16th Annual “Guitarras de Navidad” Recital at TAMIU Tuesday, Nov. 28
Once again, the stirring sounds of seasonal guitar strings will sound at the Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) 16th Annual “Guitarras de Navidad” Concert, Tuesday, Nov. 28 at 7:30 p.m. in the Center for the Fine and Performing Arts (CFPA) Recital Hall.
General admission donation is $5 to support student scholarships. Student admission is free.
Sponsored by the TAMIU College of Arts and Sciences’ department of Fine and Performing Arts, and co-sponsored by the Women’s City Club, this program features the TAMIU Classical Guitar Ensemble, directed by Dr. Gilberto D. Soto, professor of Music Education/Guitar.
“Guitarras de Navidad is one of the oldest music concerts sponsored by the College and department, and we are very proud to continue this annual musical tradition,” said Dr. Soto.
Among new selections the Ensemble will perform are Cavatina by J. Raff, Huapango by J.L. Moncayo, Prelude and variation I from the Goldberg Variations by J.S. Bach, and Angie by Mick Jagger. Also scheduled are new, special guitar arrangements of popular Christmas classics including “Oh Holy Night,” “Oh Santisima and “Greensleeves.”
The Ensemble will be joined by guest artist Dr. Colin Campbell, TAMIU assistant professor of Music, performing some of Ensemble’s performance selections on the Sharkey Corrigan Organ.
Members of the TAMIU Guitar Ensemble include Rene Herrera, Juan E. Ramírez, Norbert Ortiz, Joceline Mireles, Ernesto Riojas, Kevin González, Kassandra N. López, Sarah Romero-Chong, Deborah Gavilanes, Francisco Pedraza, Daniel Castillo, Israel Cruz, Humberto Garza, Joanna Gunnoe, Orlando Reyes, and Oscar Ortegón.
The TAMIU Classical Guitar Ensemble is a music performance class comprised of mostly music majors/minors, as well as other instrumentalists who share experience in reading and performing guitar literature for instrumental ensembles. It has enriched the lives of students and community residents for almost 16 years by offering free cultural programs, concerts and other events at no cost.
Active in the community, the Ensemble performs at numerous functions throughout the year. As community ambassadors, The Ensemble also promotes the cultural heritage of Laredo and the South Texas region.
“The students and our community members are able to experience music as a performing art, despite any socio-economic disadvantages they may encounter. The Ensemble is dedicated to the promotion of local talent and to providing quality community programming,” Soto continued.
The Ensemble has won performance awards at the University of Texas in Brownsville, the University of Texas in Dallas, and has been invited to perform three times at the international music festival “Chamber Art Madrid” in the Cities of Madrid and Barajas, in Spain.
For additional information, please contact Dr. Soto at 956.326.3046, or email gsoto@tamiu.edu.
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