The Polo Ortí Quartet visited Universidad San Francisco de Quito’s (USFQ) College of Music this past March, where it held private lessons, clinics, master classes, and a concert at the Sucre Theater as part of Ecuador’s Jazz Festival. USFQ is a member of the Berklee International Network (BIN), a network composed of 19 different schools around the world. The quartet is made up of three current Berklee Valencia campus instructors—Polo Ortí on piano, Israel Sandoval on guitar, and Mariano Steinberg on drums—as well as Luismo Vallares, who plays the electric bass, piano, and works as a composer for the group.
The trip came after Esteban Molina, director of USFQ opened an invitation to the band. During the trip, the quartet held four private lessons per day. “It was amazing to see the great interest that students have for music, and the high level of musicianship many of them displayed,” Ortí said. The quartet also gave a master class at the university’s Teatro Calderon de la Barca. The trip ended with a performance at the Sucre Theater.
Ortí raved about his experience in Ecuador. “The talent and passion of the students showed me that Ecuador is going to be and already is one of the world leaders in music education,” he said, adding that “the trip to Ecuador was an unforgettable experience.”
To find out more about USFQ and other BIN partners around the world visit the Berklee BIN web page.
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