Dr. Omar Herrera Arizmendi

Omar Herrera Arizmendi was born in Mexico City and began his formal music education in 1993 at the National University of Mexico. He continued in 1996 as a Piano Performance major at UT Austin and later attended Rice University graduating with a Master's degree in piano in 2003. Omar has been the recipient of the highest scholarship given by the Mexican government (FONCA) and of numerous other fellowships including the one given by the Center for Mexican American Studies of the University of Houston. In 2012 he was awarded a Doctorate in Music from the University of Houston with a thesis titled "Style and Aesthetics of Manuel M. Ponce."

Active as a pedagogue, Dr. Herrera Arizmendi has given seminars in his native Mexico about Piano Technique and Music Interpretation and began his teaching career as faculty of the Preparatory Program at Rice University from 2000 to 2004. Throughout his performance career he has played with several orchestras in the United States and Mexico and with chamber groups of the caliber of Cuarteto Latinoamericano. A review from La Jornada reads: “...he has evidently achieved a place in the current musical panorama. A lot of talent and discipline is needed to reach such altitudes in the classical music area. Now he is an example for the younger generations to emulate”. Dr. Herrera was the Pianist in Residence for MECA in Houston for several years and as such he performed multiple concerts including live performances on NPR. He is the Founder and President of The Ponce Project whose mission is to promote "the rich and exceptional classical music heritage of Latin America in the United States." Dr. Herrera is a proud descendant of Manuel M. Ponce (1882-1948), one of Mexico’s most important composers. He is currently recording all his piano music as well as his works for voice and piano.