July 27, 2023

Media Contact:
Maria Sotelo, Encanto Arts communication director, 206-753-9232
Rachel Evey, foundation executive director, 509-682-6415

WVC Foundation to host Encanto Concierto performance to benefit students Sept. 23

Wenatchee Valley College Foundation is partnering with Encanto Arts, the Wenatchee Valley Symphony Orchestra and the Mid-Columbia Mastersingers to present Encanto Concierto for WVC on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 7:30 p.m. The event will be held at the Numerica Performing Arts Center and feature music by Latin American composers with proceeds going towards scholarships for Wenatchee Valley Students wishing to study at WVC.

Founded by José Iñiguez, Encanto Arts is a culmination of his own journey from a farm-working family in Mattawa to award-winning Seattle opera and bolero tenor. Encanto Arts has partnered with colleges and universities across Washington state to establish scholarship endowments. This is Encanto Arts fourth endowment in the State of Washington.

"Music unites across borders, drives economies, and empowers artists. This concert celebrates diverse symphony music, featuring modern Latino and classical compositions. Guest artists from Colima, Mexico add excitement and pride to Wenatchee,” Iñiguez said. “Proceeds support aspiring students at WVC without means but with passion for the arts. Let's leave a lasting legacy for the next generation, filling the void that many experience as farmworkers."

The concert will feature Soprano Marianne Natali Silva Mendoza from Colima, Mexico. Tenor José Iñiguez will join Marianne, and they will be accompanied by the Mid-Columbia Master Singers and Wenatchee Valley Symphony Orchestra. The performance will be conducted by Nikolas Caoile, along with a special guest conductor, Miguel Angel Alatorre, the director of the State of Colima Symphony.

“I am honored to join WVC, Encanto Arts, and Wenatchee Valley Symphony Orchestra in this event,” said Caoile. “There is no better way to demonstrate our community’s support for students than through the power of music.”  

The concert’s emcees will be Washington State Supreme Court Chief Justice Steve Gonzalez and Wenatchee School Board President Maria Iñiguez.   

“I am looking forward to emceeing the upcoming Encanto event and to seeing young adults present historical Latino musical performances to our community,” shared Chief Justice Gonzalez.

“I am honored to be part of this event that will bring cultures together through the power of music. But most importantly, I am excited about the opportunities the endowment will bring to students in our community,” added Maria Iñiguez.

Encanto Concierto for WVC is made possible by sponsors, including the Colville Tribes, Jay Grubb, Washington Farm Labor Association (WAFLA), Maria & Ricardo Iñiguez,Gebbers Farms, the Iñiguez Family, Dan & Lucinda Fazio, Alexia Inigues, Guadalupe Cavazos, CAFÉ, Wenatchee Rotary Foundation, Jeff Edmunson, Encanto Arts, Golden Apple Tax & Services, and Aut-to Mocha. 

For ticket information, please visit numericapac.org.

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The mission of Encanto Arts is to engage youth from underserved/underprivileged communities in Washington state and allied communities by promoting and producing arts, culture, and education. For more information visit the Encanto Arts website at encantoarts.org.

The WVC Foundation was incorporated in 1971. It exists to build relationships between the community and the college and raise financial support for Wenatchee Valley College students, programs, faculty and staff, as well as special projects such as building campaigns like the Music and Art Center. For information on how to make a gift to the foundation, establish a scholarship or include the WVC Foundation in your estate plans, contact (509) 682-6410. Visit the WVC Foundation website at wvc.edu/Foundation. 

Wenatchee Valley College is committed to a policy of equal opportunity in employment and student enrollment. All programs are free from discrimination and harassment against any person because of race, creed, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a service animal by a person with a disability, age, parental status or families with children, marital status, religion, genetic information, honorably discharged veteran or military status or any other prohibited basis per RCW 49.60.030, 040 and other federal and state laws and regulations, or participation in the complaint process. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies and Title IX compliance for both the Wenatchee and Omak campuses: 

• To report discrimination or harassment: Title IX Coordinator, Wenatchi Hall 2322M, (509) 682-6445, title9@wvc.edu.
• To request disability accommodations: Student Access Director, Wenatchi Hall 2133, (509) 682-6854, TTY/TTD: dial 711, sas@wvc.edu.