Marking an important milestone for the Academia: our first graduates have entered college. Seven Academia de Bachata graduates enrolled this fall with scholarships at UNPHU, the Dominican Republic’s top university music program. An eight graduate is enrolled at the Conservatorio de Musica de Puerto Rico, where he shares his unique knowledge of Dominican percussion.
This was made possible by an intense preparatory program lead by Grammy-winning bassist Ramón Vázquez. For six months, Ramón lead the college applicants through a series of lectures and private tutoring sessions. These prepared our students for their auditions, and oriented them for the professional life to come. Ramón volunteered his time. His generosity has changed lives.
While the Academia's graduates develop as musicians, they are also impacting the institutions they have joined. Three of the UNPHU’s four bass guitar students are Academia de Bachata graduates. As the first students of UNPHU to specialize in bachata music, our graduates are bringing indigenous music expertise to a leading Dominican institution of higher learning.
Left to right, top to bottom: Emely Diaz, piano; Miguel Angel Encarnacion, guitar; Isaac de Leon, bass; Adriel Polanco, percussion; Luis Miguel de Leon, bass; Edickson Garcia, guitar; Braylin Polanco, bass; Brayan Bonillo, percussion.
Ramón Vázquez, Grammy Bassist