Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month: The Mobile Symphony Orchestra

MOBILE, Ala. ( WKRG ) — Through mid-October, we are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month. Today’s highlight is the Mobile Symphony Orchestra , and how it’s giving back to Gulf Coast music students.

The goal of Mobile Symphony Orchestra instructors, many of whom are of Hispanic descent, is to make a difference in the lives of young musicians along the Gulf Coast, one harmony at a time.

“We have teachers from Peru, from Cuba, from Colombia, from Venezuela, from Mexico, from Brazil,” explained Daniela Pardo.

Pardo is the director of education and a string instructor for MSO. She plays the viola and enjoys adding Venezuelan folk songs and other parts of her culture to her lessons.

“Rhythms is very important,” Pardo explained. “There are certain rhythms, like we call it, like a quintuple when you have to put five notes in one beat.”

Fellow string instructor and cellist Andrea Beltrán is from Peru. A piece of her joy in being a music educator is getting young musicians started.

“Part of my duties is to put instruments in children’s hands, which is great because then we can get to see the evolution of their journey in music and it’s really rewarding,” Beltrán said.

The Mobile Symphony Orchestra’s goal for music education is about more than fostering young talent. Pardo said some of her leadership is inspired by a social music initiative called El Sistema. Its aim is to give young people a positive escape, and plant seeds for future generations.

“The government actually funds most of it and helps thousands, and I am not exaggerating, thousands of kids to get better at music and to kind of use music as an outlet instead of being in the streets or in a gang,” Pardo said. “They are actually in a music school learning and then teaching.”

The orchestra partners with 25 schools in Mobile and Baldwin Counties and gives lessons over the course of six months during the school year.

“Every year I put the different group together to go to the schools,” Pardo explained. “And one year we play just Latin music. So I did a selection of Argentinian Tango, some music for my Country and Cuba song, and it was fun and guess what? It sounded great because it was performed by Hispanic players here in South Alabama.”

Pardo said the orchestra also helps kids get scholarships, instruments, and assistance however they can.

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