** 2024 Commencement Updates **

** 2024 Commencement Updates **

Original Music Concert May 3 in Ilfeld

Las Vegas, N.M. – The Highlands University Department of Music presents its Original Music Concert May 3 at7 p.m. in the university’s historic Ilfeld Auditorium at 900 University Ave.

Highlands music professor
Edward Harrington directs the both the Music Technology Program and the
concert, which features original works written and produced by Highlands University
music students in the Music Technology Program. The performance includes a special
guest musician from the Las Vegas community, Steve Leger, on trumpet.

“Steve has been studying
the arrangements of Richie Cole and is writing his own arrangement based on
Cole’s techniques for a seven-piece jazz group,” Harrington said.  

General
admission tickets are $5 for the concert. Admission is free for Highlands
University students, faculty and staff with valid ID.

“Our music students spend
many hours each week honing their recordings to perfection at Highlands’
recording studio and music lab,” Harrington said. “The May 3 concert will
feature recordings and live performances of approximately 20 music students.
Three of the featured students are graduating music seniors Donaciano Vigil,
Cassidy Kear and Alfredo Aragon.”

Harrington said
Donaciano Vigil writes and produces music in electronic dance music and
hip-hop styles where he sings along with synthesizers and drums. Vigil also plays
drums with the Highlands Jazz Ensemble and studies voice with music professor
Andre García-Nuthmann. 

Harrington said Cassidy Kear
writes and produces Christian contemporary music with her own vocals, lyrics
and arrangements. She uses pianos and strings, and adds background vocals to
her productions. She has completed an arrangement of one of her original pieces
for choir, to be performed this semester. 

Harrington said Alfredo Mondragon
writes and produces hip-hop and metal musical styles.

Other Highlands students
performing in the Original Music Concert include:

  • Reyes Montoya, who writes and produces Spanish music based on
    the Northern New Mexico style. He is releasing a CD album that he produced this
    semester at his family’s home studio.
  • Susan Martínez, who has composed several scores for piano and
    small-instrument ensembles in modern styles. 
  • Martin Neddo-Roaque, who writes music suitable for movie
    scores. He produced a choral score and a full score for the Highlands Jazz Ensemble
    this semester. 
  • Maria Valdez, who has produced several singer-songwriter
    tracks this year, featuring herself on guitar and  vocals. 
  • Chris Soveranez produces rhythm and blues style hip-hop
    tracks, featuring his voice and the voice of music student Oksana Herrera
    in main and background vocals. 
  • Mighty Williams composes original piano works based on
    improvisations. He studies piano with Highlands’ new music professor Edwin
    Aybar. 
  • John Ray Tafoya, Danielle Cartee, Rachel McCork,
    Kathryn Kear, Santana Martínez, Kayleen Roybal, Jovina Sandoval, and
    Marcus Romero are building collections of original works that express
    their own creative voices. 

Music
technology students study songwriting, composition, recording,
arranging, mastering, and digital-audio editing.