She is a harpist and teacher born into a musical family who started her formal studies in music at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music when she was just seven years old. She went from there to Stanford University and then to Notre Dame de Namur University where she was awarded her music degree with honours. Carrying on her education, she took private tuition with the harp teacher Alice Chalifoux and David Roith of the San Francisco Symphony.
In the 1990s she signed a contract with Sugo Records and recorded her successful debut solo album Enchanted Christmas. She followed this with Broadway – Center Stage and then An Acoustic Christmas.
Aside from her solo recordings she has featured on albums that include A Ceremony of Carols by the San Francisco Girls Chorus and Florence Price, The Music of Chen Yi The Women’s Philharmonic and Serenity – Songs of Peace and Enlightnment where she represented the music of Spain following the 9/11 tragedy.
She has had work written for her by the tango music experts Pablo Ziegler and Daniel Binelli and has collaborated with the pianist Polly Ferman in performances with the Leading Ladies of Tango ensemble.
Her professional career has seen her giving performances with many orchestras, ensembles and artists throughout the United States including Charlotte Church, Josh Groban, Olivia Newton John, Barry Manilow, Frank Sinatra Jr., Theater Flamenco of San Francisco and as the Principal Harp with The Womens Philharmonic.
In 2006 she was a featured soloist at the National Harp Conference, in 2007 she performed the work of Astor Piazzola as a guest soloist with the San Jose Chamber Orchestra and more recently she has been the Principal Harp with the Sacramento Philharmonic in California and was a featured soloist on “Concierto Serenata” by Joaquin Rodrigo. She has also been the subject for a TV documentary with her group Tango del Cielo.
Recognised for her contribution to music she has performed solo concerts in Washington D.C. for National Hispanic Week after being invited by the Director of the CIA and also for dignitaries that include President Bill Clinton, President Gorbachev, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and the King and Queen of Spain. She has also been the recipient of the Matz Memorial Award for Outstanding Achievement twice.
In the field of musical education she is on the faculty of Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont, California.
Anna Maria Mendieta recordings
Concert Variations on “Adeste Fidelis” or Harp (John Francis Wade/Frederick Oakeley)
Sugo 9311 (CD: Enchanted Christmas)
Sources:
- http://www.annamariamendieta.com/bio.html
- http://www.myspace.com/annamariamendieta
- http://www.afm6.org/ArtistProfile_AnnaMariaMendieta.htm
- http://www.associatedentertainment.com/aec/Music/Classical/Anna-Maria-Mendieta
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Maria_Mendieta
- http://www.sacphil.org/anna_maria_mendieta_principal_harp
- http://www.allmusic.com/artist/anna-maria-mendieta-p142333/credits
- http://www.allmusic.com/album/enchanted-christmas-r211571