By Ana Carolina Morales
Two students from El Sistema Texas received recognition from local schools for their outstanding performances with their musical instruments. Ana Sofia Delgado, aged 11, and Adriana Zambrano, 15, participated in the Solo and Ensemble contests, which are hosted annually by several school districts in Texas.
According to the Solo-Ensemble website, middle and high school students attend local Solo and Ensemble contests to prepare their students for regional and state-wide music performance contests. These local competitions prepare the young musicians by conducting each contest similar to the regional and national events. In Texas, the University Interscholastic League, an office of the University of Texas, manages these auditions.
Delgado plays music with the Hispanic Children’s Orchestra at El Sistema Texas. In the competition, she interpreted Can Can, a musical piece by Jacques Offenbach. She performed at Northpointe Intermediate in Tomball.
“My daughter Ana Sofia was among the first places. The judges congratulated her and offered recommendations to improve her technique. She received a certificate, and next school year, she might join one of her school orchestras,” explained Rosely Martínez, Delgado’s mother.
With the viola, Adriana Zambrano competed in solo and ensemble contests at Katy High School in Katy. She has been playing music since age 4, and at 15 years old, she plays the piano, too. At El Sistema Texas, she is part of the Hispanic Youth Orchestra.
“I played the Arpeggione Sonata of Schubert and received the highest mark for memorizing it. I also played Mozart’s Night Serenade with an ensemble, and we received the highest mark. This grade means we will advance to state competitions in May,” explained Zambrano.
To witness the achievements of El Sistema Texas students reinforces the belief in the transformative power of music.
Álvaro Carrillo, founder of this organization, stated, “Seeing them grow as musicians and individuals by overcoming challenges and achieving their goal inspires us to continue working tirelessly. We will keep providing them with the best educational and artistic opportunities. From our organization, we will continue to cultivate their passion for music.”