Leia Sofía Méndez, “Homenaje a Arbolito”

Homenaje a Arbolito

1. Llegada
2. Vecinos
3. Reflexion
4. Sabroso
5. Transformación

Homenaje a Arbolito was inspired by the composer’s service mission trip to the community of Arbolito in the city of Guayaquil, Ecuador. The piece recounts the composer’s experiences from arrival into the country to meeting and serving with the community. The second movement, Vecinos, pays tribute to Mozart in style and represents the children of the community Méndez came to befriend while she was there. The trip was one of deep prayer and reflection as exemplified in the third movement, with its long melodic phrases. Méndez pays tribute to her Hispanic heritage in the fourth movement, Sabroso, adding the rhythms, the clave beat and the flavor of the Latin sound. 

The community of Arbolito is an invasion community and cannot be found on any map of Ecuador, but people do live there; they do exist. Méndez lived in community with the people of Arbolito, simply, without benefits of technology or comfort, in prayer and deep soul searching and was transformed by her experience.

Homenaje a Arbolito was premiered October 6, 2019 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, by the string ensemble of the Young Artists Concert Orchestra, under the direction of Julio E. Quinones.

[Program note by the composer]

Note: Movements 1, 3, 4 & 5 may be programmed individually. Contact the composer for information.

Instrumentation:

String Orchestra

Perusal score:

Available by contacting the composer.

Leia Sofía Méndez is a passionate and committed music professional, with the talent and drive to succeed. She was classically trained by Dr. Judah Adashi (composition), Dr. Jeffrey Howard and Dr. Swiatoslaw Kuznik (violin), Lyubov Morgunova, Lum Fun Lee (piano and music theory).  Leia Sofía’s compositions have been performed by Atlys String Quartet, the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestra, and the Prague Symphony Orchestra. She is the Distinguished Music Scholarship recipient at the University of Delaware where she is pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Composition under the direction of Dr. Jennifer Barker, Ph.D.  Leia Sofía is also a member of the American Society of Composers, Artists, and Producers (ASCAP).

For additional information, please visit the composer’s website:

https://www.leiasofiamusic.com

To explore more of her music, please visit her YouTube channel:

https://youtube.com/channel/UC0PKwerPwlF962bW9pCB3FQ

PRE-PROFESSIONAL COMPOSER

Leia Sofia is included in our series highlighting works by

young, pre-professional composers.

Performance materials are available by visiting the composer’s website:

https://www.leiasofiamusic.com