Berklee students sound off on their recent trip to the Latin Grammys in Las Vegas, where they had the opportunity perform alongside Alejandro Sanz. (Estudiantes de Berklee hablan de su reciente viaje a los Latin Grammy’s en las Vegas, donde tuvieron la oportunidad de actuar con Alejandro Sanz). Read the full story on Berklee.edu.
Alejandro Sanz and 30 Berklee students at the Latin Grammys.
JUAN ANTONIO GARCIA ILLANAS, tenor saxophone (Coca-Segovia,Spain)
Honestly, I couldn’t believe when I first saw the e-mail from Javier Limón inviting me to go to Las Vegas to play with Alejandro Sanz in the 14th Latin Grammy Awards. But the funny thing is that now that we already did it, I still can’t believe seeing myself playing in the stage, with all these great musicians and with Alejandro leading the band. I’ve seen the video like twenty times already but it is still a dream for me.
As a student, one never thinks about playing in such as a huge event, but at the same time I think that we did a great job and we were not students any more on the stage, we were as professionals as any other musicians that like us, had the honor to play in this ceremony.
For me, the best thing was the fact of being with all these awesome guys, living and sharing experiences during those 5 days that we spent in Las Vegas. I am sure that we won’t ever forget them; and also the honor to know Alejandro Sanz and know that like any other musician and like us, music is always the main reason for doing that. Always music. “La música NO se toca!”
STEFANO MELILLO, violin (Venezuela)
I am really honored to say that I was invited to be part of this project playing violin. As I said to Javier Limón, this opportunity to perform with Alejandro Sanz at the Latin Grammys representing our Berklee, our cultures, and our countries was absolutely amazing! The talent of everyone in the group is way beyond limits and it was amazing how natural and perfectly we developed and achieved to offer the best performance we could do. I think that we were not nervous, those butterflies in the stomach were two things: anxiety and excitement to do our best work and to share it with the world!
I can not be more thankful to everybody involved in this project. To Javier Limón for believing in us and for having me as part of his team, to Alejandro Sanz for being such a great musician, person and kind to invite us to perform with him, to Eva Limón and Salome Limón to be like our “mothers” in this trip to Las Vegas, to Esther Rojas for being our leader in this event and to everyone else in the band for giving the best in that stage!
MARCO FLORES, guitar (Mexico City, Mexico)
Mi experiencia en este viaje fue maravillosa, el tocar en los Latin Grammys era un sueño que contemplaba desde hace tiempo y que gracias a esta gran iniciativa de Javier Limón pudo hacerse realidad y que mejor que mejor que con alguien de tal magnitud como Alejandro Sanz.
Estoy muy agradecido con todos en Berklee y espero que los alumnos podamos seguir participando en este tipo de iniciativas.
LUIS MIGUEL DE LA ISLA, singer (Mexico)
Experiencia única, inspiradora e inolvidable. Lograr dejar de lado la mente y forjar una sola voz usando el corazón como motor fue una sensación tan hermosa como inexplicable. Cuando Alejandro se convirtió en uno más de la banda, todo hizo click y la música habló por sí sola.
NORA GONZALEZ, singer (Mexico)
El haber tenido la oportunidad de compartir el escenario con uno de mis ídolos, aun siendo estudiante fue indescriptible. Fue un viaje inolvidable acompañada de tantas personas increíbles y además, talentosas.
Hubo un momento durante el performance, que solo fueron segundos donde me di cuenta que estaba viviendo sin duda, el mejor momento de mi vida. Y por eso estaré con Berklee infinitamente agradecida.
Sharing the stage with one of my idols, while still being a student, was an indescribable feeling. This trip was an unforgettable experience, specially sharing it with amazing and extremely talented people.
There was a moment during the performance, just seconds where I realized that I was without doubt living, the best moment of my life. For that I will be with Berklee, eternally grateful.
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TALI RUBINSTEIN, recorder (Israel)
The trip was amazing. I truly felt honored to have this opportunity to arrange and play the recorder in the band with Alejandro Sanz. It’s unbelievable that only two years ago I was still in Israel, trying to figure out where my life was going to and completely unaware of the events to come…
When I first got to Berklee I was just overwhelmed by how much talent there is in one place – I was worried I might get lost, but was so lucky to study with amazing teachers who encouraged me to explore my own personal path. One of these teachers was Javier Limón, who believed in my abilities and asked me to arrange and play in his album ‘Promesas De Tierra’, which led to him producing my duo album together with Tal Even-Tzur of our originals. Then this opportunity came along, and this time I was sure I wouldn’t pull it off… arranging for such a huge band? I’ve had no experience doing that! But together with the amazing Esther Rojas, we pulled it off.
I’m very proud to be a part of this great group of TALENTED and BEAUTIFUL people who became a family to me in this tour.. and grateful to have met Mike, Alejandro’s musical producer – such a modest and kind human being. Every single person in this group is dear to me. I feel blessed. For more great experiences to come!!!
www.talYtali.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
- Friday Night Classical ft. Berklee Indian Ensemble - October 16, 2019
- Performing with Shreya Ghoshal: Truly a Night to Remember - February 19, 2018
- Working with Shreya Ghoshal Changed My Perspective on Singing - February 9, 2018
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