I just absolutely love discovering talented Latinas. Especially when they are using their talents to educate children. So when I listened to Mariana Iranzi's music this weekend, I knew immediately I was including her in my Inspiring Latinos Series.
The great granddaughter of the famous Tango composer, Julio de Caro, Mariana spent her childhood immersed in the world of music. Born and raised in Argentina, she studied recorder, Orff music classes and choir at the Collegium Musicum of Buenos Aires, and started her first piano lessons when she was 8 years old. Since that time she has developed her talent and explored different genres of music with some amazing experiences.
After many years of playing the Beatles, Bach sonatas, and her own compositions at house concerts and music schools, she was deeply driven by the sounds of rock music and decided to try the electric bass. Next thing you know she's touring Argentina in 2000 with the rock band Kro-Magnon, and then goes on to get her degree in bass performance in 2003.
But if all that isn't enough, Mariana decides to continue learning and decides on a new adventure. Two years later, Mariana received her Bachelors Degree in professional music (education & performance).
Over the next six years, Mariana played bass for the Dave Alpert Band, the Florencia Gonzalez Big Band and created her own children’s music band. She has taught in the public schools of Buenos Aires, as well as early childhood music education classes here in the U.S., private lessons and ensembles for the past 14 years.
Now a children's music composer and performer, Mariana's albums focus on bilingual and multicultural music for kids. Not surprisingly, her debut album, Aventura Collage, received a NAPPA Golden Award.
Mariana's latest project is her new album for children, Hola Hello. It was released this year.Honestly? I absolutely love it! There are a lot of really great children's albums in Spanish available on the market. But Mariana's training and unique talent is obvious when you hear her songs. Her style is so distinct that I know I would immediately recognize her work. The best part is that her songs are just as appealing to adults as they are to children. In Hola Hello, she's taken traditional Latin American rhymes and songs and made them her own. In fact, I do believe her version of Los pollitos dicen may be the best one I've heard.
To learn more about Mariana, visit her website, www.marianairanzi.com.
To listen to samples of her songs or to purchase your own copies of her albums for children, you can find them here on Amazon.