The Venezuelan Week: April 2012

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Huascar Barradas Concert at DFP

Date: Monday, 23rd April

Time: 8:30 pm

Venue: Dewan Filharmonik PETRONAS, PETRONAS Twin Towers,

Kuala Lumpur City Centre

Information: +603 216 33 444 / 45 (Embassy)

Price: RM 30

The music of Venezuela has reflected the multi-cultural influences that have shaped the country. To explore more on its music, the Seventh Venezuelan Week presents a world renowned flutist, Huascar Barradas, with Jorge Polanco and Elvis Martinez, a Latin trio that will showcase the new Venezuelan sound called Neo-folklore and other sounds of their beloved country.

Tickets at

http://www.mpo.com.my/Upcoming-Performances/Following-Concerts/Huascar-Barradas-Latin-Trio.aspx?docid=2579&perfname=Hu%C3%A1scar%20Barradas%20Latin%20Trio

Gastronomic Festival

Date: From 16th till 29th April

Time: 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm

Venue: Vogue Restaurant, Ground Floor, West Wing, Renaissance Hotel, corner of Jalan sultan Ismail & Jalan Ampang, KL

Reservation: +603 27 71 67 05 (Renaissance)

Price: RM 86 ++ for buffet dinner

This year, the Gastronomic Festival in Vogue Restaurant at Renaissance Hotel brings Venezuela’s food consultant and food writer, Chef Carmen Rawstron to showcase her country’s traditional delicacies which will make its way to your heart with its scrumptious Venezuelan cuisine and culture.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Huascar Barradas

Huáscar Barradas is a Venezuelan flutist and professor at the "Instituto Universitario de Estudios Musicales" in Caracas. He has represented Venezuela in many international festivals and as both soloist and symphonic musician, playing a wide range of music genres.

As a professor, he previously worked at the National Youth Orchestra of Venezuela and taught a course called “The art of performing the flute” in various parts of the South American country.

He was also the principal assistant flutist of the Maracaibo Symphony Orchestra and the National Philharmonic Orchestra, and now occupies the same position at the Municipal Symphony Orchestra of Caracas.

A world class artist, he has been able to seduce music lovers, with his marvellous and unique style. Huascar is changing the contemporary Latin music scene by revolutionizing the global musical space, with a vanguard approach. He is one of the creators of the new Venezuelan sound called Neo-folklore.

His rendition of My Favorite Things brings unimaginable versions of universal music classics, creative compositions, inventive arrangements, virtuoso performances with Latin fire and passion in every musical note.

The prestigious German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemaine Zeitung wrote:”Mr. Barradas transported us to the expressive spectrum of the flute, beyond of what our European ears are used to. He shined with absolute rhythmic precision and virtuosity”

With over 100 concerts worldwide every year, and more than 100,000 copies sold in his native Venezuela, he has represented Venezuela at important festivals such as Radio France et Montpellier Festival, European Flute Festival of Frankfurt, Expo-Hannover 2000, National Flute Association Convention 2000, the International Contemporary Music Festival of Bogotá, International Festival of Folklore in Turkey, 1st Latin American Flute Convention in Caracas, XII International Music Convention of Medellin, among others.

A Latin Grammy nominee for the category for Best Long Form Video in 2011, Huascar has also produced six CDs with his Venezuelan music band “Huáscar Barradas y Maracaibo”. In addition to it, he has recorded as soloist with the National Philharmonic Orchestra the piece specially written for him by the Venezuelan composer Domingo Sánchez Bor, “Viaje de la Jirafa” (Journey of the Giraffe).

More info at http://www.huascarbarradas.com/aboutus.asp

Monday, April 2, 2012

A Culinary Journey

Carmen Rawstron is a passionate and enthusiastic woman who loves to eat, to cook and most of all to share. At a very early age she found herself cooking by chance and later became an expert in the art of flavouring food.

Carmen, a sixth generation Venezuelan of Spanish and Scottish ancestry, was first introduced to the kitchen by her late father, a man who loved cars, cooking and entertaining. Her initial inspiration was also found in the cuisine of her maternal grandmother who during the 50’s was a famous cake artist in Caracas.

During the late 70’s her mother was posted to work in Italy. This certainly was a real opportunity for Carmen who not only learned basic cooking methods, but also developed her skills to mix exotic flavours from the Venezuelan Cuisine with Italian traditional recipes. From simple starters to desserts, Carmen engaged in what the Italians call “la cucina della nonna”, grandma’s cooking style. Later she started catering for her Roman classmates and teachers during the school fairs.

The mid 80’s marked her return from Italy to Venezuela where Carmen cooked more seriously for family and friends. The traditional Christmas celebrations represented a busy time for Carmen as she prepared Venezuelan pasties and ham breads. She also enrolled on a full course in cake artistry at the Bogan International School of Cake Artistry and Pastillage in Caracas and did two workshops with master cake artist Ariani Medina.

After her graduation as a lawyer, she decided to return to Italy, not only to continue her studies, but also to learn more about Roman, Sicilian and Tuscan Cuisine. Being curious about food and culture she contacted a few friends and classmates to learn more about food festivals in Italy. It was also in Rome when she later engaged and married with her English fiancé Philip.

Carmen and her husband went to live in Venezuela during the millennium where she dedicated herself to the making of cakes for weddings, christenings and children’s parties. After spending a few years in her homeland, Carmen and her newborn child followed her husband to England where they lived for six years. Living in England was a big culinary challenge for Carmen. As a newcomer she was trying to find her way to the origins of the traditional British Cuisine buying her first Delia Smith cookbook “How to Cook”.

This certainly represented a great opportunity for Carmen as she started her own cake business following sugar and modelling cake artist Debbie Brown’s guidelines and cooked for friends. She also started to gather together traditional Venezuelan recipes into a book and had her second child.

For the last three years Carmen has been living in Malaysia with her family and she has been very busy learning and improving her skills as a chef, a food writer as well as catering for diplomatic and charity events hosted by the Venezuelan Embassy and the Latin American Ladies Association in Malaysia. This also gave Carmen the opportunity to meet and to participate in a series of workshops hosted by master Venezuelan Chefs Edgar Leal, Mariana Montero and Tamara Rodriguez.

Later she participated in the TV program OLE OLE with Chef Zamzani Abdul Wahab where she joined His Excellency Ambassador of Venezuela Manuel Guzman’s wife Natahalie Nuñez to present Venezuelan Cuisine. Carmen’s enthusiasm and determination to tell her story also led her to participate in the lifestyle magazines For Connoiseurs and MPH, which will be soon distributed in Malaysia. Carmen also enrolled in a Sommelier course under the direction of Bruno Cassasus and Jean Michel Fraisse trainer and founder of the Hospitality and Tourism Consulting in Asia and she is currently studying a Diploma in Culinary Arts at Berjaya College University of Hospitality in Kuala Lumpur.

Last year Carmen completed her project and self-published her first book in English “My Venezuelan Cuisine”. In the near future her plans include continuing selling her books, finishing her studies, food writing and becoming an Ambassador of Venezuelan Cuisine around the world.

Sunday, April 1, 2012

7th Venezuelan Week

PRELIMINARY PROGRAM

Monday 16^th April

9:00 am to 5:00 pm Photographic Exhibition in ASWARA’s Gallery

6:30 pm to 10:30 pm Gastronomic Festival and Photographic Exhibition Launching at Vogue Restaurant, Renaissance Hotel

Tuesday 17^th April

9:00 am to 5:00 pm Photographic Exhibition in ASWARA’s Gallery

11:00 am Opening ceremony for the Photographic Exhibition in Taylor’s University

6:30 pm to 10:30 pm Gastronomic Festival and Photographic Exhibition at Renaissance Hotel

Wednesday 18^th April

9:00 am to 4:00 pm Photographic Exhibition in Taylor’s Gallery

9:00 am to 5:00 pm Photographic Exhibition in ASWARA’s Gallery

2:00 pm Music workshop with students and lecturers in ASWARA University

4:00 pm Official Opening Ceremony of 7^th Venezuelan Week in ASWARA’s Orchestra Hall

5:30 pm Joint performance in ASWARA’s Bunga Raya Cafe

6:30 pm to 10:30 pm Gastronomic Festival and Photographic Exhibition at Renaissance Hotel

Thursday 19^th April

9:00 am to 4:00 pm Photographic Exhibition in Taylor’s Gallery

9:00 am to 5:00 pm Photographic Exhibition in ASWARA’s Gallery

10:00 am to 5:30 pm Music workshop for students with Huascar Barradas Latin Trio in UiTM

6:30 pm to 10:30 pm Gastronomic Festival and Photographic Exhibition at Renaissance Hotel

Friday 20^th April

9:00 am to 4:00 pm Photographic Exhibition in Taylor’s Gallery

9:00 am to 5:00 pm Photographic Exhibition in ASWARA’s Gallery

6:30 pm to 10:30 pm Gastronomic Festival and Photographic Exhibition at Renaissance Hotel

Saturday 21^st April

9:00 am Cooking workshop at Taylors University College

10:00 am Forum on the ALBA. Wisma WIM, Taman Tun Dr. Ismail

6:30 pm to 10:30 pm Gastronomic Festival and Photographic Exhibition at Renaissance Hotel

Sunday 22^nd April

6:30 pm to 10:30 pm Gastronomic Festival and Photographic Exhibition at Renaissance Hotel

Monday 23^rd April

10:00 am Opening ceremony for the Photographic Exhibition in Limkokwing University

9:00 am to 4:00 pm Photographic Exhibition in Taylor’s Gallery

6:30 pm to 10:30 pm Gastronomic Festival and Photographic Exhibition at Renaissance Hotel

8:30 pm Huascar Barradas Latin Trio concert at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas

Tuesday 24^th April

10:00 am to 4:00 pm Photographic Exhibition in Limkokwing University

9:00 am to 4:00 pm Photographic Exhibition in Taylor’s Gallery

6:30 pm to 10:30 pm Gastronomic Festival and Photographic Exhibition at Renaissance Hotel

Wednesday 25^th April

10:00 am to 4:00 pm Photographic Exhibition in Limkokwing University

9:00 am to 4:00 pm Photographic Exhibition in Taylor’s Gallery

6:00 pm Music workshop with Huascar Barradas Latin Trio in ICOM

6:30 pm to 10:30 pm Gastronomic Festival and Photographic Exhibition at Renaissance Hotel

Thursday 26^th April

10:00 am to 4:00 pm Photographic Exhibition in Limkokwing University

9:00 am to 4:00 pm Photographic Exhibition in Taylor’s Gallery

6:30 pm to 10:30 pm Gastronomic Festival and Photographic Exhibition at Renaissance Hotel

Friday 27^th April

10:00 am to 4:00 pm Photographic Exhibition in Limkokwing University

9:00 am to 4:00 pm Photographic Exhibition in Taylor’s Gallery

6:30 pm to 10:30 pm Gastronomic Festival and Photographic Exhibition at Renaissance Hotel

9:00 pm Venezuelan Party at Modestos @ CapSquare

Saturday 28^th April

6:30 pm to 10:30 pm Gastronomic Festival and Photographic Exhibition at Renaissance Hotel

Sunday 29^th April

6:30 pm to 10:30 pm Gastronomic Festival and Photographic Exhibition at Renaissance Hotel

A Lucky Number

In times of economic and financial crisis, countries may choose to withhold the pace of the trade market. However, beyond the difficulties which those moments represent, we are obliged to think of the present and inevitably the future. Nevertheless we think of the future, we understand that trade, political, social and cultural cooperation between these countries must be maintained.

The Seventh Venezuelan Week in Malaysia represents such an understanding.

The Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Malaysia having conducted the event, year after year, has left in us a great feeling of satisfaction because the results has always exceeded our expectations.

As we have been doing since 2006, the Venezuelan Week in Malaysia (which always ends up being much more than “a” week), is our best opportunity to introduce to the Malaysian public the music, dances, photography, films, progress in social development and gastronomy of our country.

This event has not only allowed us to initiate but also reinforce our relationships with highly significant public and private institutions. This year, to accomplish this demanding journey, we have the support and collaboration of the Dewan Filharmonik Petronas (DFP), Renaissance Hotel, the National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage (ASWARA), Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, Taylor’s University, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), the International College of Music (ICOM) and the South Information Gateway (SSIG).

In Venezuela, one of our popular beliefs is that “7” is a lucky number. Perhaps that is true, as this year, in collaboration with DFP, and thanks to the initiative of the MPO, we are very fortunate to be able to present for the first time to the Malaysian public a great Venezuelan musician, Huáscar Barradas. With dozens of albums and ample international recognitions under his wings, he will perform with his duo showcasing the most significant journey of Latin American music.

Apart from the musical highlight of this event, with great pleasure we also offer the most excellent in Venezuelan cuisine with thanks to the participation of Chef Carmen Rawstron; a Forum to clarify all there is to know about the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA), a regional integration effort that has put its emphasis on the welfare of the people of Latin America; photographic exhibitions from Venezuelan artists; an exhibition of contemporary Venezuelan documentaries, and many more activities that are sure to bring the people and the governments of Malaysia and Venezuela closer in harmony.

Manuel Antonio Guzmán Hernández

Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to Malaysia