Ismael Ledesma - Music Around the World: Paraguay (1998)

«Ismael Ledesma was born in the town of Lambarré ( Paraguay) en 1962. He played his first notes on the harp with his father when aged five years old. His career as a musician started in his mother’s group, Los Madrigales, which appeared in different evening concerts in the town of Asunción, in various private and social events. At the end of his secondary school studies Ismael was invited to France by his uncle Kike Lucena who had lived in Paris since the 70’s. In 1982 he travelled to Paris in order to join the circle of Latin American musicians in the capital. There he joined some of the diverse groups of those times. In 1985 he decided to pursue a solo career. In parallel to his artistic activities Ismael perfected his French, enrolling at the University of Sorbonne in Language and French Civilisation. He also became a student at the International Music Conservatoire of Paris, Alfred de Vigny.

His first concert as a pure soloist took place in Paris at the Theatre du Marais. It was at this time that Ismael decided to bring his own compositions to the scene. This was a risky decision as Latin music is often considered as “exotic” in Europe and is presented purely as folk-lore music. Ismael looked at breaking this stereotype and to creating a new platform for Latin American music by openly showing his own new musical ideas and by singly interpreting his own compositions. Ismael has made 13 CDs with different producers: French, German, Swiss and Paraguayan. Ismael Ledesma is thought of not so much as a world-harpist, as a Universal Harpist!» (ismaelledesma.com)

Biography also available in Spanish, French and Guarani.

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