July, 2010

Stephenson announced that the 2010 recipient of the Dollar Download award is 24-year-old trumpeter Carlos Zabala from Uruguay.

Stephenson awarded the scholarship in person to Carlos in Santa Barbara, where Carlos was attending Music Academy of the West.

Here is Carlos' description of his journey in his own words:

I am Carlos Manuel Zabala, 23, from Maldonado, a small village in Uruguay. I began to play the trumpet at 9 in Cardona (where I born), but when I move to Maldonado at 12, I studied saxohpone for 3 years beacause no trumpet studies available there, and then at 15 I restarted trumpet, and it was many years before I owned a trumpet of my own. The Culture Ministry of my country granted me a small fund to help buy a flugelhorn and I raised the rest saving money, making concerts in people’s homes, and accepting donations.

Now I am a senior in the University School of Music in our capital, Montevideo, but I live with my mother in our village 2 hours away by bus. I make this journey every day for my classes and to study with Benjamin Browne my teacher who is Principal trumpet with the Radio Symphony Orchestra. In Maldonado, I work at the Music School all week teaching trumpet and theory to earn my way and to help my mother who is a cleaning woman. The school does not pay me very much, about $3/hour. I have not had many of the privileges of the American students, but I know that there is a lot of love and support in my home and village and country.

I have performed with the Montevideo Phillarmonic Orchestra and the PuntaClassic Opera Company. Now I am touring our small country giving recitals and conducting Master Classes. Each summer I am assistant director for a music summer camp for kids "Sembrando Talentos" (Planting Seeds). I try to make each day a day when I remember to help the younger people and share my music love.

One day last summer a lady from California came to take trumpet lessons with me. She told me about the Music Academy of the West and has helped me to apply and to travel to Santa Barbara. This is the beginning of my dream.

You ask about the next 20 years? I understand in my core the enthusiasm of Gustavo Dudamel when I hear him conduct and read his interviews. I know where he came from. I am there now. To live and perform in the United States would give me the chance to shine and overcome my humble life and make a new one filled with time for my music and teaching. I am a trumpet player. This is my identity. I must perform to live and breathe. I want to play and live like Nakariakov. Concerts and recordings, recitals and as a soloist with the symphony.

Here in Uruguay will be my family and vacations place. I know that I can't do nothing here with my dream-career of soloist, and I will leave my country this time for Santa Barbara looking for new and great upcomming possibilities. Is hard, but without effort and without leaving from my country I will be an old guy here with a broked dream, and is the more frustrating thing.

Carlos Manuel Zabala

For additional details of Carlos Zabala's amazing career, take a look at his website at www.carlosmzabala.com.