** 2024 Commencement Updates **

** 2024 Commencement Updates **

Original Music Concert December 7 in Ilfeld

Las Vegas, N.M. – The Highlands University Department of Music presents its Original Music Concert Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. in the university’s historic Ilfeld Auditorium at 900 University Ave.

The concert features original works written and produced by Highlands University music students in the Music Technology Program and special guest musicians from the Las Vegas community.

Highlands music professor Edward Harrington directs the Music Technology Program and organizes the concert.

“Highlands students create new original music in whatever styles appeal to them, and they use the Highlands recording studio and computers to refine their productions,” Harrington said. “This concert features students majoring in music production and music technology and composition.

“Our students are becoming proficient in the use of Pro Tools audio production software, and this is the first year our department is a member of the international Avid Learning Partner Program. The program provides students with the latest versions of the software including all of the bells and whistles,” Harrington said.

General admission tickets are $5 for the concert. Admission is free for Highlands University students and other students with ID.

Highlands University music majors who will perform for the concert include seniors Cassidy Kear, Reyes Montoya, and Donaciano Vigil.

“Cassidy’s music is a highly finished popular gospel style. Reyes is producing a Spanish music CD with local musicians. Donaciano produces electronic dance music in a vocal-centered hip-hop style,” Harrington said.

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

Additional students involved in the concert are John Ray Tafoya (sophomore, hip-hop); Katie Kear (sophomore, gospel), Marcus Romero (freshman, hip-hop); Karry Hernandez (freshman, hip-hop); Ali Marin (freshman, popular); Martin Neddo-Roaque (sophomore, movie soundtrack); Marion Carrillo (singer-songwriter); Alfredo Mondragon (senior, metal and hip-hop); Susan Martínez (classic composition); Santana Martínez (freshman, hip-hop); Rachael McCork (freshman, rock); and others to be announced.

Harrington said many of the students performing in the Original Music Concert play multiple musical instruments as well as sing. Some of the performances will feature the producers singing live with their produced tracks. Other students will perform acoustically, and others will present their recordings just as they would be heard from a CD or as streamed on Spotify, a digital music service.

“The music program has been an integral part of producing excellent CD albums for the community, which is a great experience for our students and a great source of fundraising for our program,” Harrington said. “Last year, we produced Abe García’s Strings Attached album, and Leroy “Pato” Lucero’s Chile Caribe Collaborative album. This year, we have completed recording Brenda Ortega and her band Cielo Azul, and expect this album to be finished before Christmas.”

Harrington said students majoring in music technology have 24/7 access to the Department of Music’s facilities, and often bring their musical instruments for a week or more as they record. There are two recording control rooms, studios “A” and “B” in the music building, as well as 10 additional digital audio workstations in the lab.