The year 1994 was special for José Luis Quintero Villamizar because he started working at the Industrial University of Santander in the alumni department and later in the archives and microfilming department.
In 1995, he learned more about the Luis A. Calvo Auditorium, fell in love with this iconic place, and thanks to the retirement of an employee who worked there, the opportunity arose to change departments and thus support different events. In this way, the cultural space became his office to this day.
“The UIS has given me so much. It is a place that offers opportunities. I love working here at the Luis A. Calvo Auditorium. Life has allowed me to be here since 1995, and every day it enriches me and helps me grow,” said Quintero Villamizar.
Over the past 30 years, he has experienced the same number of editions of the International Piano Festival, an event that has marked his life through his experience in stage set-up, responsibility for sound and technical details behind the scenes, all of which are necessary for the success of each gala.
And 2025 will be no exception, as he has been working on the 42nd edition of the Festival alongside the other members of the Cultural Directorate.
“This Festival represents a great experience for me because I have met so many national and international artists. I arrived at the 12th edition and was very nervous about being on such a big stage with such a large audience. They were also masters with a lot of international experience and expertise in piano,” recalled Quintero, who is currently a technical assistant to the Cultural Directorate.
Thus, the Luis A. Calvo Auditorium has become not only his office but also an extension of his home, as he spends most of his time there, including nights and weekends, far from his usual work schedule.
He still remembers when his daughter Steffany Quintero was four years old and he would take her and his wife to the auditorium on weekends to accompany him at work, since he spent most of his weeks in his office.
“I had to be here at the UIS for every event, so I didn’t get to spend time with my family, even on Saturdays and Sundays. That’s why they came, we had lunch together, and they watched the performances that were happening at the time. Now she has a degree in music from the UIS,” he said.
