From the classroom to the stage: how the Tec enhances artists

*CONECTA on the 80th anniversary: This year, Tec de Monterrey celebrates 80 years of providing education, in which we present special pieces on the institution’s transcendent legacy*

Actors, dancers, musicians, singers, and other artists in the performing arts and music, who have excelled nationally and internationally, have been part of Tec de Monterrey’s 80-year history.

Tec graduates such as Bianca Marroquín, Mauricio Martínez, and Rubén Flores have shined on Broadway stages; others have excelled nationally, such as Paloma Cordero, Mauricio Salas, Eduardo Ibarra, and Viviana Barrera.

In the field of music, there are also Tec graduate artists who were able to showcase themselves on Tec stages, such as guitarist Alan Robles, Caloncho, or drummer Migdalia van der Hoven.

At CONECTA, we bring you a selection of artists who have been academically trained at the Tec and who have shined in the world of show business.

From Tec stages to global forums

Bianca Marroquín was the first Mexican woman to have a leading role on Broadway, and Mauricio Martínez, the third Mexican to obtain this achievement.

Other artists who have participated in the Tec’s artistic activities include Fazio Galván, who has performed in musicals in Berlin, and Sofía Garza, who has performed in Colombia.

Several also stood out behind the stage, such as Kaori Hayakawa, considered one of the best stage managers in the country, or Memo Martínez, renowned choreographer and dancer.

Although the Tec does not have a theater degree, high-level training is given in Art and Culture activities simultaneously along with students’ academic training.

Memo Martínez, choreographer, teacher, and professional dancer, believes that “everything starts with the people in charge of Cultural Diffusion as there are very good teachers there.”

In the mid-1990s, the Tec opted to acquire the rights to well-known works that, in addition to being popular with the public, represented a production challenge for professors and students.

Since then, the Tec’s artists have performed shows such as Fiddler on the Roof, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Evita, Beauty and the Beast, and Les Miserables on various campuses and for the general public, who pay for tickets to attend.

“The Tec gives us the opportunity to develop other talents and, if we really like singing and dancing, at some point we can make a career out of it.” - Paloma Cordero

Seriousness and professionalism: keys to developing talent

Morris Gilbert, director and producer of OCESA Teatro and one of the most renowned producers in the country, told CONECTA that the talent coming out of Tec de Monterrey is recognized for its training.

“There are many people with talent, but no training; those who don’t cultivate themselves and therefore don’t develop their talents. So, the key word for Tec people is training,” Gilbert said.

The producer of musicals such as Les Miserables, Rent, The Phantom of the Opera, and The Lion King explains that the training provided in the Tec’s artistic and cultural spaces is key.

Kaori Hayawaka, stage manager at Mejor Teatro and Tec graduate, pointed out that the level of Tec productions is similar to what artists find in the professional world when they leave university.

“The Tec gives seriousness to an artistic program in terms of budget, dedication, and professionalism. That also gives artists experience,” he added.

Kaori added: “Everyone I know at Tec de Monterrey who is working at the professional level is responsible, punctual, and prepared.

Tec stages: breeding ground of artists

Paloma Cordero, an actress who has worked on plays such as Mary Poppins, El Último Teatro del Mundo, and Mentiras, said that the Art and Culture department is involved in the training of Tec artists.

“Often, people talk about professional careers and dedicating ourselves to what we study. The Tec gives us the opportunity to develop other talents, and so, if we really like singing and dancing, at some point, we can make a career out of that,” she said.

Mauricio Salas, who has been in shows such as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Addams Family, and Mary Poppins, sees the Tec scene as a hotbed of artists.

“We’re noticed from the outside because we’re lovers of what we do and because there’s a lot of work involved. The Tec offers quality teachers, talent, and performances,” said Salas.

Juan Vila, Director of Arts and Culture for the Monterrey Region, pointed out that the Tec scene has been a source of inspiration for other cultural managers due to the artistic talent it has developed.

“When you see Tec graduate talent in professional productions, it speaks of hard work and an impressive quality of students who manage to graduate and combine their talent with these types of activities.

“For others, the people at the Tec are an example. A cultural management director from another university told me that they come to see the productions to see how they can do things,” Vila said.

Festivals to showcase talent

In addition to the ensembles and musical theater plays, the Tec has held art and culture festivals (today called VibrArt) for decades, at which students can showcase their talent and be evaluated by professionals.

In the musical field, the Tec has seen cases such as that of Nacho Llantada, singer of Los Claxons, who competed several times in the Tec’s Culture and Arts Festivals.

“It’s an interesting education because it’s the place where you meet people like you with dreams and aspirations, where you’re nurtured by your dreams, whether it’s music or theater, the art itself,” Llantada said.

“For me, the Tec’s Cultural Diffusion area gave me discipline, by being able to combine this type of activities with school,” added the singer.

It was similar for Alan Robles, Director of the Bachelor’s in Musical Production and Technology program and guitarist in bands such as Buffalo Blanco, Niña, Babylonia, and Division Minúscula, who took advantage of spaces such as the Song Festival.

“It was how we performed at the Tec. I participated twice in the Song Festival. In Hermosillo, we won first place, and then I participated again at the Monterrey campus with Édgar Lozano and Mauricio Sánchez, from Los Claxons,” Alan recalled.

Others, for example, Enrique “Bugs” González, combined these spaces. The drummer of groups such as Jumbo and Los Lobos, also won a Song Festival and was a musician in the Cultural Diffusion Ensemble.

Jazz drummer Migdalia van del Hoven, who has performed at events such as the EFG London Jazz Festival, was also able to explore her talent as a student in “Raíces,” the Monterrey campus folk music company.

“I remember I saw a poster in my fifth semester that said they were looking for musicians for a CEMEX anniversary event at the Arena Monterrey. I was one of 10 or 12 drummers who auditioned. That’s when I gave it my all with this instrument,” the drummer said.

Tec talent shines around the world

The artistic talent of Tec graduate has reached various corners of the world. For example, Migdalia performed at King Charles III’s coronation event as a member of the All Souls Orchestra ensemble.

Tec graduates have also been nominated for or received awards in galas and award events, for example Ulises Lozano, keyboardist for Kinky, who has won the Latin Grammy as a producer on three occasions.

Likewise, nominees at the Latin Grammy awards have included graduates such as Jorge Loayzat and Miguel Cienfuegos, from the band Los Nietos de Terán, and “Flip” Tamez, from Jumbo, or the singer Caloncho.

“It makes me very proud to be a Tec graduate and knowing that, for example, we’re always present in the arts, in the economy, in government, or in business. That speaks very well of a school that puts people with ability and a human side into society,” Lozano said.

Tec de Monterrey on its 80th anniversary

Tecnológico de Monterrey will celebrate its 80th anniversary in 2023 with different activities, events, and experiences to commemorate its history and legacy.

The Tec was founded by Eugenio Garza Sada and a group of business owners on September 6, 1943. Its first classes were taught in a large house on Abasolo Street (downtown Monterrey) to 350 students.

“Celebrating an anniversary is an opportunity to connect with each and every one of us as a part of the Tec community,” said David Garza, Rector and Executive President of the Tec.

*With information from Héctor Leal, Marlene González, and Ricardo Treviño.

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