For the 49th edition of the Luis Sigall Competition in Chile, which focused on cello soloists this year, Stetson student Andrés Donoso had the opportunity to attend and meet both competitors and judges.

On the first day, he participated in a masterclass with Christina Walevska, renowned for having recorded 19 cello concertos for Philips Records. Andrés had the privilege of meeting her and discussing cello compositions she has premiered.

On the second day, Andrés attended the finals held at the theater in Viña del Mar. Following the competition, he was able to engage with the competitors and semifinalists. He states, “all of them were exceptionally talented musicians, many of whom graduated from prestigious institutions such as the Paris Conservatory, Berlin Conservatory, Yale University, and others.”

On the third day of his visit to Chile, Andrés took the opportunity to visit his family in his hometown. Additionally, he had the honor of conducting the Youth Symphony Orchestra of Santo Domingo, where he was able to demonstrate and further develop his skills as a conductor. He is grateful for this opportunity provided by the Stetson School of Music and looks forward to other opportunities to come.