My name is Anne Lopez Barrero. I am a student from Spain. I began  violin at the age of five. One day in 4th Grade my mother gave me an album by Sol Gabetta. After that, I switched  to the cello and started taking lessons in the Clara Schuman Music School. Then I moved to Buenos Aires and took lessons with Claudio Peña.  In 2015, I went to the Philadelphia International Music Festival. I  was part of the Symphony Program, in the Silver Orchestra, conducted by Mark Gigliotti of The Philadelphia Orchestra. He is a great conductor, and I loved how he explained to us how the composer wanted us to play each particular piece. John Koen of The Philadelphia Orchestra was a great help in the private lessons at PIMF. I took Ear Training with Mr. Straus for my daily music education  course at PIMF and learned quite a bit from him. Mr. Straus  would play a piece on the piano or viola and we had to write it down.

When I first entered PIMF,  I did not feel that I was a good player. After my first time in camp it motivated me to keep playing and to never give up on the cello.

I got much better after my first experience at  PIMF.  I have enjoyed PIMF a lot and it was probably the best experiences in my whole life! I loved going to concerts at the end of the day to hear other students perform and attending  master classes with my friends. It was great having so many people around me that enjoyed the same thing as me. After the first day I had so many new friends, and that is one of my favorite parts of camp. I have loved camp since the very first minute I entered Bryn Mawr. I am looking forward to going back next year.

My name is Eider López Barrero , I am from Spain but I have been living in Germany and currently in Buenos Aires. I began playing violin at the age of 3, when I was living in Germany, in the “Clara Schumann Music School,” where I had many solo performances. Now in Buenos Aires I am taking lesson with Alejandro Wajnerman, the first violin of the Buenos Aires Orchestra. Mr. Wajnerman does not teach only to play notes, but also to interpret music. Sometimes it can be hard to play daily the violin, but when my mum shows me the video of “Carmen” interpreted by David Garret I wish to be like him and I dream to be able to play “Carmen” like he interprets it. Pimf 2015 was my second time and I was part of the Children’s Program.

My experience in PIMF has always been wonderful because I had the opportunity to learn with marvelous teachers of The Philadelphia Orchestra.

I attended the best master classes with Kimberly Fisher, Principal Second Violin of The Philadelphia Orchestra, whom I admire very much. I enjoyed so very much the evening concerts in Thomas Great Hall, a magical place, where I also performed with other students at the end of the festival. Being in PIMF with so many friends that like music like me, has been one of the best experiences that I hope to repeat every summer.