Born in Panama City, Panama, Victor Josué Soto
began his music and keyboard training at the age of 12 with the
Panamanian organist Roque de las Rosas. Later he enrolled at the
Institute of Music in his home city where he studied with Prof. Edwin
Abdiel Lombana. Victor holds a piano
performance degree from
Southwest Minnesota State University,
Marshall, and a Master’s degree from Minnesota
State University, Mankato. His principal teachers include Dr.
Daniel Rieppel and Dr. David Viscoli.
Victor has performed in master classes with
pianists Leonid Kusmin, Andre Watts, and
Christopher O’Reilly. He
has also participated in piano competitions, performed with orchestras,
in music festivals, chamber music and solo recitals in South America and
within the United States. In 2005, he began a project with the
Panamanian cellist Isaac Casal creating the Latinum Duet which
made its debut at the Florida State University, Panama extension
auditorium in June 2005.
In January 2006, Victor joined the music faculty at Mountain View College in Dallas, Texas, where he currently serves as head director to the music department and artist in residence. In his efforts to expand the music program, he has created a variety of music ensembles, online courses, and designed a new music technology course. Victor is also the founder of the Mountain View College Concert Series, and in 2007 published his first textbook, Foundations of Music.
In addition to serving as a professor of music at Mountain View College, Victor also serves on the faculty of the Coppell Music Conservatory.
For more information please visit Victor's personal website at www.victorjsoto.latinumduet.com
Isaac Casal
Known for his joy and positive attitude, Isaac Casal is a Panamanian artist who has brought recognition to his country on an international level. Isaac has appeared in numerous solo recitals, chamber music concerts, and as soloist with orchestras throughout Europe and North and South America. He was a finalist in both the 2004 Florida International University soloist competition and the 2005 Baylor University concerto competition. Issac's most most recent performances include Elgar’s cello concerto with the National Symphony of Panama and a violin/cello duet recital for the Danilo Perez Foundation.
Isaac’s first performance in the United States took place in the summer of 1998
when he was invited to play with his brother, violinist Luis Casal, at the
Embassy of Panama in Washington, D.C. In April of 2006 he performed as chamber
musician in New York City with the celebrated pianist Juan Martin Etcheverry at
the Hammarskjöld Auditorium of the United Nations and at the Argentine Consulate
for the organization “Artist for a United World,” an organization that promotes
universal brotherhood through art. Additionally, Issac keeps an active agenda
performing in recitals throughout the United States and Central America with the
Latinum Duet, an ensemble that he co-founded with Panamanian pianist Victor
Soto.
Eager to share his knowledge and experiences with his fellow musicians from
Panama, Isaac travels to his hometown frequently to give master classes and
lessons. He is the Artistic Director, creator, and founder of the Alfredo Saint-Malo
Music Festival of Panama, an annual one week festival that saw its inception on
May 25, 2007. Highly praised by the national press, the Alfredo Saint-Malo Music
Festival promoted music education, music appreciation, and classical music
performances throughout the city of Panama and its vicinities. It also offered
educational outreach programs to private and public schools, universities, and
conservatories engaging children to perform and listen to live chamber music,
interacting with the Festival’s faculty of national and international artists.
In 2000, Isaac was awarded a scholarship to study with Karen Melik-Spepanov at the Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, MN made possible by Panamanian harpsichordist Julieta Alvarado and her husband Dr. Daniel Rieppel. In August of 2001 he transferred to Florida International University after being offered a scholarship to study under Keith Robinson, cellist of the Miami String Quartet. He later studied at FIU with Javier Arias, cellist of the Amernet String Quartet. In 2005 Isaac was offered a scholarship to study cello under Gary Hardy were he earned his masters degree in cello performance at Baylor University.
For more information please visit Isaac's personal website at http://www.isaaccasal.com
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