DePue De Hoyos will perform at the Freed Center for the Performing Arts in Ada, on Thursday, Jan. 26, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 each and can be ordered by calling the Freed Center Box Office at 419-772-1900 or on the website at www.freedcenter.com.
A chance meeting south of the border in the Baja coastal town of La Mision, melded the talents of these two stellar musicians known for their fiery performances.
Alex DePue
Alex DePue began taking classical violin lessons at age five. He won his first major competition at age 10, and later (age 16) won a competition that entitled him to perform at Carnegie Hall with the National Guild Youth Orchestra under the direction of Joseph Silverstein. He has continued to win competitions and appear as a guest soloist with orchestras and at festivals worldwide.
Despite his classical training, Alex became interested in fiddling at age seven, and began competing in old-time fiddle contests at the age of 12.
He reigned as the Michigan State Fiddling Champion from 1994-1998; won the first-place trophy at the Walnut Valley National Fiddling Championship in Winfield, Kansas in 1999 and 2005; won first place in the Halletsville, Texas, "Gone to Texas National Fiddling Championship" in 2000; won first place in the Alabama state fiddle contest in 2006 and 2007; and won first place in the California state fiddle contest in 2007.
He has been ranked among the top 10 fiddlers in the nation at the Grand Masters Fiddling Championship (Nashville, Tenn.). In 2005, Alex placed fourth at the GMFC. Alex served as a judge at the National Oldtime Fiddling Championship (Weiser, Idaho) in 2008. Alex toured with Capitol Recording artist Chris Cagle from 2000-2006, with whom he regularly appeared on the Grand Ole Opry, Country Music Television, Great American Country, and VH1 Country.
Alex joined legendary rock guitarist Steve Vai for a 2007 world tour that took him across North America, South America, and Europe. Alex's YouTube videos are from all parts of the globe, and his number 1 YouTube hit, 'Owner of a Lonely Heart' (originally recorded by the 80's rock band, Yes) has been viewed worldwide over a million times.
Alex recently teamed up with Mexican guitarist Miguel De Hoyos. Their unique international sound has been praised by elected Mexico officials in B.C. South, MX and their spectacular musical performances are being extolled by popular English-written Mexican publications such as the Gringo Gazette and the Baja Times. Alex and Miguel recently released their first recording 'Underground Whispers in A'.
In addition to performing, Alex is a published composer and arranger of music. Alex has a self-produced CD available which features pieces he arranged and/or composed.
In addition to his own CD, he has produced recordings for other singers and instruments, and records sessions in his off time from tours. With his brothers, Alex played on the soundtrack for the Philadelphia Orchestra documentary, "Music from the Inside Out".
Alex also composed one of the pieces recorded for the documentary. With a background in both classical violin and fiddling, and an ability to play not only the violin but also the viola, mandolin, guitar, double bass, percussion, and piano, Alex is an artist that can produce any style of music.
Miguel de Hoyos
Professional acoustical guitarist and vocalist, Miguel de Hoyos, native of Monterrey, Mexico, began studying at 12 with his father, Ing. Roque de Hoyos instructing him in the earliest years.
Since that time, Miguel studied with several of Mexico's finest instructors, developing his own neo-classical style playing everything from the Beatles to the classics.
Miguel performed his first solo concert when he was 16. He studied guitar with Maestro Severo Barrera during the time he was accompanying Mimus Teatro, a professional pantomime group of Monterrey. His multi-faceted career includes being musical director and general director of several musicals in Monterrey.
He has had success teaming with his brother, Carlos, also accomplished guitarist. Miguel was a member of a concert group, La Guitarra Por El Mundo traveling throughout Mexico and Europe on a cultural exchange program. In Romania alone, the group performed 14 concerts in 24 days.
Miguel has performed for Nobel Laureate for Literature, Octavio Paz, also Diana Laura de Colosio and other distinguished Mexican citizens including Ambassadors, Governors and Mayors. He has performed in Guanajuato's world famous international Cervantino Festival and he has given concerts in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Acapulco.
Miguel has accompanied Spain's Raphael, Tania Libertad from Peru and Mexico's Jorge Mu~A+/-iz. He has performed with Mexican artist; Chamin Correa, Gilberto Puente, Juan Bruno Terrazas, and Amparo Montes. In addition, he has appeared on Mexican, Dutch, and Romanian television.
In November 1996, Miguel moved to Rosarito Beach, Baja California Norte, Mexico much to the delight of Baja's multi-national community. He performs in many venues locally, with his concert repertoire consisting of classical, popular, folk and international selections.
Miguel recently produced a solo audio cassette titled "Interludio" and a CD, "Sevilla Suite" . The CDs title songs are his own compositions and all of his works are original arrangements.
