Today we’d like to introduce you to Fabiola Mendez.
Fabiola, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was born on February 20, 1996 in Caguas, Puerto Rico. I started learning how to play the Puerto Rican cuatro at age 6.
I was a student at the Humacao Musical Institute, the Antonio Paoli School of Music in Caguas, and the Conservatorio de Artes del Caribe, where I was able to further develop my musical skills and instrumental technique.
As a young musician, I participated in several PR cuatro competitions winning prizes in all of them, including being selected as the winner of the “National Cuatro Player Competition” in 2011 by the Puerto Rican Institute of Culture. In addition, I have participated in multiple recordings. Foremost among them are: Banco Popular Christmas CD “Eco” (2008), Fabiola Mendez & Herencia Criolla (2009), Ready for Departure (2014), Guille & the B.Band (2015), and my upcoming album “Al Otro Lado del Charco” (to be released in 2019).
I have had the chance of playing large venues in both Puerto Rico and the United States. The most noteworthy of these include: Cuatro Festival in California (2008), Three Kings Day Concert with the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra (2011), Puerto Rican State Inauguration Ceremony (2013), Heineken Ventana al Jazzfest (2015), Jolgorio Navideño (2016), Pedro Capó live at La Fábrica (2018), among others.
In 2014, I got accepted to Berklee College of Music as the first PR cuatro player. I studied with guitar teachers that helped me develop my musicianship, improvisation, and harmonic skills. While at Berklee, I had the opportunity of performing for many events, including Totó la Momposina meets Berklee (2015), Great American Songbook: The Music of Bob Dylan (2016), Latin America VIVE Music Festival (2016, 2017), Berklee Convocation Concert (2016), and the launch of the Berklee Institute for Jazz and Gender Justice (2018), where I got to perform with Tia Fuller, among others.
In 2018, I got my Bachelor of Music from Berklee College of Music, becoming the first student to graduate with the Puerto Rican cuatro as principal instrument.
Lastly, I have had the privilege of receiving acknowledgements such as the dedication of the Mapeye Festival 2011, the Quincy Jones Award 2016, ambassador at the National Puerto Rican Day Parade in NYC 2018, and a commendation from the PR House of Representatives for being the first Puerto Rican cuatro player to graduate from Berklee.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been hard at times, especially as a woman in the entertainment industry. There are many instances in which I get looked down on because I am a woman playing an instrument. I feel like I always have to try twice as hard to get the same thing a man would get right away. I’d say to those women that are just starting their journey to stay strong, to always remember what your goal is, and to not let anyone walk over you. It will get really hard and frustrating at times, but that will only make you wiser and more powerful.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about your business – what should we know?
As mentioned, I am a performing artist that focuses on playing the Puerto Rican cuatro. To give you a little bit of context on my work, I have to say first that the cuatro is viewed as an instrument that’s only used for Christmas music and the folk music of Puerto Rico. My mission is to bring the cuatro to every style of music, and demonstrate that it’s an instrument like any other – it has no limits. My current project “Al Otro Lado Del Charco” (“At the other side of the pond”) aims to create a bridge between PR Folk music and Bebop, using the cuatro as the protagonist. That is something that has never been done before. Other artists have used the cuatro in Jazz but always keep the Latin side of it (in the groove or the harmony). In my project, I use the “typical” jazz instrumentation (saxophone, piano, upright bass, drums) and add the cuatro to have to role of what traditionally would be the guitar. I also have tunes that keep a more PR folk groove but have a more complex harmony. I’d say that this project is what I am most proud of and I can’t wait to release it in 2019.
Finding a mentor and building a network are often cited in studies as a major factor impacting one’s success. Do you have any advice or lessons to share regarding finding a mentor or networking in general?
My mentors have been my teachers and my colleagues. I believe there is something to learn from everyone around you. I live by that philosophy and it has opened many doors and innumerable possibilities.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.fabiolamendezmusic.com
- Email: fabiolamendezmusic@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fabiolamari20/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FabiolaMendezMusic/
Image Credit:
NuttyMar Photography, Catalina Castellanos, Karolina Meireles
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