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Meet international student Tiago Delgado, a musician from Brazil who has had an incredible first year playing the clarinet as a master’s student in the Hugh A. Glauser School of Music at �鶹��ѡ. After completing his Bachelor of Music degree at Minas Gerais Federal University in Brazil in 2012, Delgado moved to the United States to work toward his Performer Diploma at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, which he finished in 2015.

Later that same year, he decided to further continue his musical studies at Kent State.

Delgado’s journey as an accomplished musician began as a young teenager in his home country of Brazil. He knew he wanted to find something he could succeed at and that would allow him to provide a source of enjoyment for others. He discovered his passion, however, when he began playing music with his friends. Through his drive and determination, Delgado quickly became an outstanding performer on the clarinet. In fact, he says, he came to realize, “I did not choose the clarinet. The clarinet chose me.”

The same can be said about his choice of Kent State. Just as he chose Kent State, so did �鶹��ѡchoose him. Delgado not only embodies the qualities of the ideal �鶹��ѡstudent, but he also presents a positive vision for the future of both his home country and the United States.

Delgado says he has been able to achieve his dream of studying music in the United States because of the support and encouragement of numerous people. He received the �鶹��ѡ Orchestra Society George J. Hejma Memorial Scholarship. Delgado says his learning experience at �鶹��ѡhas been “very pleasant.”

“When I graduate from Kent State, I will continue to improve my understanding of music, while also trying to help other people through music,” Delgado says. “With everything happening in the world nowadays, this is the best thing I can do. If I could go back and change anything from the past, I wouldn’t because I wouldn’t be here at �鶹��ѡtoday.”

Delgado said that one of his favorite accomplishments is being a member of the �鶹��ѡcommunity. His main goal at present is to determine how he can best use his music-related experience and education to develop social projects that teach young people, as well as to provide opportunities for the disadvantaged to experience the beauty of music. He believes that education – especially musical education – should be accessible to everyone.

Delgado completed his initial year at �鶹��ѡin a remarkable fashion. In addition to receiving the 2016 Leopold Sipe Award for Excellence in Music Performance, Delgado won the 2016 �鶹��ѡ Concerto Competition. His recent activities include attending the prestigious Fresno Summer Orchestra Academy (FOOSA) as well as the Scotia Music Festival during the summer 2016. Some of his live performances include Weber’s Clarinet Quintet Op. 34, �Ѵdz�������’s Clarinet Quintet K581, Villa-Lobos’ Choros No. 2, and Jörg Widman’s Fantasie for Solo Clarinet

Those interested in hearing Delgado play in person are invited to attend the next �鶹��ѡOrchestra concert on Sunday, Feb. 19, at 3 p.m. in Cartwright Hall. During the concert, Delgado will be featured as a soloist with the orchestra in the performance of Carl Nielsen: Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra.