Today we’d like to introduce you to Geraldine Osorio.
Geraldine, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I started my musical education in my hometown in Colombia. At the beginning, it was just a hobby, something to do after high school classes. I remember getting out of class and running to the music school to practice my clarinet before wind band rehearsal. There, I met some incredible teachers, who inspired me to keep learning music, and to pursue it as my profession. I will always be grateful for everything they taught me and for inspiring me.
When I graduated from high school, I chose music as my career path. My aptitude on the clarinet was still developing but that didn’t stop me from pursuing a music degree. I was accepted into the National Conservatory in Colombia to do a basic music program before my bachelor’s degree began and I couldn’t be happier that I had this experience. It was a dream come true. While studying there, things were very hard for me, all of my classmates were at a higher level of playing and sometimes, I felt as though I simply wasn’t born for music and that I should give up. I spent a lot of time comparing myself to my classmates, a habit that I knew was not very good for me.
After a year and a half, and close to my audition to get into my bachelor’s degree, I decided to give up and start a career in architecture. However, a very close friend of mine convinced me to apply to Longy School of Music of Bard College in Cambridge MA, US. I was accepted and additionally the school gave me financial assistance. By the end of my first year in college, my parents told me that I had to go back to Colombia because the expenses were too high and it was difficult for them to keep supporting me. Then, I applied for a scholarship from the Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation and I won their assistance for two years, allowing me to keep studying. Currently, I’m a senior about to graduate in May, hoping to find the way to begin a graduate program and make many of my dreams a reality.
My biggest purpose is to be able to share all of my experiences with people through music because that’s what I feel music is about: sharing, sharing knowledge, experiences and feelings in a universal language. I learned that is okay to dream and work hard for what you are passionate about; you will always find angels on your way willing to lend a helping hand. The moment you start believing in yourself is when the magic starts happening.
Has it been a smooth road?
I think one of the biggest struggles has been the money. The economy in my country is not in the best situation right now and because I am an international student, the exchange rate fluctuation is always a big deal. It’s hard sometimes to think… so now what? How am I going to pay the school? Will I able to graduate? These are the questions I face, among others but as I said before, I have been blessed to have had the assistance of the Latin Grammy foundation, the support of my parents, who, with a lot of effort help me however they can, and of course the desire to fulfill my goals.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Folk Latin Music story. Tell us more about the business.
My emphasis is in music from Latin America, especially Colombia and Brazil. I have a couple of chamber groups, with whom I play around the city. What I always have wanted is to share with people the traditions of where I come from, and show what makes Latin America so special. I’m always going to be proud of being Colombian, and what a better way to honor my country than sharing part of our culture.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I see myself in a future traveling around the world sharing Latin American music and teaching people about latin culture and our roots, showing what makes us special.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 8572850882
- Email: geriosoo30@gmail.com
- Instagram: @gerioso
Image Credit:
Pia Bourne, Fabian Gallon, Ricardo Borsatto, João Petrus, Tony Leva, Adman Bahrami, Marion Campos
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