Testimonials

Hi,oboists!

My name is Yarelis Irizarry, and I studied the oboe for four years under Frances Colón. I practiced in the Escuela Libre de Música de Ponce, an important Puerto Rican music school, where she would teach me how to play that instrument. Thanks to her, the Oboe Mobile Foundation provided me with the amazing opportunity to have an oboe which I could use to carry out my duties in said institution, both in its symphony orchestra and in the Banda A, its top-level band. It opened a lot of doors for me because I had the honor of playing with the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra, next to the best musicians on the island, as part of the educational project called Experiencia Sinfónica, among others. As part of the Foundation, I participated in various events at the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music, such as its oboe workshops. On an academic level, all of these experiences allowed me to get closer to my goals by helping me build patience and structure and maintain my discipline, a trait which all professions require. On a personal level, I grew up a lot, and I observed other perspectives, as a musician, that I still apply to this day. I recently completed the required coursework of the Coordinated Program in Nutrition Dietetics at the higher education institution Universidad Ana G. Méndez, Gurabo Campus, and while I carried out my supervised practice in communities, I used music as an educational tool to apply a different learning concept. I am immensely proud of the Oboe Mobile Foundation for helping me become an asset to society, a person who is disciplined and determined, and who has a lot of enthusiasm and passion for what she does. I am forever thankful! 💙

My name is Ivalenid Ríos Vélez , and I am from Caguas, Puerto Rico. I have been interested in music since I was 9 years old. In elementary school I had the opportunity to take a music class as part of the school’s curriculum, and I always liked the wind instruments which at that time meant the saxophone and flute. When my music teacher, Mr Figueroa became aware of my interest, he invited me to play flute in the school band at the Francisco Valdez school, where I participated in many activities at the school as well as band trips. Mr. Figueroa helped me register for the Free School of Music Antonio Paoli in Caguas, where in the fifth grade I began to play the oboe and really fell in love with it. Seeing my enthusiasm for the oboe, professor Abraham Borrero advised my parents that to make real improvement, they would need to purchase an oboe for me to practice on at home. After looking at several options, my parents concluded that they would not be able to buy me my own instrument because of the high cost it entailed. That is when professor Borrero provided us orientation regarding the Oboe Mobile Foundation and let us know how it could help us out. We registered in the program and Dr. Frances Colón informed us of the requisites to obtain the loan of an oboe, which we were able to fulfill. When professor Borrero, together with Dr. Frances Colón brought the Oboe Mobile Workshop to our school, Dr. Colón presented me with an oboe during a workshop, made possible by the Oboe Mobile Foundation. I began to improve from that moment on since I had an oboe with which to practice at home. I also had the opportunity to participate in several workshops presented by the Oboe Mobile Foundation at the Free School of Music in Caguas. Among other activities, I was able to take part in the summer camp, Oboe Fest, in which international oboists offered workshops based on their extensive knowledge of the oboe. At the summer camp I received helpful lessons which corrected many aspects of my playing and musical interpretation. After the workshop, we presented a concert to show the improvements we had made. Dr. Frances Colón and her foundation are very dedicated to assuring that we maintain the oboe in good condition and take full advantage of it, as well as everything related to our learning and interpretation. All this has been a great help to me and, without the Oboe Mobile Foundation, I probably would not have had the opportunity to have these experiences which have also furthered my personal development. I hope to continue taking full advantage of the opportunities offered by the foundation and to continue to improve my oboe playing. Thank you Dr. Colón and your Oboe Mobile Foundation for your continued support.

Parents of Ivalenid Ríos Vélez

We are the parents of Ivalenid, Mr. Carlos Ríos Santiago and Mrs. Enid Vélez Rivera, and we are very proud of our daughter’s achievements on the oboe. We have witnessed firsthand her musical and personal growth. All this has come about through her attendance at the Free School of Music, her teacher, Abraham Borrero and the Oboe Mobile Foundation which gave her the opportunity to develop her musical talent. We would strongly urge the foundation to continue its work with young students like our daughter who will benefit from all its programs, workshops and the loan of high-quality instruments to deserving students. We want to thank the foundation and hope to continue receiving its help and support.

My name is Nangely Rodríguez Ruiz. I am currently an undergraduate oboe student at the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music. I am grateful to Oboe Mobile Foundation for being an essential part of my life since I was a child and for helping me achieve my musical goals. The Oboe Mobile workshops and the Oboe Bank enabled me to continue my development as a musician. Thanks to the Oboe Bank, I had the opportunity of using an oboe from the time I was a student at the Escuela Libre de Música de Ponce—a school of music—until my first year of college at the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music (5 years). The oboe that they lent me was crucial for me to continue my studies, learn the discipline of music, and, ultimately, have the opportunity to belong to different musical groups at the Escuela Libre de Música de Ponce, the Escuela Especializada en Bellas Artes Ernestro Ramos Antonini in Yauco—a school of fine arts— and the Conservatory of Music. During my learning process, the foundation provided me with an elementary and intermediate instrument during my high school years and when I got to university, I had the opportunity of having a professional oboe for my studies, which was a great help. In college, I had the joy of studying with Doctor Frances Colón, an important mentor in my life who introduced me to the musical world and encouraged me to pursue my dreams. With the help of Oboe Mobile Foundation, their kindness, and the love they gave me through music, I can continue dreaming and aspire to, one day, become a professional oboist. Oboe Mobile Foundation is a visionary organization that seeks to assist Puerto Rican students with a genuine love for music and to transform their lives with great love, joy, and hope.

Oboe Mobile Foundation contributed enormously in my educational development. These classes and workshops were fundamental in my musical training while I was a student in middle and high school. They helped me work on my oboe technique and musical color. One of the things that I treasure in my heart the most from these classes and workshops was that I learned that it is best to treat other people you meet in this field with respect and love. Not only because they could be of help in the future, but also because helping others and allowing others to help us promotes our growth as human beings. Personally, the oboe workshops strengthened my love for music and the love for myself. Mi current emotional intelligence is a combination of experiences, which for the most part my musical experiences were very important. Beside oboe workshops, we were presented with resources to help us be at ease; the faculty’s constant support was the best. These workshops have contributed in what I currently do, because thanks to all that I have learned, I have free tuition at the university from being part of the University of Puerto Rico, Carolina Campus, band. This has helped pay for my bachelor’s degree in Forensic Psychology, which I am close to completing.