"She is something of an ambassador for Latin-American songs, regularly presenting this repertoire in recitals and concert-lectures around the world… she has amassed a collection of scores for some 2,500 songs from eighteen countries, a number that amazes even those of us who have studied

Latin-American art songs for some time.“

Dr. Jonathan Kulp - Latin American Music Review / December 2006

Recognized as one of the leading interpreters of the Latin-American & Spanish Art Song Repertoire, Colombian-Spanish soprano Patricia Caicedo has sung in the United States, Canada, Denmark, Holland, Russia, Italy, Spain, Puerto Rico and Latin-America to public and critical acclaim.

Singing in Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, Quechua and Nahuatl she draws listeners into the world of beauty, poetry, and warmth that is the Latin-American Art Song – a world that continues to thrive because of her determination to ensure its future.

Her well-received CDs include: De mi corazón latino - Latin Songs of All time (Mundo Arts, 2010), A mi ciudad Nativa – To My Native City (Mundo Arts, 2005), Lied: Art songs of Latin America (Albert Moraleda, 2001) and La Felicidad, recorded with the Banda Sinfónica Santafé de Bogotá in 1997.

Ms. Caicedo has earned highest honors in numerous festivals and competitions, including a prize awarded by Sony Music for best classical soloist in 1998 in Colombia and first prize in the “Concurso Nacional del Bambuco” competition, also in Colombia, in 1993.

Ms. Caicedo made her professional debut in 1993 when, as a part of the International Festival of Classical Music, she was a soloist in Gabriel Faure´s Requiem, accompanied by the Tolima Symphony Orchestra. Since them she performs with symphony orchestras and present recitals in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Latin America where she is hailed by audiences and critics alike. As one reviewer noted, "Reflecting her deep emotional connection to the music, she interprets the repertory with extraordinary sensitivity and sweetness.”

Born in Ibagué, Colombia, Ms. Caicedo began studying piano, music theory, and voice as a child at the Tolima music conservatory; then continued with private instructors in Bogotá. After completing medical studies in Bogotá, she resumed her voice studies and has since worked with Rocío Rios, Alfredo Krauss, Maya Maiska and Gilberto Escobar.

In addition to her busy performing schedule, Ms. Caicedo is an expert in the history and musical interpretation of the Latin American and Spanish Vocal Repertoire. A popular teacher as well as performer, Ms. Caicedo regularly gives concert-lectures, master classes, and serves as Artist-in-Residence at leading universities in the United States and as a Cultural Ambassador for the Colombian Diplomatic Corps.  She had been a guest teacher as such institutions as New York University, Columbia University, University of Texas at Austin, Florida State University, University of South Florida, New Mexico State University, University of Indianapolis, Loyola University, Keene State College, Brooklyn College, Quees College, Texas Christian University, Bringham Young University, Conservatorio de Granada (Spain), Universidad de Cádiz (Spain) and Universidad Industrial de Santander (Colombia),  Smithsonian Institution, IDB Cultural Center among many others institutions.

Her books The Latin American Art Song: A Critical Anthology and Interpretative Resource for Singers (Edicions Tritó, 2005) and The Colombian Art Song - Jaime Leon: Analysis and Compilation of his works for voice and piano Vol. 1 & 2 (Mundo Arts Publications, 2009) are reference books in the field.

Dr. Caicedo is the founder and artistic director of the Barcelona Festival of Song a Summer Course and a concert series dedicated to the study of the history and interpretation of the Latin American and Spanish Art Song.

Her commitments for the season 2011-2012 include concerts and master classes in Spain,Portugal, Russia, USA, England, Colombia and Brazil.

History

Soprano Patricia Caicedo’s main objective is making the Latin American art song repertory known worldwide.

Her interest in this repertory started in her native Colombia when her first voice teacher, soprano Rocío Ríos, taught her the works of Colombian and Argentine composers telling her that singers should sing in their own language at the beginning of their training. Patricia later became interested in this repertory with which she feels a strong identification a result of performing popular songs, the Latin American folklore repertory, and especially songs from the Colombian Andes in her childhood and adolescence.

She subsequently began to look for art songs by Latin American composers but ran into many obstacles, the first of which was the fact that these songs could not be found in music stores. Over time Patricia discovered that these songs were often not published or that they had been published in the 1930s and 1940s but were now out of print which made them especially difficult to find.

At the same time, Patricia began to include these songs in her concert programs and to propose programs made up exclusively of this repertory.  However, she encountered resistance from programmers some of whom suggested that she sing traditional lied by composers such as Schubert, Schumann, and others.  It seemed like Latin American art songs were not considered to be at the same level as traditional lieder.

Patricia then began her search for songs in family records, libraries of different countries and contacting composers or their descendants directly.  She is  driven by the desire to make the repertory known and to help it achieve its rightful place in the international context.

To achieve this goal it was not sufficient to perform these songs in concert.  It was necessary to break the vicious circle of the songs’ not being known in various places:

1.     Performing the songs in concert halls.

2.     Recording

3.     Publishing (sheet music and academic articles on the subject)

4.     Teaching (Master Classes and individual students)

5.     Promoting composers and performers of this repertory (The Barcelona Festival of Song)

6.     Making the music available to people worldwide (www.mundoarts.com)

Today Patricia is one of the most recognized performers and promoters of this repertory and is active international concert artist.  She is frequently invited to give Master Classes and lectures at universities in the United States, Latin America, and Europe. She has relationships with some of the most important living composers of Latin America and has access to papers and families of deceased Latin-American composers. Her personal library includes more than 2500 songs by Latin American and Spanish composers.

Since 2008 on Caicedo was included in the Who's Who in America. Published by Marquis Who's Who is the leading biographical reference publisher of the highest achievers and contributors from across the country and around the world. The inclusion of Ms. Caicedo represents a tribute to her discipline and hard work as an advocate of the Latin American and Spanish Music. Since 2010 Patricia is included in the Who's Who in American Women and Who´s Who in the World.