Texas Border Business
The Valley Symphony Orchestra & Chorale is proud to announce Dr. Dahlia Guerra, Dean of the College of Arts & Humanities at the University of Texas Pan-American as their 2014 Cultural Leader of the Year. Dr. Guerra will be presented the award at the Phantom of the Symphony – 2014 Annual Gala to be held at the McAllen Convention Center on Thursday, March 6th from 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
This elegant evening will feature exquisite cuisine and exciting performances from internationally acclaimed tenor, David Sadlier; pianist, Brendan Kinsella; principal musicians from the Valley Symphony Orchestra and a special tribute performance by the University of Texas Pan American – Mariachi Aztlan. Also being recognized and re-honored at the GALA will be past recipients of this prestigious award such as; Mrs. Janet Wallace, Mr. Charles E. Thompson, Jr., Mr. David Guerra, Mr. Glenn Roney and Niel & Virginia Norquest.
Dr. Dahlia Guerra, pianist, is a native of Edinburg, Texas. She is a Professor and Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities at the University of Texas Pan American (UTPA) where she has taught since 1984. She was Chair of Music from 1999 to 2006 and has served as Dean since 2006. Dahlia Guerra holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Pan American University, a Master of Music degree from Southern Methodist University, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Oklahoma. She has presented numerous solo and chamber piano recitals throughout South Texas and Mexico, and has performed as soloist with the Valley Symphony Orchestra, the Sinfonica de Nuevo Leon, and the Sinfonica de la UAT in Tampico, Mexico.
As a musician and concert pianist, she has devoted her life to promoting the value of the creative and liberal arts in education, stressing the tremendous impact of an arts education on the developmental growth of every child and its power to level the “learning field” across socio-economic boundaries, adding to overall academic achievement and school success. Much of Dahlia Guerra’s work has been based on preserving cultural strengths and traditions to empower a diverse student body, and she has a strong record of success as an educator in South Texas.
She is the founder of the UTPA Mariachi Aztlán, a nationally award winning student ensemble that has performed for audiences throughout the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Under her direction, the UTPA Mariachi Program has been recognized by the Texas House of Representatives and the Texas Senate for promoting the music and traditions of the Hispanic culture. Recent highlights of the Mariachi Aztlán include a performance for President Obama at the White House, concerts at the Hollywood Bowl, the 2012 Smithsonian Folklife Festival, the John F. Kennedy Performing Arts Center, and performances of the mariachi operaCruzar la Cara de la Luna with the Houston Grand Opera in 2011 and the Chicago Lyric Opera in 2013.
Dr. Dahlia Guerra founded and has been the co-director of FESTIBA at UTPA (Festival of International Books and Arts) for the past seven years, celebrating the arts and humanities while promoting literacy in South Texas. FESTIBA has enabled outstanding authors, historians, artists and scholars to visit our university and community and share their expertise, enhancing the instruction and understanding of the arts and humanities on our campus and in the larger community. As a member of the City of Edinburg community, she has served as President of the South Texas Literacy Coalition and she is passionate about promoting early childhood literacy. She is Chair of the Cultural Activities Board of the City of Edinburg, and is devoted to providing cultural arts activities to the community to enhance the quality of life in South Texas. Dahlia Guerra is married to attorney Arnulfo Guerra and they have a son, Arne Avalo Guerra who is completing his second year at UT School of Law.
To learn more about this fantastic event or to purchase tickets or a sponsorship, visit www.valleyorchestra.org or call the Valley Symphony Orchestra Box Office at (956) 661-1615. Don’t miss the GALA EVENT of the year!
All rights reserved.
