| Keyword |
Description |
| Roots |
The family, culture, and place where a person comes from |
| Hope |
The feeling that good things can happen in the future |
| Ballet |
A style of dance that is often performed with classical music and tells a story on stage |
Gabriela Ortiz is a Mexican composer who turned a life full of music into a big night at the Grammy Awards. She won a Grammy for her piece “Dzonot,” a work for cello and orchestra inspired by the cenotes in Yucatán, and she also shared two more Grammys for the album “Gabriela Ortiz: Yanga.” On social media, she said this project is very close to her heart because it comes from her roots and from her belief that music can carry history, dignity, and hope.
Ortiz was born in Mexico City in a family of musicians who helped start the folk group Los Folkloristas, so music has always been part of her life. As a child, she learned to play charango and guitar, and later she studied classical piano and composition with important Mexican musicians at top schools like the National Conservatory and UNAM. She then continued her studies in London, where she earned a doctorate and started creating music that mixes concert music with electronics and multimedia.
Today, Gabriela Ortiz is not only a Grammy-winning composer but also a professor and a composer-in-residence at famous places such as Carnegie Hall, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, and the Philharmonia Orchestra in London. Conductor Gustavo Dudamel has called her one of the most talented composers in the world, and she has been connected with six Grammy wins, including awards for her ballet score “Revolución diamantina.” Her story shows how a person from Mexico can work hard, follow their passion, and reach some of the most important stages in the world.
Bridging words
These words sound similar in English and Spanish: Why not practice them now?
| English |
Spanish |
| Composer |
Compositora |
| Project |
Proyecto |
| Passion |
Pasión |
Time to discuss
- Why do you think Gabriela Ortiz feels that music can carry history and hope?
- How can someone’s family and roots influence the kind of art they create?
- What do you think is exciting or difficult about winning important awards like the Grammys?
Let's write
Answer the following questions in one paragraph:
- Write about how Gabriela Ortiz’s life shows the importance of studying and working hard for your dreams.
- Imagine you could create a musical piece about a place in Mexico; what place would you choose and why?
