Federico Ruiz finds constant inspiration in the rich popular and folkloric music of his country. No. 10 The little Peruvian girl is featured by the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music in their Grade 4 piano exam pieces 2013 & 2014. Clara has recorded these pieces on CD: The Music of Federico Ruiz - on Nimbus Alliance Records (Catalogue No. NI6179). They first met in 1993 and she became acquainted not only with his music, but, through it, discovered the precision and the soft expressiveness of each of the numerous rhythms of Latin America and the Caribbean. His music is a sophisticated synthesis of Latin American styles that, amongst many other traits, expresses the subtle interface between 'classical' and 'popular' music of the continent. Clara Rodriguez is oftendescribed as an Ambassador of Latin-American piano music, recognising t he great number of concerts she has given, and CDs, where this music features prominently. Born in Caracas, Clara studied there with Giomar Narvíçez and with Phyllis Sellick after winning a scholarship from the Venezuelan Arts Council to train in London at the Royal College of Music. At the age of sixteen she made her debut playing Mozart's last piano concerto with the Simí_n Bolí_var Orchestra under the baton of Josí© Antonio Abreuwhich was the starting point of her international career as a concert p ianist. Her discography includes CDs of the piano music of Venezuelan composers Moises Moleiro (Nimbus NI6104), Teresa Carreí±o (Nimbus NI6103),VENEZUELA (Nimbus NI 6122) receiving glowing reviews from international publications such as Gramophone Magazine: 'Clara Rodriguez makes the mo st of her innate feel for the exuberant and languorous, dispatching the toe-tapping cross-rhythms with panache and a light touch. This is a treasure chest from which to cherry-pick.' She regularly plays in London's Wigmore Hall, Southbank Centre, St. John's Smith Square, St. Martin in-the-Fields, and at Barbican Centre. Clara Rodriguez teaches the piano at the Junior Department of The Royal College of Music, London.
