Author: Marie Gallardo
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Dinner with Central American Composers: Sergio Reyes Mendoza & Juan Guerra González
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: Our dinner…
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Amplifying Voices: Award-Winning Performance of Miradas Azules by Sergio Reyes Mendoza
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…
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Premiering Guatemalan Clarinet Music in New York City
On May 15th, 2025, I had the incredible honor to present a premiere performance of Guatemalan music in New York City, at Aaron Davis Hall at City College, in collaboration with the Harlem Chamber Players, Association of Dominican Classical Artists, and Dzul Dance. This concert was titled “World Premieres by Latin Composers,” and was featured…
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Voices of the Isthmus: A Recording of Contemporary Clarinet Sounds from Central America
I am proud to announce the release of my new recording project, as part of my Doctoral research, titled: Voices of the Isthmus: Contemporary Clarinet Sounds of Central America, which is now available on SoundCloud. This compilation brings together a collection of contemporary works for the clarinet by composers from Guatemala and the greater Central…
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A History of Guatemalan Music
In the pre-Columbian era, or before European colonization, the Mayan civilization inhabited Guatemala, Southern Mexico, Belize, El Salvador, and Honduras. Music was an important part of their lives, as they used it for rituals, dances, and celebrations. They developed several instruments including the drum, flute, and trumpet. In the early 14th century, Spain invaded Guatemala…
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Upcoming Premiere: Resiliencia de los Pueblos Indígenas de Guatemala by Sergio R. Reyes Mendoza
Exciting news: a new Guatemalan clarinet work will premiere in just two weeks! This work titled Resiliencia de los Pueblos Indígenas de Guatemala (Resilience of the Indigenous Peoples of Guatemala) was composed by Guatemalan composer Sergio R. Reyes Mendoza. Venue: Aaron Davis Hall, City College, 129 Convent Avenue, New York, NY Date: Thursday, May 15th,…
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“The Wood that Sings”
The marimba is an incredibly important instrument to the people of Guatemala. The marimba is known as their national instrument and is part of the identity of the people. The origins of this instrument are highly debated whether the Mayans had the instrument pre-Columbian era or if it was discovered when the Africans were brought…
Guatemalan Music for the Clarinet 