Date: February 23rd 2010

DFW International Community Alliance
www.dfwinternational.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Augustine “Tino” Jalomo
214.718.2384


ENCORE PERFORMANCE CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF MONSIGNOR OSCAR ROMERO WITH COMPOSER CARLOS COLÓN-QUINTANA

North Texas Organizations Unite to Present the Music of Carlos Colón-Quintana


DALLAS, Texas February 19, 2010 – Composer Carlos Colón-Quintana will present a premiere of his newly revised and completed Requiem, Las Lamentaciones de Rufina Amaya and other sacred choral works in a free concert at Holy Trinity Catholic Church (3811 Oak Lawn Avenue) on March 20, 2010 at 6:30 p.m.

The first part of the concert will feature B.A.S.I.C., the Chamber Choir of Central United Methodist Church of Waco under the direction of Mrs. Karen Hogue. Mrs. Hogue will conduct a set that includes an original composition of Mr. Colón dedicated to all the priests assassinated during the Salvadoran conflict. Colón will conduct the second part including the North American premiere of his completed Requiem.

“This work of art is an outpouring of my devotion and admiration for all who suffered in the Salvadoran conflict including Rufina Amaya and Monsignor Oscar Romero,” said Colón. “The time I’ve spent on completing this choral work is but an instant considering we are 30 years after the untimely passing of Monsignor Romero. This Requiem is my humble way of continuing to remember this great man.”

This concert celebrates the life of Monsignor Oscar Romero who is being considered for sainthood and enjoying a country wide celebration in El Salvador to mark the 30th anniversary of his passing. It is an encore performance of the same concert given in El Salvador in early March at the invitation of The Cultural Patrimony Association of Santa Ana – APACULSA (Asociación Pro-Patrimonio Cultural de Santa Ana) – the charitable organization dedicated to preserving the Santa Ana Theater. This music festival celebrates the centenary of the Santa Ana Theater. They will be joined by several other invited local and foreign musicians.

This work specifically commemorates the Mozote Massacre of 1981 in El Salvador; it also honors Monsignor Oscar Romero who was assassinated shortly after delivering his final homily on March 24, 1980 and Rufina Amaya whose testimony as a survivor was instrumental in the United Nations’ investigation and exhumation of bodies buried at the site. Rufina Amaya died on March 6, 2007.

The concert is free and will be held in the main sanctuary of Holy Trinity Catholic Church located at 3811 Oak Lawn at the corners of Gilbert and Blackburn. There will be a meet and greet reception following the concert in Trinity Hall.

– More –
The concert is presented in cooperation with The Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas, NPM Dallas Chapter, The Music Ministry of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, The Association of Salvadorian Americans and DFW International Community Alliance.

About Holy Trinity Catholic Church
Holy Trinity Catholic Church was established by the Congregation of the Mission (The Vincentians) in 1905 and formerly dedicated in 1907 and serves more than 2,500 families. The Music Ministry of Holy Trinity under the direction of Jay Terpstra serves to inspire and uplift the worshipping community. Music for worship spans the entire treasury of the Church's repertoire, from Gregorian chant and Renaissance motets to the most contemporary literature. For more information please contact Jay Terpstra 214.526.8555 or jayt@htccd.org.

About The National Association of Pastoral Musicians (NPM) Dallas
NPM Dallas is an organization for those who recognize and support the value of Roman Catholic musical liturgy. NPM’s goal is to bring the vast resources of NPM National to meet the liturgical need by offering workshops, skill building seminars, new music, musical events, networking and fellowship. For more information please contact Ms. Terry May-Hajdar at 972-670-6141 or director@npmdallas.org.

About The Association of Salvadorian Americans (ASA)
Founded in 1991, The ASA was formed by a group of Salvadorians under the leadership of Nick Argueta to assist the growing number of Salvadorians moving into the North Texas area. The ASA has led initiatives to assist the Salvadorian community here and abroad by leading efforts to establish a consulate office for El Salvador, raising funds for El Salvador to recover from natural disasters and offering workshops on immigration, employment and education. For more information please contact Mr. Nick Argueta at 469.387.2694 or narguet@utdallas.edu.

About DFW International Community Alliance
Established in 1997, DFW International Community Alliance (DFW Int’l) is a network of over 1,600 internationally-focused organizations in the Dallas / Fort Worth area that embodies the cultural and economic vibrancy of the global community. DFW Int’l focuses on education, cultural events, and communication. For more information please contact Ms. Anne Marie Weiss-Armush at 972.661.2764 or president@dfwinternational.org.


###


For More Information:
Augustine "Tino" Jalomo at 214.718.2384 or augustmax@yaho.com or Eugenia Aponte at 310.654.3504 or euaponte@aol.com

Contributions for the tour to El Salvador are welcome. Please contact Mrs. Karen Hogue at 254.420. 2862 or send donations to Central United Methodist Church c/o Karen Hughes 5740 Bagby, Waco, Texas 76712.