María Dueñas releases her new album Homage to Heifetz
María Dueñas follows in the footsteps of a violin legend:
Just as Jascha Heifetz once did, the Spanish violinist pairs
Korngold’s Violin Concerto with Lalo’s Symphonie espagnole
Recorded with Gustavo Dudamel
and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela
Homage to Heifetz is released on 28 August 2026 in all formats – listen to the album HERE.
TV and streaming updates: Évian concert on STAGE+ (watch HERE)
María Dueñas releases her new album Homage to Heifetz on 28 August 2026. It pays tribute to Jascha Heifetz, whose recordings have shaped the Spanish violinist since childhood, and pairs – as Heifetz once did – Korngold’s Violin Concerto with Lalo’s Symphonie espagnole. The programme was recorded at London’s Abbey Road Studios with Gustavo Dudamel and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela (the orchestra of Venezuela’s internationally renowned El Sistema music education programme, of which Dudamel is Music & Artistic Director).
On the album, Dueñas also revisits a tradition from the Golden Age of the violin: contrasting major violin concertos with arrangements of short, popular pieces. Alongside Debussy’s La fille aux cheveux de lin in an orchestral version, she recorded miniatures by Debussy and Ponce with pianist Itamar Golan. For Estrellita, La chevelure and La plus que lente, Dueñas played the 1731 “Heifetz, Piel” Stradivarius, once owned by Jascha Heifetz.
The Allegro non troppo from Lalo’s Symphonie espagnole is already available to watch HERE.
The following videos are also available:
- Debussy: La plus que lente (Arr. Roques for Violin & Piano) HERE
- Ponce: Estrellita (Arr. Heifetz for Violin & Piano) HERE
- EPK HERE
- María Dueñas on the opportunity to record on the 1731 “Heifetz, Piel” Stradivarius HERE
“Having a role model is so important,” says Dueñas, “someone who is a constant source of inspiration.” For her, that role model is the Lithuanian-born Jascha Heifetz (1901–87), especially through his interpretations of Lalo and Korngold from the early 1950s. Heifetz was renowned for his virtuosity, his sound and the clarity of his interpretation. He is considered one of the greatest violinists of the 20th century.
Gustavo Dudamel – himself an excellent violinist – is also a source of inspiration for María: “Beyond being a fantastic musician, he’s a wonderful human being, someone whose feet are on the ground. This is what gives his music-making such soul.” They have appeared together live, among other projects, in the world premiere and further performances of Gabriela Ortiz’s Altar de cuerda (“Dueñas was wholly captivating” – The New York Times)
Dueñas live performance from Évian with Denis Kozhukhin, Yo-Yo Ma and Renaud Capuçon is now available to watch on STAGE+.
Her concert dates include Schloss Johannisberg (23 August), Wiesbaden (30 August), Bremen (1 September), Seoul (11 September), Yongin (12 September), Tongyeong (13 September), Taichung (15 September), Taipei (16 and 17 September).
