A mother and daughter singing duo at Casa Tres Mundos

Hazel feels very emotional and happy as she listens to her daughter Amy’s Mother’s Day concert interpretation of Madrecita del alma querida (“Mommy with a dear soul”) singing about her deep love for her mother. Hazel later states that “this moment was mine, just for me”. Hazel is not in the audience. She is standing close to Amy. Mother and daughter both belong to the adult choir of Casa Tres Mundos (C3M) a cultural center and music/art school in the heart of colonial Granada, Nicaragua. Hazel and Amy are enthusiastic Sopranos who practice and perform with energy, dynamism and joy.

Hazel Judith Collado Rodriguez, 34, and her daughter Amy Franzella Alvarado Collado, 11, have been involved with the Casa Tres Mundos music school for 9 years. Hazel began to sing in the choir when Amy was two years old and would bring her along. Amy has taken music, flute and violin lessons and has been singing in the children and adult choirs for more than four years.

For Hazel, music is both motivation and inspiration, a passion that helps her see life in a positive way. She says that music is like an energy drink that helps her with life’s harder moments. For Amy, music is a way to express feelings and to keep busy. She is a very active child with lots of spontaneous energy and eagerness to learn. Mother and daughter agree that learning music at C3M has had positive impacts on Amy’s school work. It helps her to be motivated, to concentrate in her studies and to develop self-discipline. Singing and playing musical instruments are not just fun and relaxing activities for Amy but also a reward for her academic efforts.

Amy is grateful to her music teachers who have given her so much and states that music school director Reyna Somarriba is a true inspiration to her. Reflecting on the career choices of fellow choir members, she is already thinking about studying music at University.

Hazel and Amy both feel an enormous sense of belonging to C3M and the choir. Casa Tres Mundos has become their second home. For Hazel the choir is like family, with the opportunity to develop people skills, share with choir members, meet different people and be part of a community. While only 11, Amy displays a level of maturity well beyond her age. Being part of Casa Tres Mundos has allowed Hazel and Amy to strengthen their relationship and develop a shared passion for music. Hazel’s husband, Francisco, is also very involved as he always attends concerts and participates in the choir’s social events.

Hazel, Amy and Francisco form a beautiful and inspiring musical family within the larger community of Casa Tres Mundos. As it often happens in many families, the passion for music is passed on from one generation to the next, in this case to the next generation of Nicaragua’s musical leaders.

Odette Langlais, volunteer, Friends of Casa Tres Mundos, May 2018