Alum commissioned by El Salvador president to honor national hero

Baylor graduate Carlos Colón, MM ’93, was commissioned by El Salvador President Mauricio Funes to compose a special overture in honor of the 30th anniversary of the martyrdom of El Salvadoran Bishop Oscar Romero. The piece was a central part of a special concert held in March by El Salvador’s National Symphony and attended by Funes and First Lady Vanda Pignato.

Colon’s composition, “Obertura para un mártir” (“Overture for a martyr”), celebrates the life of Romero, who was assassinated in 1980 for his opposition to the country’s oppressive government. On the same day as Colón’s overture performance, Funes offered for the first time an official state apology for Romero’s murder.

The entire performance can be viewed on Colón’s blog, elsalvadormusical.com. The first part is embedded below.

Sic ’em, Carlos!