Music for Mandolin, Harpsichord, and Voice at the Carmel Valley Library on March 20

March’s free family music program sponsored by the Friends of the Carmel Valley Library will feature mandolinist Chris Acquavella, harpsichordist Ruben Valenzuela, and soprano Anne-Marie Dicce in music by Beethoven, Scarlatti, Mozart, and Kioulaphides. The program will last 45 minutes.

Chris Acquavella graduated First Class Honors from Trinity College of Music in London, England. He studied under Alison Stephens and participated in Master Class with German virtuoso Caterina Lichtenberg. He won the Wolfsan Foundation Music Award in 2004 and was awarded the TCM Trust Silver Medal for String Studies in 2006. Chris has two CDs currently available on CDBaby, Amazon, iTunes, and other internet retailers.

Ruben Valenzuela is the present conductor of the Bach Collegium San Diego (BCSD). He conducted Orchestra Nova San Diego in its 2009 performances of Haydn’s Creation, and 2011 performances of Handel’s Messiah. Ruben is completing a PhD in Musicology at Claremont Graduate University where he is researching basso continuo practices in the New World. In addition to his duties with the BCSD he is also the Director of the Music and Organist of St. Peters Episcopal Church in Del Mar.

Anne-Marie Dicce has performed music from the Renaissance to the 21st Century in a variety of festivals and ensembles including the BCSD, Festival Ensemble Stuttgart, Festival Internacional del Organo Barroco in Mexico City, and the La Jolla Symphony Chorus. She is presently a soprano staff singer and soloist at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Del Mar. Anne-Marie has both Doctor of Musical Arts and Master's degrees from the UCSD and maintains a private voice studio in town.