Teacher is a finalist in music competition

The results were announced during the 54th National Culture Awards of the University of Antioquia on August 2nd, which included the 9th Music Award category, chamber music modality.

UCundinamarca News spoke with this professor, who coordinates the research area, and for whom the classical guitar has been the instrument that has taken him to different concert halls in Colombia and around the world. A lover of jazz, popular music, and classical music, this man comes from a family with a musical tradition; his mother was his first teacher, and later Alejandro Montoya in Colombia and Martin Pedreira in Cuba continued his musical training. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Music from the Technological University of Pereira and a Master's degree in guitar performance from Carnegie Mellon University in the USA, which explains this significant achievement.

UCundinamarca News: What was the process like to participate?

Leon Salcedo: I found out about the call for applications through social media and decided to participate with my colleague Isabel Osorio, who is principal flutist of the Medellín Philharmonic. We registered together and chose a repertoire of works by a Colombian composer and others from abroad, and we began rehearsing. She would come to Bogotá, or I would go to her city.

UCundinamarca News: How was the audition?

Leon Salcedo: We should have made a video We submitted our work professionally and without cuts to these cultural awards, fulfilling all the requirements. A jury evaluated our submission and, on September 11th, selected only six finalists, including us. This resulted in a first prize, which consisted of a cash award. Following this selection, we were invited to perform in Medellín on October 6th at 7:00 pm in the Teresita Gómez Hall. The results will be announced on October 13th at the closing ceremony for this entire process.

UCundinamarca News: How crucial has the university been to this achievement?

Leon Salcedo: It has been fundamental, as it has greatly motivated us to seek out these kinds of opportunities, and to that end, it has given me the necessary time for rehearsals. This is also a way to raise the profile of the music program, and the directors understand this. Furthermore, what one learns, one can teach to the students, and that is very valuable. important in the pedagogical process that is carried out daily.

Finally, it is worth emphasizing that the National Culture Awards of the University of Antioquia, created in 1968, are a project supported by the Ministry of Culture – National Program of Cultural Concertation and this year they have the support of the University of Antioquia Foundation.

If you would like to see a performance by the teacher León Salcedo, click here:

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