Paul Herrera

A native of Caracas, Venezuela,  was a member of  the first generation of the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra for over a decade,  institution also known as "El sistema".

He assisted in master-classes given by distinguished violinists such as Ruggiero Ricci,

Henryk Szeryng, Agustin Dumay and Margaret Pardee from the Julliard School in New York.

He attended the Royal Academy of Music of London in 1989 as a postgraduate student. In 1990 he went to The Netherlands to study with Sigiswald Kuijken at the Royal Conservatory of Music in the Hague, specializing in baroque violin, 

He has performed extensively throughout Europe, Asia, Latin America and the USA with La Petite Bande, the European Union Baroque Orchestra, Ricercare Consort, The Monteverdi Choir, Ensemble Elyma, Camerata de Caracas, Michaelstein Telemann Chamber Orchestra and the Kuijken brothers.

Paul Herrera is now living in Japan where he joined  Bach Collegium Japan, with whom he is currently recording  the complete series of cantatas of  Johann Sebastian Bach.

In 2002 he founded the ensemble Anima Concordia with Kaori Toda.  The ensemble has performed throughout Japan and Europe. Their recording of the books  of sonatas for two violins Op.3 and Op.12 from Jean-Marie Leclair has been well received by music critics and audiences alike.

The duo Herrera-Toda  keep an agenda of festival performances, seminars, solo recitals  and CD recordings.

Paul Herrera  learned the art of bow making  with Michael Vann in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

His bows are widely used and highly appreciated in the music field.