Pianist Maria Letona Holloway is a native of El Salvador. She began taking
music lessons with her grandfather when she was five years
old. She studied with her grandfather until the age of 12,
culminating her studies by presenting a recital on national
television. Soon after, Maria Holloway arrived to the United
States and settled in the city of New Orleans, where she attended
Loyola University Music Preparatory. During those years, she
successfully participated in numerous recitals, festivals
and competitions. As a first prizewinner, she performed as
soloist with the New Orleans Philharmonic, the New Orleans
Civic Orchestra, and the Lake Charles Symphony. The Mayor
of New Orleans also awarded her the keys to the city. Holloway
then moved to Boston to study at the New England Conservatory
of Music, where she received her Bachelor and Masters with
distinction in Piano Performance. She studied with Leonard
Shure, Stephen Drury and Randall Hogedkinson. During her studies
in Boston, she participated in numerous performances and recitals
and had the opportunity to coach under internationally known
composers such as John Cage and Giorgy Ligeti.
Maria Holloway culminated her formal studies at the University
of Miami Frost School of Music where she received her Doctorate
of Musical Arts degree. Her piano teachers where J.B. Floyd
and Ivan Davis. During her studies, she was the concerto competition
winner, was selected along a small group of students to present
a series of recitals in several cities in Italy, and was very
active as a solo and chamber performer. Her interest in contemporary
music led her to participate in various festivals dedicated
to this genre such as the SubTropics Festivals and the 609
Series. Holloway also performed a recital where she premiered
works that were dedicated to her by several prominent composers
in the Miami area including Dennis Kam, John Van der Slice,
JB Floyd and Thomas Sleeper. This recital was broadcast in
the then classical radio station, WTMI.
The subject of Maria Letona Holloway's doctoral thesis was
the collection of piano works by Cuban composer, Rene Touzet
(1916-2003). She has released a CD with a selection of Touzet's
works and published an article on this subject in the April
2005 issue of Clavier magazine. The CD has gained favorable
reviews by the press and has been broadcast in several radio
stations in the US and abroad. Her performances have been
described as "..played with power and passion and impressive
technique." (Palm Beach Post), "a pianist of great musical
talent." (Diario Las Americas), "Letona's virtuosity was thrilling.."
(Sun Sentinel), " Maria Letona not only has great technique,
but also owns a great gift of interpretation. She is always
faithful to the music but at the same time permits herself
to explore through the many melodic and harmonic possibilities..."(El
Nuevo Herald). Holloway continues to be active as a soloist
and chamber player. Latest performances by Maria Holloway
include solo recitals in UM's Gusman Hall, MDC’s McCarthy
Auditorium. A solo recital in Washington DC, a performance
at the United Nations building in NYC to benefit Orphans International
Worldwide, at the Carnival Center as a participant in Eric
Satie's Vexations and a performance as soloist with the El
Salvador National Symphony Orchestra.
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