I am honored to share that my chamber group and I were awarded 1st place in Category 4 “Best Performance of a Previously Unrecorded Work” in the Amplifying Voices Competition at the University of Missouri – Kansas City Conservatory for our performance of Miradas Azules by Guatemalan composer Sergio Reyes Mendoza.

This piece is a poignant, lyrical reflection on life during the COVID-19 pandemic, written in a tonal style that carries both intimacy and depth. The award not only recognizes the performance itself, but also affirms the importance of lifting up underrepresented composers, especially those whose works have yet to enter the mainstream classical repertoire.

About the Work

Miradas Azules is a chamber piece written for woodwind quintet and marimba. I discovered this piece during my early research into Guatemalan clarinet music. As I listened, the tranquility of the tonal language, the special rhythms, and the playful last movement captured my attention.

The piece was, until recently, only existed as a MIDI file uploaded by the composer on SoundCloud. What drew me most to this piece was how deeply personal the work feels while still resonating universally in the aftermath of the emotional and artistic issues related to the pandemic.

Thank you

I would like to thank the composer, Sergio Reyes Mendoza, for his music and for all his support during this process. I would also like to thank my chamber group for their beautiful performance of this work. This was a fantastic group effort and I’m so grateful for these talented musicians: Ethan Martin, Korrigan Korthauer, Anthony Kandilaroff, Evan Short, and Evan Minsk.

This award is significant not only for me as a performer and researcher, but for the broader mission of this site. It signals that music by Central American composers can, and should, be recognized within institutional settings for its artistic value, relevance, and emotional depth.

This performance was the US premiere of the work and the first public, professionally recorded interpretation, making it part of an evolving archive of recorded Central American clarinet works. Winning in the category specifically dedicated to “Previously Unrecorded Works” highlights how much music exists outside the dominant canon. This music is equally moving, challenging, and deserving of performance.

Watch and Listen

The full performance video will soon by published by the UMKC Conservatory on their website. I will share the link here soon as it becomes available.

In the meantime, you can watch the full performance of Miradas Azules, as posted on my YouTube channel.