About us
History
In Houston October 2015, Carlos Pereira, an experienced Venezuelan mechanical engineer and a long-time music lover, received his co-national friend Nicolás Real from Miami who came to our city looking for better opportunities. Nicolás, a Music Director was acting as a director of a choral group in Florida. Carlos called several close friends who enjoyed singing and with Mr. Real they started to do rehearsals at their homes and so the Hispanic Choir of Houston was born.
We launched the Houston Hispanic Choir (HCH) in October 2015 under the direction of Maestro Nicolás Real, who had previously directed the Hispanic choir Entre Voces in Miami. Some of the choir members during that time were Carlos Pereira, Teresa Martins (Tereluz), Carlos Pérez, José (Moncho) Prieto, Mariana Taboada, and Libia Valdez Gregg. In April 2016, Maestro Real returned to Florida, and the group was placed under the musical direction of Jessica Colmenares, who developed an intense and exceptional choral career. Jessica, along with the administrative direction of Libia Valdez Gregg, led the HCH for eight years to celebrate and disseminate the cultural richness of Hispanic choral music in the Houston community, providing excellent musical instruction to the choir members and performing numerous shows around the city, highlighting the beauty of Hispanic music, languages, and traditions.
Mission and Vision
The Houston Hispanic Choir is an independent, non-profit organization that seeks to promote Hispanic choral music and serve as a unifying force in Houston’s diverse Latin American community. Our group aspires to establish itself as a musical and cultural icon in the choral world, fostering an appreciation for music in Spanish and other popular languages of the Hispanic community.
Impact on the Community
In addition to their concerts, performances, and recitals, the Hispanic Choir of Houston offers music training workshops and collaborates on projects with other local organizations to strengthen its bond with the community. Our work has had a significant impact on the Hispanic community in Houston, creating spaces for learning and appreciation of Hispanic music and culture.
Values and Cultural Approach
The Hispanic Choir of Houston is based on values of unity, inclusion, and love for Hispanic cultural heritage. Our choir is a space where these cultural roots are valued and harmony, respect, and connection among the choir members are fostered through music. Our cultural approach is not only focused on entertaining but also on educating and contributing to preserving the identity of the Hispanic community in Houston.
Musical Repertoire
The choir’s repertoire covers a wide variety of genres, including classical, traditional, and popular pieces from Latin America and Spain. We perform choral pieces in Spanish, Portuguese, and Papiamento, celebrating the community’s multicultural heritage. Our performances feature works by renowned composers and arrangers that reflect both the joy and nostalgia of Hispanic music.
