello, mezzo
	Ms. Castrello was an award-winner at the Gulf Coast Regional Auditions for the Metropolitan Opera. Other awards include The Washington Area Music Awards (WAMA) – Latino Best Female Vocalist – and the 1997 Operatic Singing Artist of the Year Award from the Institute of Puerto Rico in New York. She has sung numerous opera and zarzuela roles as well as cabaret and popular shows abroad and in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. Of her portrayal of Estrelda in Sousa's El Capitán, Sorab Modi of Opera News wrote: "Ana Castrello was pert and vivacious… her singing always refined, her phrasing accomplished with finesse." Anamer participated in the International Opera Festival in Rome, Italy on 1998 playing Marcellina in Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro. She has appeared with several opera companies and theaters including the Baltimore Opera, Opera Camerata of Washington, Shakespeare Theatre, Opera Americana, Maryland Opera Studio, Crittenden Opera Workshop, The Other Opera Company, GALA Hispanic Theater, Zarzuela Di Si, and the Singers Opera. Ms. Castrello holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities with a concentration in Piano from the University of Puerto Rico, a Master of Arts degree in Music Education for Colleges and Universities from New York University and a Master of Music degree in Opera Performance from the University of Maryland at College Park.

Capitol Hill Choral Society
	About Capitol Hill Choral Society Founded in 1983 by Betty Buchanan, the Capitol Hill Choral Society is among Washington's artistically acclaimed arts organizations.  The Society presents a nine-month season with three concert periods.  The repertoire is eclectic, drawing from the entire choral repertoire, including major works with orchestra.   The 1998-99 season marked the Society's first season under the direction of William Usher.  A young and dynamic choral conductor, Usher is committed to the continued growth of this fine ensemble.   The Society's members are drawn from a wide range of Washington professions, including Capitol Hill staff, attorneys, civil servants, doctors, and homemakers.  All are drawn to the Society's commitment to making the finest choral music accessible to the DC community.     William D. Usher II is the Music Director of the Capitol Hill Choral Society.  He began work with the choir in the 1998-99 season.  Mr. Usher is also Director of Liturgical Music at Holy Trinity Church, Georgetown, a position he has held since September 1995.  Originally from upstate New York, he comes to Washington via Los Angeles, where he was first a graduate student and later Director of Music at St. Mel Church in Woodland Hills.  At St. Mel, he established one of the most significant music programs in the Archdiocese.  He also taught on the music faculty of St. John's Seminary College in Camarillo, CA.   As a choral conductor, Mr. Usher has conducted numerous major works for chorus and orchestra.  He has recorded a CD entitled "Requiem" with chorus and orchestra, a Christmas album entitled "Merry Christmas to All" with the St. Mel Boychoir, and portions of the movie soundtrack "A New Nightmare" with the Los Angeles Boychoir.  Specializing in-group vocal techniques for both adults and children, Mr. Usher has been a clinician for children's vocal techniques in Southern California, and a guest conductor for the Lousiana Music Educators Conference in New Orleans.   Mr. Usher received the Master of Music degree in Organ Performance from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, where he studied with acclaimed concert organist Cherry Rhodes.  He did two years of undergraduate work in church music a Wesminster Choir College where he studied organ with Dr. Donald McDonald and conducting and group vocal techniques with the late Frauke Haasemann and Constantina Tsolainou.  He has sung under the baton of such noted conductors as Joseph Flummerfelt, Leonard Slatkin, and Riccardo Muti.

Coral Cantigas
	Founded in 1991 by Diana Saez, Coral Cantigas is the only chorus in the Washington, D.C. area that specializes in the performance of music from Latin America, Spain, and the Caribbean. Through performances and workshops, Coral Cantigas shares the artistic and cultural diversity of the Spanish-speaking world and serves as a bridge between the Spanish-speaking and non-Spanish-speaking communities. The choir performs in Spanish, Portuguese, and a variety of American languages and dialects such as Nahuatl, Quechua and Creole, with bilingual concert program notes and texts. Coral Cantigas has appeared at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Mexican Cultural Institute, Strathmore Hall, Washington National Cathedral, Capital Children's Museum, and performed under the auspices of the Washington Performing Arts Society, the In Series, the National Council of La Raza, the American Choral Directors Association and the American Guild of Organists. Coral Cantigas has also performed in collaboration with the Pan American Orchestra, The Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia, the Cathedral Choral Society, New Century Singers, VOCE Chamber Choir, Tepuy folk ensemble, and The Chamber Singers of Bryn Mawr and Haverford Colleges. In addition, the choir has hosted area performances by "Coral del Banco Industrial de Venezuela," the Argentinean group "Opus Cuatro," and "Cantaré", a local Latin American ensemble for children. Guest artists for the 2003-2004 season  include Tina Chancey and Scot Reiss of the early music group Hesperus, and the Children's Chorus of Silver Spring, among others. Coral Cantigas also hosts a workshop led by outstanding Latin American scholars and performers, who teach and demonstrate performance styles from Latin America, Spain, and the Caribbean.

Tito Castro, bandoneón
	Hector Tito Castro was born in the town of 9 de Julio in the Buenos Aires province. At age three his family moved to Villa Pueyrredon neighborhood in Buenos Aires City. He began his bandoneón classes and general music education at age 14 with Eladio Blanco who was the first bandoneon in D¹Arienzo orchestra. Started his professional career with neighborhoods orchestras, like Horacio Vacarezza and Marcos Bagnolo. At age 18 he started playing in the Osmar Maderna Orquesta Simbolo (three years), later he continued with the Lucio Demare and Fulvio Salamanca orchestras, and also doing replacement jobs for Hector Varela and Juan Sanchez Gorio. His first international tours was with Josecito Pace quartet in Lima-Peru (1964) Tito Castro has accompanied all over Latinoamerica many singer stars, like Hugo del Carril, Libertad Lamarque , Alberto Marino, Charlo, Alberto Castillo, Raul Beron, Nelly Vasquez, Alberto Podesta , Juan C.Godoy y Roberto "Polaco" Goyeneche. He moved to NYC in 1998, where he performs in theaters, universities, museums, private events, milongas. He performed with his ensemble in the homage to Argentina in a gala at the Metropolitan Opera. In Canada performed in the show "Tango Vivo², in Miami in the show "Tango Dreams". He recorded in the soundtrack of "Flawles", starring Robert de Niro. Also recorded in the CD "Tango Bar", with Raul Jaurena quintet, which was nominated in 2002 for a grammy award. Rcorded four CDs "Tangos para Milongueros" with Francisco Pancho Navarro and in Peru with Josecito Pace quartet. Performed in many galas of the Argentine Tango Society of New York, hosted by Mr. Joseph Fish at the Metropolitan Club, featuring in one occassion poet Horacio Ferrer and actor and tango fan Robert Duvall. Has accompanied in two occasions the argentinean folk singer Mercedes Sosa at Carnegie Hall and tenor Placido Domingo at the Washington Opera and the Metropolitan Opera House in NY. Toured Japan and Hawaii in 2004 and 2005 with Japanese tango Diva Anna Saeki. Also performed with her at Carnegie Hall and at the famous jazz club Blue Note in NYC; recently recorded in her new CD which will be presented to the audiences in an upcoming Japan and Korea tour in December of 2005. In January 2005 Tito performed with the great argentine dancer Julio Bocca at the Ballet Theater of the City of New York, followed by a series of performances at the Viviann New House Theater at Lincoln Center.