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BAND MEMBER IS AWARD-WINNING COMPOSER

  • Published
  • By TSgt Jon Linker
  • Band of Liberty
Hanscom AFB, MA --  Staff Sergeant Mateo Ayala hasn't been writing music for very long, but the Band of Liberty member keeps adding to his list of award-winning compositions. 

For the second year in a row, Sergeant Ayala won first prize in the Danza Composition Competition, an annual contest sponsored by the Institute for Puerto Rican Culture (IPC). Sergeant Ayala's composition, "Danzonata for Woodwind Quintet", was selected as the winner in the instrumental contemporary danza category, one of three categories in the contest. The piece premiered May 16th as part of an awards ceremony at the Teatro Tapia in San Juan with SSgt Ayala in the audience. 

"It was one of the biggest and most happy feelings I've had," Sergeant Ayala said of hearing his piece performed. "To hear what you've created and see the reaction of the people it's truly wonderful." 

Danza is a very popular traditional Puerto Rican dance music characterized by a specific form and very syncopated rhythms. The music comes naturally to Sergeant Ayala who grew up in Toa Alta, Puerto Rico and spent his first 25 years on the island. Sergeant Ayala's composition combined Danza with the classical Sonata form of exposition, development and recapitulation, thus the title Danzonata. 

Joining him at the awards ceremony were his parents, his two brothers and his middle school and college music teachers. 

"It was something else," SSgt Ayala said. "To have my parents and family present and two of my teachers, it was just wonderful." 

As part of the award, Sergeant Ayala also won $1,000 and his piece will be used as educational material by the IPC as an example of new trends in Puerto Rican music in the 21st century. 

A clarinetist with the Band of Liberty, SSgt Ayala only began composing a few years ago as another creative musical outlet. However, it has since become his passion. He is currently participating in the Air Force Educational Leave of Absence program to pursue a master's degree in music composition at the prestigious New England Conservatory (NEC) of Music in Boston. 

As a student at NEC, SSgt Ayala won the 2009 NEC Honors Ensemble composers' competition with his piece, "Imprechons on Sapapuh - Latin-American Suite for Woodwind Quintet". The Sirocco Winds premiered it on April 27, 2009 at NEC's Jordan Hall. 

Next month, the Band of Liberty will record one of his compositions, "Emancipation Overture" for an upcoming compact disc to be released next year. In addition, Sergeant Ayala is working on a composition for wind ensemble based on the history and facts about Hanscom Air Force Base. 

While he plans to return to the Band of Liberty clarinet section once he graduates from NEC, Sergeant Ayala definitely sees a future for himself as a composer. 

"I'm going to see how I can combine my performance job with composing," he said. "Probably I'm not going to be performing my whole life. I see this as my next step in music, to be a composer."