A community that motivates us
This week, when music joins our days to rejoice and remind us of the arrival of Christmas, we want to tell the story of Lucas Bravo, perhaps they have heard his name in national events, in the city, or in the most important events of the city. Universidad del Azuay in which music cannot be absent.
Lucas is 30 years old. In 2010 he graduated from the José María Rodríguez Conservatory as a Piano Technologist, in 2016 he graduated from the University of Cuenca as a Bachelor of Musical Performance in Piano and in 2021 he obtained his Master's Degree in Musical Interpretation (Piano) at the Espíritu Santo University .
Lucas is a versatile pianist who plays classical music, Ecuadorian nationalist, as well as jazz and its infinite currents. He currently works as a piano teacher at the Conservatory, as a co-repeater pianist, arranger and composer of the Polyphonic Choir of the University of Azuay.
For Campus, we asked Lucas a question somewhat difficult to answer for a musician, What is music for you?
“At this point in life I would dare to say that for me music is almost like love. A blessing for which I thank God for allowing me to learn every day from this pure source, which is expressed in countless possibilities and which is inexhaustible and always substantial. However, music also needs daily dedication, in terms of time, space and other resources that are required for the progress and evolution of ideas until they can be materialized. In addition to everything expressed, for me, music also means an important purpose, which through its different expressions and spaces such as: interpreting, composing or improvising, constitute the medium and the tool that allow me to support my family and enjoy with my loved ones, the fruits of this wonderful art that is part of all of us ".
A few days ago, Lucas was the winner and received the “Young Pianists of the World” award at the Kayserburg International Competition, which adds an achievement to his fertile musical career. In this context, we asked him what he considers to have been his most outstanding achievements in the music, to which he replied:
“I think that each achievement in each stage is great, but if I can highlight some experiences they would be: The recording and premiere in Cuenca of the cycle of the three rhapsodies by the best academic pianist in Ecuador, Luis H. Salgado; having participated as a guest soloist in Liszt's concert in the Loja Symphony Orchestra; consolidate and record the first album (Festejo de Capishca) of the Jazz de Barro project; having composed and written the parts for the Symphonic Jazz concert with the outstanding conductor Michael Meissner together with the Cuenca Symphony Orchestra; Obtain first place in the Soy Internacional Kaiserburg, in the Ecuador edition; the world premiere of the two Ecuadorian Christmas carols (Mysterious Christmas-Bomba and the Birth of Jesus-Tono del Niño) written by me and performed in the choirs under the direction of the teacher María Eugenia Arias, whom I thank for her support and trust "
This month, Lucas has been selected to participate in the “Iberoamérica Se Canta En Coro” event, a project that emerged in the pandemic with the mission of rescuing and disseminating the traditional music of each participating country. Regarding this, Lucas mentioned “these have been days where we have shared virtually with great, not to mention giant, international musicians, teachers, conductors, arrangers and composers. In the end, I have been able to take advantage of and confirm the value of a choir, the musical direction, the vocal preparation, and the importance of generating social spaces based on new artistic proposals that imply a pedagogical and motivational background before and during the execution process of each work. "
Finally, we asked him if he wanted to give a message to our university community, especially for those who have a passion for music.
“One of the greatest messages that my teachers and especially my dad could give me, and that I am making extensive today, was to dare to do what one loves a profession, that implies facing complicated situations and having to get out of them all the possible profit, which will lead us little by little to a personal fulfillment, but above all to be able to continue finding new goals and challenges that allow us to improve not only the professional part but also to learn from mistakes and thus be better people and better musicians "
UDA Correspondent
