Samberg Conference Center (7th Floor), Building E52
Cellist Carlos Prieto (B.S. in Course III, then called Metallurgical Engineering ‘58 and in Course XIV, Economics ’59) will give a talk about his new memoir MI VIDA MUSICAL, touching on his formative years at MIT and his subsequent career as a professional cellist. The talk will be followed by performances of J.S. Bach’s Cello Suite No. 3 and Eugenio Toussaint’s Bachriation. 2022 Sudler Prize winner and Emerson/Harris Fellow Valerie Chen will also perform Phillip Glass’s Orbit. A light reception will follow.
About the Performers
Carlos Prieto was born in Mexico City. At fours years of age he started to study the cello and never abandoned it.
He graduated from MIT with Bachelor of Science degrees in Course III, then called Metallurgical Engineering ‘58 and in Course XIV, Economics ‘59. He was the first cello and soloist of the MIT Symphony Orchestra. He also took at MIT all available courses in Russian, which allowed him, years later, to study at Lomonosov University in Moscow.
After graduation from MIT, Prieto returned to Mexico where he rose to become the head of an integrated iron and steel company.
He later embarked on a career as a cellist. Since 1979 he has played all over the world and has played and recorded the world premieres of 115 compositions, most of which were written for him. He has played with Yo-Yo Ma the world premiere of several works for two cellos dedicated to them.
He is the author of 14 books, some of which have been translated into English, Russian, and Portuguese.
Prieto´s many honors include the Order of the Arts and Letters from France, the Order of Civil Merit from the King of Spain, and the National Prize for Arts and Sciences from the president of Mexico. In 1993 he was appointed member of the MIT Music and Theater Advisory Committee and in 2014, MIT’s School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences awarded Prieto the Robert A. Muh Alumni Award.
Cellist Valerie K. Chen (EECS ’22, EECS MEng ’23) has played in MIT’s Emerson/Harris Program, Chamber Music Society (classical and jazz), campus pop-up music series “Sharing Notes,” and with the Symphony Orchestra as both Concerto Competition winner and principal cellist. Most recently, she appeared as soloist with the Boston Pops at Symphony Hall for MIT Tech Night.
Valerie started MIT’s first cello club CelloWorld(); and associated ensemble Cello++ (C++), as well as Music Unites: Songs for Equity (MUSE) Project, an MIT video performance series highlighting Black artists.
Outside of MIT, Valerie has won numerous accolades both as soloist and chamber musician. She has also held the position of principal cellist of local, California All-State, and All-National honor orchestras. Her teachers include Joyce Geeting, Maureen Hynes, Clive Greensmith, Kee-Hyun Kim, and she continues her cello studies with Christine Lamprea. Valerie is currently pursuing her PhD in collaborative robotics advised by Prof. Julie Shah.
