Alvaro Rodas
The Corona Youth Orchestra
Biography:
Álvaro Rodas, who was born and raised in Guatemala City, Guatemala, is a percussionist, teacher and arts administrator. A Fulbright Scholar, Álvaro holds a Masters degree in Arts Administration from Columbia University. From 1992 to 2004 he was principal percussionist at the Guatemala National Symphony. He also taught percussion at the Guatemala National Conservatory. For two years he co-directed an 80-piece high school marching band that was the first Latin American ensemble to take part in the 1994 Hollywood Christmas Parade.
Since 1997, Rodas has been deeply involved in the replication of El Sistema in Guatemala. He has served as an administrator, percussion instructor, and coordinator of programs throughout the country, including the formation of a youth orchestra in Quetzaltenango with a grant from the World Bank in 2000–2001. More recently, Álvaro worked in a remote Mayan village as a percussion teacher and administrative consultant for a rural youth orchestra supported by World Vision Guatemala. During 2008, he created an audience development project which included the first performing arts audience survey in Guatemala City.
Links:
http://alvarofrodas.blogspot.com/