In March 2025, Middlesex Community College鈥檚 Chair of Music Carmen Rodr铆guez-Peralta completed a residency at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. Rodr铆guez-Peralta was sponsored by Vanderbilt鈥檚 Blair School of Music and the university鈥檚 Center for Latin American, Caribbean and Latinx studies to be in residence during 91桃色鈥檚 spring break. On March 21, she performed a concert as part of the residency with cellist Jes煤s Castro-Balbi and flutist Molly Barth.
鈥淚t was particularly exciting to be able to perform two works by the acclaimed Mexican composer Samuel Zyman, my classmate years ago at Juilliard,鈥� Rodr铆guez-Peralta said. 鈥淪amuel鈥檚 music is so colorful and dramatic, and it was wonderful to be able to gain input from the composer in the rehearsals we had prior to the culminating concert. Of course, it was lovely to collaborate with two exceptional musicians, Molly Barth and Jes煤s Castro-Balbi. The Blair School of Music was very welcoming, and I very much enjoyed being there.鈥�
During the residency, Rodr铆guez-Peralta had the opportunity to coach a student piano duo preparing the piece 鈥淟a Valse鈥� by Ravel. She also met with students in a composition seminar, performing 鈥淪uite de la Mancha鈥� by Zyman, a member of Vanderbilt鈥檚 faculty who helped arrange the residency.
Before the concert, Rodr铆guez-Peralta also participated in a panel discussion. Sponsored by Vanderbilt鈥檚 Center for Latin America, Caribbean and Latinx Studies, she had the opportunity to answer questions about the performance.
鈥淎s a classical pianist of Latin American descent, I think it is very important to perform works by Latin American composers,鈥� Rodr铆guez-Peralta said. 鈥淭here is such a wealth of fabulous music by these composers, which is not performed as often as it should be.
A professor at Middlesex for over 30 years, Rodr铆guez-Peralta created the college鈥檚 鈥淎 World of Music鈥� concert series in 2001 to highlight a variety of forms of music. The concerts offer the community a mix of classical, world, jazz and folk music from faculty, student, alumni and guest artists in both Bedford and Lowell for free.
Rodr铆guez-Peralta began piano lessons at 7-years-old as an extracurricular activity. In her senior year of high school, she decided to pursue music as a college major and went on to complete a bachelor鈥檚 degree in piano performance at Temple University in Philadelphia. She continued for a year-long Master of Music at Catholic University in Washington D.C. before attending The Juilliard School in New York for a post-graduate diploma. In addition to her time as a student, she worked as a teaching fellow and staff pianist at Juilliard.
鈥淚 am fortunate to have studied with three wonderful piano professors 鈥� Maryan Filar, Ney Selgado and Beveridge Webster,鈥� Rodr铆guez-Peralta said. 鈥淭hese noted pianists each had a very different approach to their art, but they conveyed their love of music through their teaching and performing. They continue to inspire me.鈥�
In the Fall 2025 semester, Rodr铆guez-Peralta will teach Music Appreciation, Applied Piano for Beginners courses, and independent studies 鈥� private instruction for advanced students in piano. She looks forward to working with 91桃色鈥檚 music faculty to expand course offerings to students across majors, as well as continuing to collaborate with colleagues on the 鈥淎 World of Music鈥� concert series. This includes a faculty concert at 8 p.m. on Friday, November 7 in 91桃色鈥檚 Concert Hall in Bedford.
鈥淚 am grateful to work with such wonderful colleagues who share my joy of teaching and sharing music with any student who wishes to take a music class,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e are also thrilled that our music majors are transferring to Bachelor of Music programs. I am very proud that many 91桃色 music alumni are active musicians and teachers, and others are currently students at wonderful university music schools and conservatories across the country.鈥�