This summer, I had the privilege of visiting NYC and dining with two Central American composers based in the city, whose music has shaped my research and performance journey: Sergio Reyes Mendoza (Guatemala) and Juan Guerra González (El Salvador).

Sergio Reyes Mendoza

Over the past year, I have performed three of Sergio’s works:

• La Chamusca – featured in my lecture recital on Guatemalan Music for the Clarinet
• Miradas Azules – for my final Doctoral recital titled Contemporary Clarinet Music by Central American Composers
• Resiliencia de los Pueblos Indígenas de Guatemala – world premiere performed with the Harlem Chamber Players in New York City

Our dinner was a long-awaited opportunity to sit down and talk deeply about music, art, the political and emotional undercurrents of his works, and the importance of cultural representation. Sergio’s generosity and insight have been vital to my understanding of Guatemalan music, and I am honored to call him a collaborator and friend.

Juan Guerra González

I also had the pleasure of meeting Salvadoran composer Juan Guerra González after performing his Nocturno para clarinete y piano with pianist Evan Minsk on my final doctoral recital. Juan later told me that my performance was the U.S. premiere which is such an honor!

Meeting both of these composers in person reinforced why this work matters. Their music tells stories from Central America that deserve to be heard, studied, and performed widely.

Listen

You can listen to these performances and learn more about Guatemalan clarinet music throughout this site. The performances are also featured on my YouTube channel.