As part of the 42nd UIS International Piano Festival, the Siglo XXI School in Socorro welcomed the ‘Traveling Piano’, an activity that brought together nearly 500 primary and secondary school students. Pianist Julián Valencia gave a recital in which he shared his repertoire and interacted with the audience, creating opportunities for dialogue and inspiring the younger generation.
The event, developed as part of the festival’s decentralization strategy, allowed students to get closer to music through a live experience: “It is a source of pride to be able to transmit different artistic and cultural expressions. We encourage those who are about to graduate to choose a professional future in music and art. The Traveling Piano was enjoyed by people of all ages. Thank you to everyone who joined us and enjoyed this great process,” said Julio Alfonso Martínez Molina, coordinator of the UIS Socorro Campus.
The principal of Colegio Siglo XXI, Laura Marcela Salazar Serrano, highlighted the importance of these types of spaces for her institution: “Our school has always instilled music as part of our institutional development. We do musical theater, we have a choir, a drum group. So every time there is an opportunity like this, we are open to receiving them to strengthen and inspire our youngest students. It has been significant because we are talking about the talent of a 20-year-old young man. For our students, it is about being able to get closer and feel connected.”
The “Traveling Piano” tour in Socorro concluded with a concert at the Manuela Beltrán Municipal Theater, attended by audiences from different sectors. The activity was organized by the Industrial University of Santander with the support of the Municipal Mayor’s Office, under the direction of Mayor Ángel Acevedo Martínez and the Secretary of Culture and Tourism, Javier Niño.
The festival will continue its tour of different venues in the department, with the aim of bringing music to communities and strengthening cultural ties in each territory it visits.
