Sonia Morales-Matos, featured guest composer, joins the TU Composition Studio for a masterclass. Morales-Matos brings a Latin American flare to her musical compositions. Her identity finds a voice in the rhythmic and harmonic sounds of her music. Some of her works are El Niño (2025), Tropical Overture (2022), and Fiesta No.1, for string ensemble, commissioned by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Fiesta No.2, for String Quartet and Percussion with String Orchestra (2023) was commissioned by the Dali String Quartet and the Lumos Orchestra, and Fiesta No.3, for Orchestra was premiered by the Symphony Orchestra of Puerto Rico (Feb. 2024).

Sonia Ivette Morales-Matos (b. 1961) is a Puerto Rican composer, performer, and educator who belongs to a family of distinguished musicians. She has a BM degree from Berklee College of Music, where she studied composition and jazz, and a MM degree in both Composition and Jazz Studies from Indiana University in Bloomington. While in Indiana University, she studied with distinguished professors such as David Baker, Dominic Spera, Juan Orrego-Salas, Claude Baker, and John Eaton. She also holds a certificate in Music Education from the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico. She was the 2016’s recipient of the Dr. Herman Hudson Alumnus Award presented by the African American Arts Institute of Indiana University for her excellence as an educator, performer, and composer. In June 2019, she received recognitions from the City of Santa Ana, the House of Representatives of the United States Congress, and the Mexican Consulate in Santa Ana, CA, for her participation in the “Latino Masters Concert'' as a composer, performer, and educator, and for her contribution to the community of the City of Santa Ana, California, USA

The COFAC Latin American Arts Festival presents latin american composers, music and artists through out the months of September and October. Featured guests include Cultura Plenera Ensemble, Sonia Ivette Morales-Matos, and Whistling Hens. Events are supported in part by the COFAC Diversity & Inclusion Grant, the New Music Ensemble at Towson University and the Maryland State Arts Council. Learn more about MSAC’s great work at www.msac.org.  

September 12 - 24 - Enjoy the College of Liberal Arts Hispanic Heritage Film Festival 

Sunday, September 21, 3 p.m. - Música de cámara

Sunday, September 28, 3 p.m. - Bomba Workshop with Cultura Plenera: Rhythms of Puerto Rico 

Sunday, September 28, 4:30 p.m. - Afro-Puerto Rican Sounds with Cultura Plenera

Wednesday, October 8, 8 p.m.  - Deep Listening: The Story of Pauline Oliveros

Wednesday, October 15, 8 p.m. - Clarinet Studio Recital: Music by Latin American Composers

Saturday, October 18, 3 p.m. - The Making of “Canciones de amor y soledad”

Monday, October 20, 6 p.m. – Whistling Hens | Big Crass Monster

Tuesday, October 21, 6 p.m. - Student Composer Works Workshop

Wednesday, October 22, 2 p.m. - Guest Artist Masterclass with Sonia Morales-Matos

Thursday, October 23, 6 p.m. - Pre-Concert Talk with Sonia Morales-Matos

Thursday, October 23, 7:30 p.m. - TU Music Ensembles Celebrate Latin America