On Sunday, March 1, local vocalist and violinist Idara Aguinaga will give a performance called “Echoes of Carnegie Hall” in Kalispell, presented by Kinnor Classics International.

Aguinaga is a coloratura soprano and accomplished violinist, as well as a composer, arranger and conductor. The “Echoes of Carnegie Hall” event promises to showcase many of her talents.

Joining Aguinaga on March 1 are guest musicians Micah Hunter, conductor of the Glacier Chorale, and Wai Mizutani, an adjunct professor of music at Flathead Valley Community College. Each of them will perform their own solos as well as duets with Aguinaga throughout the evening. They will be accompanied by pianist Ladeine Thompson.

“Echoes of Carnegie Hall” will feature a variety of operatic arias as well as violin selections. Aguinaga will be singing in five different languages throughout the evening, which she said has been challenging but also worth the effort.

“The pronunciation can be tricky, trying to get the correct accent while singing,” Aguinaga said.

“These are the showpieces of the famous operas that drew tens of thousands to the great opera houses throughout the world” said J. Greg Ontiveros of Kinnor Classics International and manager for Aguinaga. “The level of difficulty of just one of these pieces is enough to set a trained opera singer on edge.”

AGUINAGA WAS born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She began learning to play violin at age 6, and progressed quickly. She won many solo competitions throughout Canada and the United States before she was a teenager, and at 11 years old was invited to play with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. At the age of 13 she began teaching private lessons.

Her experience teaching private lessons eventually led to a job as the music director for a youth orchestra. She began arranging and composing during her years there.

Aguinaga moved to the Flathead Valley seven years ago.

“I chose Montana because of the people,” Aguinaga said. “I took a trip out to the Flathead, and when I saw the mountains coming around the lake, I just thought, ‘I’m home.’”

She currently serves as an adjunct professor of music at Flathead Valley Community College, but spends most of her time working toward her next performances as a professional musician. She only began experimenting with singing a few years ago, and has since discovered a hidden talent.

Her passion is sharing all of her musical gifts with others.

“Classical music really touches people’s souls like no other kind of music can,” Aguinaga said. “That’s what my performances are about. It’s all about one soul touching another soul through music.”

AGUINAGA HAS drawn inspiration from many sources throughout her life. Her first musical influence was a great, great uncle who “had all kinds of instruments” and who gave Aguinaga her first violin at age 6.

She has also found inspiration in the performances of Joan Sutherland, 1926-2010, an Australian dramatic coloratura soprano who was well known for her bel canto repertoire.

“I’m inspired by her musicality and technical abilities,” Aguinaga said. “She always seemed so down-to-earth with a genuine musicianship. She put music first.”

The music-first theory serves Aguinaga well. She said if she could give one piece of advice to aspiring musicians — regardless of genre — it would be to put the music first.

“Always put your music before yourself,” Aguinaga said. “Never the other way around. Don’t put your persona before your art.”

In addition to performing, Aguinaga is also a composer. “Echoes of Carnegie Hall” will include several original pieces.

Aguinaga said that composing comes naturally.

“I need to block the entire world out [when composing],” Aguinaga said. “The music, it’s like it’s always there. But when you tune out the world, that’s when you can really hear it.”

"ECHOES OF CARNEGIE HALL" will be at 3 p.m. at the Glacier High School Performance Hall in Kalispell on Sunday, March 1.

Tickets for the concert are $10 for students, $20 adults and are available online at kinnorclassics.tix.com. Local ticket outlets are Woodwind and Brass, Sykes, Mum's Flowers, Grateful Bread and Music One.

For more information, call 471-3487, email kinnorclassics@gmail.com or visit www.kinnorclassics.com.

Entertainment editor Stefanie Johnson can be reached at 758-4439 or ThisWeek@dailyinterlake.com.