About Me
I edited my profile with Thomas' Myspace Editor V4.4.. width="425" height="350" ..Ania Paz, pianist and composer, is known for her modern and driving sound, impregnated by a new fusion of Afro-Peruvian and Caribbean styles, within the Jazz language.
She was born in Lima, Peru, where she started studying music at the age of 4, and wrote her first composition at the age of 6. Her passion for music took her to different countries and musical cultures, studying classical music as well as jazz first in Germany, and then in the US, where she got her Masters Degree. She is actually a resident of the Dominican Republic.
She is the leader of the Ania Paz Jazz Ensamble, which successfully performed at the XVI Festival Internacional Jazz en Lima, at the Festival Cultural Hermanas Mirabal in Salcedo, and opened for Gato Barbieri in Santo Domingo.
Ania Paz also performed at several jazz festivals and concerts, such as the TCI Jazz Festival in San José, California; the Colonial Jazz Festival in Santo Domingo; the Festival Jazz Astwood; as well as at jazz clubs, Theatre Halls and main TV shows in the Dominican Republic, Peru, Germany, Spain and the US, such as Cinemacafe (Santo Domingo), Jazz Zone (Lima), Danny..s Skylight Room, Many..s Place and St Peter Church (New York).
As a Songwriter, she recently won with "Hoy te amo" the Festival Claro Song Competition in Lima, Peru. She participated as a composer and pianist, and the song was interpreted by singer Daniela Ghersi. As a composer, she won with her symphonic work "San Francisco" the Jose Reyes Award in Santo Domingo, which will be performed by the Santo Domingo Symphony; she won with her Jazz Ballad "Serenidad" the jazz composition competition in Casa de Teatro - where Michael Camilo and Juan Luis Guerra were part of the jury -; received an award at the USA Songwriting Competition with "Inspiracion Mia" - in the Latin category -; and received a letter from the historical Monuments’ Director in Santo Domingo, mentioning that her compositions are a strong cultural contribution to the Dominican People. In addition, her composition "Acoso" was selected to be included in the new Jazz Compilation produced by TDV Media & Entertainment. Her compositions go from small instrumentations and songs, to Big Band orchestrations and pieces for Symphonic Orchestra.
As an educator, she has been teaching and presenting Master Classes at Universities and Music Institutions in Germany, the US and the Dominican Republic; she created the curricula for the Departamento Folclórico del Conservatorio Nacional de Música in Santo Domingo and for Jazzymas; and she wrote several jazz and modern styles methods.
In addition, she participated at the second international convention of the Afro-Latin and American Research Association, presenting a conference about the development of African rhythms in different areas of America. As a result she received recognition for extraordinary support from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
The Ania Paz Jazz Ensamble shows an intense Caribbean rhythmical groove, combined with contrasting spaced atmospheres, within jazz harmonies, jazz forms and jazz improvisation.
At every concert audiences are touched by the special chemistry among its musicians.
The use of 4 Afro-Peruvian Cajones as well as several percussion instruments, plus its Dominican flavour enrich even more the repertoire..s original compositions and arrangements.
- Ania recently participated playing cajon with 634 cajoneros at the I Festival Internacional de Cajon in Lima, Peru. -
This Ensamble has released a DVD, featuring its live concert at the XVI Festival Internacional Jazz en Lima 2006, the CD Ania Paz Jazz Ensamble, and recently a new CD called Festejo Dominicano, which integrates Peruvian and Dominican influences into the Jazz idiom. All of Ania..s CDs (Meta Arara, Una mujer feliz, Ania Paz Jazz Ensamble and Festejo Dominicano) are currently played on Radio Stations in the US, Belgium, England, the Dominican Republic, Guadaloupe, Panama, Puerto Rico and Peru... width="425" height="350" ..
