“An Ibero American Portrait”

Dr. Alán Saúl Saucedo Estrada – Cello

Dr. Alán Saúl Saucedo Estrada holds cello performance degrees from the Escuela Superior de Musica y Danza de Monterrey, Scola Municipal de Musica “Victoria dels Angels” in Barcelona, and Shenandoah University in Winchester, VA. He has been a prize winner in several music competitions, including the Second Yokohama International Music Competition in Japan. He has appeared in recitals in Paraguay, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, and the USA and given presentations at the Smithsonian museum, the Kennedy Center, and the White House. Dr. Saucedo has been the featured soloist with orchestras such as the National Symphony of Paraguay, the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra of DC, Shenandoah University Symphony, and the VCU Health Orchestra. Recent highlights include performances at the Mexican Embassy Concert Series, an appearance in ABC’s Good Morning America with student Sheila Johnson, as well as the first performance in front of an audience after the pandemic, A Time To Sing, at the Kennedy Center, and in collaboration with internationally renowned artists Renée Fleming, Vanessa Williams, Rob Mathes, Kyung LeBlanc, Ben Butler, Shawn Pelton, and James Genus. For the 2023 season, Dr. Saucedo will be appearing on several performances alongside pianist Brian Ganz and violinist Maryory Serrano for a program of all chamber works by Frederick Chopin, and a returning solo appearance with the VCU Health Orchestra, among other performances.

In 2014, Dr. Saucedo published the book entitled “The Influence of Carlos Prieto on Contemporary Cello Music” based on his investigation of Latin American classical cello music . This book is currently for sale in bookstores, and at universities and music institutions around the world. This investigation has also served as a reference source for several books, dissertations, and catalogs on the topic.

Dr. Saucedo was the founder and artistic director for the Middleburg Concert Series between 2015 and 2018. During this period, he performed alongside renowned local and international artists that included pianists Brian Ganz and Nikita Fitenko, singers Michael Forest and Aimee Sposato, as well as Mexican singer Dolores Martinez, and accordionist José Valadez, among others. Since September 2016, Dr. Saucedo is represented in Japan by Yoshiko Miyamoto and Little Beat Entertainment.

Dr. Thomas Creek – Guitar

Dr. Thomas Creek is a classical guitarist living in Reston, Virginia. He is currently working as an instructor for the Music Therapy department at Shenandoah University and a guitar teacher for the Peabody Preparatory Program. Dr. Creek is a native of Columbia, South Carolina and was fortunate enough to learn about classical guitar through classes offered at his public high school. His interest in the instrument resulted in a successful undergraduate career as a music student at the University of South Carolina where he studied under the brilliant performer and pedagogue, Christopher Berg. This positive experience inspired him to continue his studies and enroll in the Master of Music Program at the University of Missouri under Anthony Glise, an important performer, scholar, and composer of classical guitar music.

His studies in Columbia, Missouri resulted in a wide array of performance experiences. Outside of his solo work, Dr. Creek was active in two guitar ensembles: the MU Honors Guitar Quartet and the Cola Guitar Duo. This ensemble work resulted in performances and radio interviews in the greater Missouri areas, ranging from Columbia to St. Joseph. Thomas also enrolled in a summer abroad program entitled “Red Socks and the Guitar” where he performed in numerous concerts around northern France.

In May 2020, Thomas completed his DMA at Shenandoah Conservatory under the tutelage of Julian Gray. Dr. Creek has a wide variety interests and pictures his career as one that produces inspiring performances, informed students, and new scholarship about teaching and the history of the instrument. His research and performance focus currently revolve around American guitar compositions from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Outside of playing music, Thomas enjoys teaching his private students, spending time with his family, and experiencing the various sights in the NOVA area.

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