Los Cerros Hablan: Honoring Heritage Through Music

Los Cerros Hablan: Honoring Heritage Through Music

September 15 – October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month, and we’re proud to celebrate the incredible Hispanic and Latinx faculty who share their artistry, culture, and passion with our students every day.

In 2022, before coming to Milwaukee, Vincent Martinez invested in a project to celebrate and honor their heritage. Working alongside their undergraduate professor, Bill Jobert, Vincent commissioned a new work for bassoon and piano. The piece, entitled Los Cerros Hablan, was written by composer Gilbert Galindo to honor Vincent’s late grandfather and celebrate the lives and journeys of Mexican immigrants.

“I know that my heritage and identity are everything.”

Vincent says, “As a first-generation Mexican American, a first-generation college graduate, and a non-binary individual, I know that my heritage and identity are everything. I hope to always be able to celebrate, honor, and remember the strife and perseverance of my family and those who have laid the stepping stones before me, so that I may continue to lay the stones for those who come next.”

The opportunity to work with a Latinx composer while honoring the memory of their grandfather paved the way for future opportunities. Two years later, Vincent began their fellowship in teaching artistry at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, a position that in part aims to give students the chance to study with and learn from musicians of similar backgrounds and identities.

See Vincent perform Los Cerros Hablan here: