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Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation® Announces New Scholarship Recipients, Having Awarded More Than $2.5 Million to Date
[July 25, 2017]

Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation® Announces New Scholarship Recipients, Having Awarded More Than $2.5 Million to Date


The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation® announced today its annual list of scholarship recipients - talented musicians from around the world who will use these awards to overcome financial hurdles and achieve their dreams. To date, more than 100 scholarships totaling a remarkable $2.5 million has been gifted by the Foundation, which continues to support Latin music in many ways, including by recognizing individuals who are looking to start or continue their music education.

With today's announcement, the Foundation has set new annual records in 2017, presenting $870,000 in scholarships to 44 recipients. This includes previously-announced Miguel Bosé Scholarship recipient, 22-year-old Dominican electric bassist Ernesto Núñez, who was honored earlier this year with a $200,000 award.

"Thanks to our generous donors, involved artists, and compassionate partners, we continue to be in a strong position to provide support to truly talented Latin music students in need and with the tools to pursue their dreams to follow in the footsteps of their Latin music icons," said Manolo Díaz, Sr. Vice President, Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation. "While I am proud of the Foundation for breaking records in dollars and number of gifts awarded in 2017 - and passing the incredible $2.5 million and 100 scholarship milestones - I am profoundly honored to be playing a role in the advancement of these talented musicians and the spread of love for Latin music around the world."

The 44 scholarship recipients come from countries spanning four continents: Brazil (8), Mexico (8), Venezuela (8), Colombia (4), Dominican Republic (4), United States (3), Peru (2), Puerto Rico (2), and one recipient from Costa Rica, Cuba, Indonesia, Portugal, and Spain.

The following received the Gifted Tuition Scholarships of up to $100,000 and covers a four-year bachelor's degree:

  • Andrés Guerra, 21, a classical guitarist from Venezuela based in Revere, MA, who will attend Berklee College of Music in Boston.
  • Carolina Mercado (News - Alert), 22, a tenor saxophonist from Mexico, who will attend The School of Jazz at The New School in New York City.
  • Nikola Vasiljevic, 17, a guitarist from the Dominican Republic, who will attend Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Additionally, 40 students will receive Tuition Assistance Scholarships - a one-time scholarship valued at up to a maximum of $10,000 each toward music education at an institution of their choice. Recipients will pursue their music education at schools such as Berklee College of Music, Indiana University (News - Alert), School of Jazz at The New School, the University of Southern California in the U.S., Faculdade de Música Souza Lima in Brazil, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Colombia, Universidad Alfonso X El Sabio in Spain, and more. This group of 40 individuals includes Dominican pianist Esmirna Ortiz, who is receiving the scholarship for the third consecutive year and has already put her production engineering studies to practical use, assisting in production logistics at last year's Latin Recording Academy® Person of the Year gala.

Following is a list of students who are receiving a Tuition Assistance Scholarships for 2017, including their country of origin, music major, and college they will be attending this fall:





Name     Music Major     Location     Music School
Gerson De la Rosa Abreu     Percussion     Puerto Rico     Boston Conservatory
Luis Anselmi     Cuatro Venezolano     Venezuela     Holland College
Cesar Aranguibel     Piano     Venezuela     Faculdade de Música Souza Lima
Oscar Quilca Barceli     Drums     Peru     Berklee College of Music
Santiago Barragán     Guitar     Colombia     Berklee College of Music
Aniela Batres     Vibraphone     Mexico     Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico
Linda Briceño     Trumpet     Venezuela     School of Jazz at The New School
José Manuel Ferreiras Castillo     Drums     Dominican Republic     Berklee College of Music
Carlos Pascual Cipeletti     Piano     Spain     Alfonso X el Sabio
Sergio Coelho     Clarinet     Portugal     University of Southern California
Ana Carmela Ramírez Contramaestre     Voice     Venezuela     School of Jazz at The New School
Ahmad Sarasin Farhan     Piano     Indonesia     Berklee College of Music
Breno Rocha Ferrari     Electric Bass     Brazil     Faculdade de Música Souza Lima
Jhoely Garay     Guitar     Mexico     The City College of New York
Gabrielle Garo     Flute     USA (Bronx, N.Y.)     School of Jazz at The New School
Francisco Garrido     Guitar     Venezuela     Berklee College of Music
Juan Camilo Gonzalez Gonzalez     Clarinet     Colombia     Longy School of Music
Andres Gutierrez     Piano     Mexico     Berklee College of Music
Alvaro Huancahuari     Saxophone     Peru     McNally Smith College of Music
Euan Leslie     Drums     USA (Boston)     Berklee College of Music
Herbert de Lima     Saxophone     Brazil     Faculdade de Música Souza Lima
Rachel Lopez     Flute     Cuba     Shepherd University
Raul Marcano     Clarinet     Venezuela     Longy School of Music
Luis Gabriel Martinez Matarrita     Guitar     Costa Rica     Alfonso X El Sabio
Gustavo Miorim     Drums     Brazil     Faculdade de Música Souza Lima
Daniel Tenes de Oliveira     Drums     Brazil     Faculdade de Música Souza Lima
Esmirna Ortiz     Piano     Dominican Republic     Berklee College of Music
Joao Vitor Perrusi     Electric Guitar     Brazil     Berklee College of Music
Cristian Restrepo     Piano     Colombia     Pontificia Javeriana Colombia
Jeffrey Rivera     Percussion     USA (Boston)     Berklee College of Music
Santiago Rodríguez     Saxophone     Colombia     Pontificia Javeriana Colombia
Orlando J. Berrios Rojas     Cuatro Puertorriqueño     Puerto Rico     Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico
Luis Mario Ruelas Romo     Composition     Mexico     Indiana University
Camila Ronza     Voice     Brazil     Faculdade de Música Souza Lima
German Scheufler     Electric Bass     Mexico     Berklee College of Music
Matheus Silva     Drums     Brazil     Berklee College of Music
Rodolfo Guilherme Da Silva     Trumpet     Brazil     Faculdade de Música Souza Lima
Alexis Soto     Percussion     Venezuela     Berklee College of Music
Marco A. Ribera Tejeda     Piano     Mexico     Tecnológico de Monterrey
José Alberto Aponte Trujillo     Violin     Mexico     Colorado State University

The Foundation's Scholarship Committee is tasked with carefully evaluating a highly competitive pool of young and aspiring musicians on a variety of skills and rigorous policies developed by the Foundation. The Gifted Tuition Scholarships and Miguel Bosé Scholarship recipients must maintain a minimum 3.5 GPA and honor standards of academic excellence and outstanding conduct set forth by the Foundation and the respective music institution, in order to qualify for renewal of annual assistance during their four-year college term, which will be assessed each semester.

For all information and the latest news, please visit the official Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation® website at: LatinGRAMMYCulturalFoundation.com.

FB: /LatinGRAMMYCulturalFoundation | Twitter (News - Alert): @LatinGRAMMYFdn | Instagram: @latingrammyfdn

ABOUT THE LATIN GRAMMY CULTURAL FOUNDATION:

The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation was established by The Latin Recording Academy® to promote international awareness and appreciation of the significant contributions of Latin music and its makers to the world's culture, and to protect its rich musical legacy and heritage. The Foundation's primary charitable focus is to provide scholarships to students of Latin music with financial need, as well as grants to scholars and organizations worldwide for research and preservation of Latin music genres.


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