Scholorship Students

Luna Patricia Ramos - Violin

Luna is a young Cuban violinist born in Havana, Cuba, in November 6, 1997. She started studying music at the age of 6 in the conservatory of music "Manuel Saumell", Havana, with the Russian teacher Alla Taran. She was selected by her teacher and principal of the school to play in a variety of festivals every year, 2005, 2006 and 2007. In 2007 and 2009 she participated in a biannual "International Violin Competition" called "Jose White", in which she achieved 1st place and honorable mention award to the interpretation of Cuban music both years. 

In 2009, she moved to the United States and started receiving classes at the Miami Conservatory of Music with Professor Andres Trujillo and is still part of the Miami Conservatory of Music Youth Orchestra. She is currently studying in New World School of the Arts, receiving violin classes from Dr. Daniel Andai. Through the NWSA she was selected to play as a soloist in the musical: "Spring Awakening" in 2011. She is also member of the "NWSA Symphony Orchestra" under the baton of the Russian conductor Dr. Alfred Gershfeld.

David Fernandez - Violin

David was born in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba on April 16th, 1994 and started his violin studies at the age of eight with Alex Bravo at the “Escuela Vocacional de Arte de Santiago de Cuba”. In 2003, only a year after beginning his violin studies, he had his first
performance as a soloist with the Santiago de Cuba Symphony Orchestra. In 2005 he won the first prize at the “Jose White Ibero-American Violin Competition” held at Havana, Cuba. He performed in Master Classes with violinist Evelio Tieles and played as a soloist with the Symphonic Orchestras of Oriente and Santa Clara (CUBA).

In August 2007, David came to live in Miami and auditioned at the Miami Conservatory of Music where he was awarded a full music scholarship to study with Professor Andrés Trujillo. He performed in Master Classes with legendary violinist Ms. Ida Haendel. In 2008, David was awarded a Merit Scholarship to attend Eastern Music Festival and was selected finalist at the annual Ars Flores Concerto Competition. For the last two consecutive years he has participated at the Florida Federation of Music Clubs Competition earning Superior rating in Violin Concerto Senior Class.

Since his arrival to Miami, Florida, David has played and participated in numerous charity and community concerts. In the fall of 2008, David was admitted to the New World School of Arts
under Prof. Thomas Moore. Currently, David Fernandez continues his studies at New World School of the Arts with Prof. Daniel Andai and at the Miami Conservatory of Music with Prof. Andres Trujillo. In 2011, he won the First Place at the New World School of the Arts Concerto Competition and the First Place at the Alhambra Orchestra Concerto Competition. Recently he performed in a Master Class with violinist Ilya Kaler.

Mariana Yern - Violin

Mariana Yern was born in Havana, Cuba in 1991. She began her musical training at eight years old with Carmen Amador and David de la Mora at “Conservatorio Alejandro García Caturla”. She represented the school in numerous concerts for foreign delegations. After coming to Miami and playing an audition, she was awarded a full music scholarship to study at the Miami Conservatory of Music with Professor Andrés Trujillo. She also obtained a Merit Scholarship to attend the Eastern Music Festival in 2008. She is today a student in music at the Florida International University.

Yennifer Sanchez - Violin

Yeniffer was born in Pinar del Rio, Cuba in 1992 . She started playing the violin at the age of 7 and then she entered the National School of Music (ENA). She participated in the National Encounter of Symphony Orchestras.

In 2008 she came with her family to live in Miami and resumed her violin studies with Professor Andres Trujillo at the Miami Conservatory of Music in 2010. Yeniffer is now a college student at New World School of the Arts college division and performs regularly at her Christian music ministry at church. She recently performed in a Master Class with famous violinist Ilya Kaler.

Arletys Iglesias - Violin

Arletys was born in Pinar del Rio, Cuba in 1992. She began her music and violin studies at eight years old with professor Abdel Borges at the Escuela Vocacional de Artes (Vocational School of Arts) of that city. She participated in concerts and festivals organized by the school since she was 10 playing in different orchestras for three years.

In 2007 she entered the National School of Music (ENA) in Havana, Cuba, where she had the opportunity of playing under conductors as Jorge Lopez Marin, Guido Lopez Gavilán, Ana Mirian Santana and bassist and conductor of Solistas de la Habana (Havana Soloists) Ivan Valiente.

In 2009 she became part of Havana Fiddle Club a Celtic music group. During three years she participated in the Festival of Symphony Orchestras. Since 2010 Arletys lives in Miami with her family and continued her violin studies under Professor Andres Trujillo at the Miami Conservatory of Music.

Claudia Alcaraz - Violin

Born in Camaguey, Cuba, in 1996, Claudia entered the music world studying piano with her mother pianist Ines Braña. At 8 she started violin studies at the Vocational School of Arts “Luis
Casas Romero” of her city with Alexander Escurriola. In subsequent years she studied with Yadis Sanchez, Helien González, Lizandra Fernández and Sidney Campbell until January of 2011 when she comes to reside in U.S.

Claudia was part of the Children and Youth Orchestra of Camaguey directed by Betsabet Consuegra. She participated in various festivals and concerts. Currently, Claudia is a student of New World School of the Arts under Professor Daniel Andai and Alfred Gershfeld.

Claudia attended the Miami Conservatory of Music where she studied with professor Andres Trujillo. Last year Claudia achieved superior ratings at the Federation of Music Clubs evaluation.

Frank Perez - Piano

Frank Perez was born in Baracoa, a small town in the east side of Cuba, on November 26th, 1992. Frank’s family moved to La Habana when he was still a baby. This new home was essential in his later music career. There was always a piano in the house, and Frank was used to listen very quietly to his mom practicing. His mother was the church pianist since she was nine year old and intended to pass this legacy to her older daughter. However, Frank had an undeniable talent for music and started to demonstrate it very early.

At age six, he presented an audition in a prestigious conservatory in La Habana. He was selected among 400 children to enter the Alejandro Caturla Conservatory of Music and started his classes with great enthusiasm and passion. Frank participated in different competitions and concerts organized by the conservatory. After three years of study, the whole family moved to the United States. His parents were very concerned about his music career.

A few months later, they got in contact with Ms. Johailen Frometa who introduced him to the Miami Conservatory of Music where she was part of the faculty. Frank was auditioned and accepted as a full scholarship recipient. He won three years in a row the First Place, Plaque and Perfect Score at the Miami-Dade County Youth Fair Competition.

He participated in many recitals, received every year Master Classes from the pianists Kemal Gekic and Polina Osetinskaya. In July 2008, he performed a Solo Piano Recital at the Steinway Piano Gallery.

Frank is a special young man very committed to his music with the will to reach a high level of education. His musical career is no longer a dream, it is becoming reality.

Claudia Tomas - Piano

Claudia Tomas was born in Havana, Cuba, on September 27, 1993. She arrived legally to the United States at age 12 and established with her parents in Miami. She had been studying piano at the Alejandro Garcia Caturla Conservatory of Music in Havana, Cuba, where she received music theory, sight-singing, music appreciation, chorus, and private piano lessons on a daily
basis. After being accepted, and in order to pursue her studies into this conservatory, Claudia demonstrated all along an exceptional musical talent, discipline and commitment.

While in Cartula, she entered numerous competitions and was awarded many times the first prize. Today, Claudia was part of the Miami Conservatory of Music piano program for which her full scholarship has been renewed under she started college in the fall of 2010. She has participated in many recitals, and has entered local competitions where she has received prizes and recognitions: she has been selected as a finalist for the New World Symphony Concerto Competition, the 4th Annual Ray Millette Young Artist Concerto Competition with the Alhambra
Orchestra, and the Chopin Foundation Young Artist Concert. She won the Touzet Scholarship and the third place of the Miami Music Teachers Foundation Merit Scholarships.

At the Miami Conservatory of Music, Claudia was a student of Debora Sanchez, then of Darleen Trujillo. Claudia graduated from the MCA academy. She is passionate, curious, naturally talented and disciplined. Claudia has the will and all the qualities required to reach one day her dream, becoming a concert pianist.

Benjamin Robles - Piano

As a native Miamian, pianist Benjamin Robles studied extensively at the Miami Conservatory of music for four years (2004-2008) under the direction of Darleen Trujillo. Now in his final year at Stetson University, Benjamin will soon earn a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance. Benjamin is a scholarship student of Steinway Artist Dr. Michael Rickman in Deland, Florida.

As a recipient of the William E. Duckwitz Scholarship and Bonner Foundation Scholarship, Benjamin has also studied with other renowned artists at Stetson including cellist and chamber coach David Bjella, violist and chamber coach Jesus Alfonzo. He has won prizes in several competitions including the Miami Conservatory of Music Etude Competition, the Miami Dade College Piano Competition and the Volusia Country Wednesday Music Club Competition.

As a pedagogue and active advocate in the community, Mr. Robles founded the Waldstein Piano Studies for Young Pianists and offers piano instruction in Central Florida to fifteen extraordinary students of low-income families. Benjamin has also been featured in the Deland Beacon Newspaper for his dedication to the musical arts.

Upcoming appearances include Benjamin’s solo piano recital in March 2012 in Stetson University’s historic Lee Chapel. This summer he will be performing the entire French Suites by Johann Sebastian Bach and complete solo piano works by Toru Takemistsu. In the fall 2012, Benjamin went to pursue a Master of Music degree at California State University in Sacramento.