The UDEC Music Program, leaving its mark on Bogotá

The Opera al Parque festival, which is organized annually by the Mayor's Office of Bogotá, has on several occasions invited the University of Cundinamarca and its Music Program, which always places great interest in the rehearsal and staging of several famous works from the lyrical repertoire.

The above allows us to place ourselves on a cold afternoon of Tuesday, November 8, 2011, traveling towards Bogotá, when the Symphony Orchestra and the Institutional Choir were united by a common goal which was to put the best of their abilities into the presentation of the work Elixir de Amor by Gaetano Donizetti.

Arriving at the venue for our engagement, the ECCI University theater located on 17th Street and 4th Avenue, the members of the Symphony Orchestra and the Choir began their preparations surrounded by a pleasant atmosphere due to the modern and comfortable auditorium. Our only concern was whether the 800 seats would be filled because of the bad weather prevailing in the city.

Fifteen minutes before the performance was to begin, the Choir Director told me that they wanted a different greeting and presentation, that is, one far removed from any routine, but I told her not to worry, they had a few minutes; I never thought that the curtain would open and my greeting would be part of the beginning of the play, playing a teacher trying to bring order to a class.

From that moment on, it was all pleasant surprises; the theater was completely full, and in the front row, a large group of Directors from the University of Cundinamarca and officials from the municipality of Fusagasugá supported us with their presence.

At the end, the first Singing Teacher of the Program approached me and, with a trembling voice, said, "I am very excited, I am going to give you a piano." A few days later, the one that is now located in cubicle 111 was received; and I was also excited because I was able to be an artist for five minutes.

Written by Professor Germán González Pedraza

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