Latin American Choral Music Workshop
Taller de Música Coral Latinoamericana

presented by: Chicago Arts Orchestra

in partnership with: Saint Alphonsus Liguori Schoo, 411 N. Wheeling Rd., Prospect Heights, IL 

The Chicago Arts Orchestra is proud to present its first Latin American Choral Music Workshop.   

The workshop will feature the expertise of Fernando Archila, Director of the National Youth Chorus of Guatemala and Julio Julian, Conductor of the National Children’s Choir of Guatemala.   Other faculty will include Javier José Mendoza of the Chicago Arts Orchestra and Nesreen Duncan, pianist.  

Participation is open to students going into Grades 2-12. 

Classes will be held June 9-13 at Saint Alphonsus Liguori School from 9am-12pm 

• Participants will focus on Latin American repertoire especially repertoire from Guatemala.
• Latin rhythms will be covered in depth as will movement and dance.
• Students will be exposed to Latin percussion and will have a chance to experiment.
• Participants will learn vocal techniques appropriate for choral and solo singing.
• Singing some songs in Spanish
• All participants will have a performance opportunity!  Singers participating in this summer program will have the opportunity to appear with the Chicago Arts Orchestra, National Children’s Choir of Guatemala and National Youth Choir of Guatemala here in Chicago on the CAO Hispanic Heritage Concert in October.  (exact date and time TBD)
• Cost $75 with priority registration by May 1st.  $90 after May 1st, registration deadline is May 30th.
• For more information call, 773-562-4921 or email jmendoza@chicagoartsorchestra.org

 Click here for more information.

Faculty   

Fernando Archila,
Artistic Director, Coro Nacional de Jovenes  de Guatemala (National Youth Choir of Guatemala) 

Julio Julian
Artistic Director, Coro Nacional de Niños de Guatemala (National Children’s Choir of Guatemala) 

Javier José Mendoza
Music Director and Conductor, Chicago Arts Orchestra 

Nesreen Duncan
Free-lance pianist and teacher

 

Fernando Archila

Fernando Archila graduated with honors from Jesus Maria Alvarado Normal School of Musical Education.  Later graduated in Choral Direction from the University of San Carlos of Guatemala.  As a student at the National Conservatory of Music he studied piano, bassoon, viola and choral music.  As a bassoonist he participated in the Orchestra of the National Conservatory, the Orchestra of Universidad del Valle of Guatemala, and the Baroque Group EUTERPE. Mr. Archila was baritone in the Choir of the ENMEM "Jesus Maria Alvarado", Choir of the National Conservatory of Music, Choir of the Universidad del Valle and the Coro Nacional (National Choir) of Guatemala.  He has also served as accompanist to the Coro Nacional of Guatemala and served as Assistant Director and Director Ad-Honorem between 1991 and 1996. He participated in the creation and organization of the First International Festival of Choirs, CHORAL CONNECTION.  Founder of the Guatemalan Association of Choral Directors ADICOGUA.  He has participated in diverse festivals, choral concerts, symposia and other international events in Cuba, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Mexico, France, Spain, Italy, the United States and Canada.  He has received accolades from international masters such as,  Kari Ala-Pöllänen, Sanna Valvane (Finland), Corina Campos, Jorge Luis Pacheco (Cuba). Archila has served as Vice-president of Communication and Delegate representing Central America for the Choral Federation of the Caribbean and Central America, FCCC.  Archila is also Adviser to the International Federation of Choral Music. 

Director and creator of the program Corodemia through which he has conducted several choirs, organized festivals and seminars, produced compact discs, books and videos on choral music.  He has been consultant to the Ministry of Education of Guatemala for the development of choral groups.  He is founder of the National Children’s Choir of Guatemala. He is Director/Founder of the National Youth Choir of Guatemala.  He was university professor at the department of music of the Universidad del Valle of Guatemala where he was named Distinguished Professor.  He was professor of Harmony, Practice of Singing and Choral Direction at ENMEM "Jesus Maria Alvarado School.” He was director of the Choir of the Universidad del Valle of Guatemala and founder of the Festival of Choirs of the UVG.   He is author of the book "Foundations of Choral Direction". He has published the “Guatemalan Choral Anthology.”  He is choral arranger and composer with works for mixed choir, children, young people and of diverse instrumental works.  Currently he is Coordinator of Music at the German School of Guatemala.

Julio Edgar Julian Sipac

Julio Julian, Founding Director of the Coro Nacional de Niños de Guatemala (National Children’s Choir of Guatemala) was born in Patzún, Chimaltenango, Guatemala the 6 of June of 1973, and graduated from Jesus Maria Alvarado Normal School for Teachers of Music Education.  He studied solfege marimba, choral music and Guatemalan folklore in the National Conservatory of Music. In 2004 he obtained a graduate   degree in choral direction from the University of San Carlos of Guatemala. In September of year 2007 he appeared with the Kikotem choir in the cities of Hamburg and Oberschwarzach in Bavaria, Germany in a cultural exchange with the German folksinger and educator Rolf Zuckowski and the Alsterfrösche choir. In 2004 Mr. Julian participated in the festival, AMERICA CANTAT IV in the city of Mexico D. F.  He attended the World of Children’s Choirs Festival and Symposium, celebrated in Vancouver, Canada in March of 2001. In 1999 he participated in the International Festival of Choirs presented by the Normal School of Jalisco Mexico. In January of 2000 Mr. Julian participated in the Latin American Forum of Musical Education (FLADEM) Convention, held in Managua, Nicaragua.  He is a charter member of the project of choral development Corodemia in Guatemala. He is charter member of the Central American Choral Association (ACCA). He is a founding director of the National Youth Choir of Guatemala.  He founded the Father Justiniano Babuín International Choral Festival in Patzún, Chimaltenango, Guatemala.  At present he directs Children’s Choir at Colegio Internacional Montessori where he is Coordinator of Music and Department Chair.  Annually he presents the International Choral Festival, “Montessori Canta” at Colegio Internacional Montessori.  

Javier José Mendoza

Javier José Mendoza is the Music Director and Conductor of the Chicago Arts Orchestra.  In addition to these responsibilities, Mr. Mendoza is also the Music Director of the Metropolis Youth Symphony, in residence at the Metropolis Performing Arts Center in Arlington Heights, Illinois and Conductor of the Philharmonic Orchestra of the West Suburban Youth Orchestra of Chicago

 Professionally, Mr. Mendoza has attended the conductor training program at Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, Italy, working with the Festival Orchestra of Sofia, Bulgaria and Maestro Gianluigi Gelmetti of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.  Other ventures have found Mr. Mendoza serving as the Assistant Chorus Master for the “Music in the Mountains Festival,” Durango, Colorado, as well as guest conducting the Young People’s Chorus of New York City as part of the Transient Glory Symposium.  International performances have included guest conducting the State Philharmonic of Sibiu, Romania, as well as his Latin American community music projects.  In the summer of 2007, Mr. Mendoza was guest faculty at Colegio Internacional Montessori in Guatemala City, Guatemala.  Mr. Mendoza will return to Guatemala in 2008 to lead the Metropolis Chamber Ensemble, Coro Nacional de Niños and Coro Nacional de Jovenes in the Teatro Nacional, “National Theatre, ” in performance of Vivaldi’s Gloria.  At the request of the Ministry of Education of Guatemala Mr. Mendoza will lead workshops on the direction of youth orchestras involving some 60 ensemble directors during this visit.  Mendoza will also present a lecture at the Creating Artistry Workshop presented by the Indianapolis Children’s Choir and Butler University in June of 2008. 

 Mr. Mendoza believes very strongly in the power that music has to build community and break down barriers; particularly those which affect the Latin American community around the world.  Recently, Mr. Mendoza was appointed to serve on the North American Coalition of Community Music; an organization which acts as a think-tank on issues involving community music and musicians throughout the Americas.  Mendoza also serves on the Board of Directors of the Fifth House Ensemble.  Additional affiliations include the League of American Orchestras and the Conductors Guild.

 Mr. Mendoza did his undergraduate studies at Butler University in Indianapolis with acclaimed choral director Henry Leck, and served as an intern conductor with the world-renowned Indianapolis Children's Choir.  Mendoza completed his Graduate studies in conducting at the University of New Mexico, where he worked with composer/conductor Bradley Ellingboe. Javier graduated with distinction, receiving the Master of Music Degree.  While in New Mexico, he was apprentice conductor to Roger Melone, Resident Conductor of the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, and continues to utilize his resources from New Mexico to advance his advocacy of Latin American Community Music. 

 Nesreen Behnam Duncan 

Nesreen B. Duncan was born in Baghdad, Iraq in 1968 where she began playing the piano at the age of 6. She studied piano under Russian Professors and received her first diploma from the Music and Ballet school of Baghdad. In 1990 she received her Bachelors degree from the Academy of Fine Arts. She became the music director of Our Lady of Deliverance Syrian Catholic Church in Baghdad from 1984 to 1993 and has performed in many Piano concerts over the years. After moving to the United States she worked as a piano teacher at the Parkview Montessori school in Mount Prospect Illinois for 5 years before moving on to become a private piano instructor. Nesreen has over 22 years experience as a Piano teacher and has also served as a substitute music teacher at Saint Alphonsus School in Prospect Heights Illinois where she also serves as a piano accompanist for the school choir, school musicals and Christmas programs. 

Nesreen very passionately believes in the need for musical education in early childhood development. The majority of her students begin playing piano around the age of 5 and continue well into early adulthood. She teaches her students music theory, discipline, patience and performance skills by exposing them to annual recitals from a very early age. 

 

Musica Latina

Musica Latina Powerpoint Presentation for use in the classroom with accompanying compact disc.
Musica Latina Part One
Musica Latina Part Two

Musica Latina Class Materials, Lesson Plans, Vocabulary & Review (Adobe PDF)

Musica Latina Class Materials, Lesson Plans, Vocabulary & Review (Microsoft Word)