Music Performance

Music and art are a big part of my family's heritage. Therefore, it is fair to say that my interest in music started in utero when my mother would play her violin for me, but from toddlerhood, my fascination was with classical. Toddlerhood meant Kindermusic and playing duets with my neighbor piano instructor before age 5. Parents and educators were amazed when Bach's Toccata in Fugue in D minor from Disney's Fantasia was my show and tell. Strumming African music on my electric guitar with my guitar instructor, my late great adult cousin Steve Fritzen, for first-grade Show and Tell is an example of my early love and talent for music. At six years of age, I even performed the xylophone as the solo accompanist for my elementary school choir concert at NorthSide. Exploring self-expression through music with various instruments developed me. However, soon I was drawn to the cello, a harmless rebelling.

On my Spanish grandfather's side, for generations, someone stepped up to fill the generational requirement of being a violinist. However, most of my Spanish relatives are guitarists. Well, I was the one who had to break the tradition because I became a cellist. I focused on the cello and performed in an orchestra or a small choral group for eight years during my school years. However, junior year of high school, I went to Wesleyan University cello camp and learned about my voice and how bass two opera was in high demand. After that, my primary focus was on singing, and my cello became my secondary instrument. Singing came with the financial rewards of paid performances and education scholarships that allowed me to graduate debt free in a time when student loans burden lives and society. However, my finance and accounting interests made me conscious of practicing what I preach. Therefore, I worked part-time while attending school and earned a scholarship to graduate without student loans! Consequently, a Music Performance major became part of my Interdisciplinary degree. Such was helpful as I learned to compose music for my video productions, saving one client one million for 30 seconds for the song rights!

Unfortunately, mastering the cello is still a hobby, but the ability to perform Bach cello suites satisfies me. The cello is fun, but when people ask me to contribute, I prefer to sing on Church's worship teams or be a cast member in local theatre. Oddly I have genuine stage fright of playing a solo but am confident and relaxed as the lead vocalist. In addition, there is something very fulfilling about the collaboration of playing the cello with a full orchestra. It is a beautiful and robust experience. Singing above the orchestra is also good but does not intimidate me; in the same way, playing a cello solo historically freezes me as centered eyes and ears are on me. Gratitude for the support of my parents, family, and friends, but especially to God, means sharing my talents when able. Besides Church or the local community theaters, you might find me singing to patients at the hospitals or a piano bar in Chicago. Opportunities seem to pop up randomly, as spontaneity is a joy. However, music remains a hobby that allowed me to attain an education for my business, finance, and accounting career.