Mauricio Cespedes is used to being in the spotlight -- sharing the talent that brings joy to the hearts and ears of thousands of Central Floridians.
But the principal viola for the Orlando Philharmonic shares a different spotlight these days as a new father.
“I have a newborn son. He's 3 months old and what a better idea to go and perform for kids who are sick. They are in the hospital, they are cancer patients, so that's where the idea comes.”
Mauricio received an Artist in Community grant from United Arts of Central Florida. He and his wife Emily are planning a series of concerts at hospitals for children.
The couple, who perform together as Duo Amore have already taken their talents to area nursing homes.
“The society that cannot attend to my concerts at Bob Carr for various reasons right, health reasons above all, so it was really fulfilling for me and my wife to go an perform at these retirement homes and to see old folks who really enjoyed listening to us and then at the end of the concert they would reminisce,” Mauricio said.
Their parents are also musicians. Early on, they found ways to share their love of music with young and old.
“And I grew up as a young kid going and volunteering in retirement homes and so when we started doing that with Mauricio, it kinda felt natural,” Emily said. “It was something I'd done growing up.”
Mauricio conducts several local youth orchestras and sees his passion to help as an opportunity to teach.
“A lot of elementary schools, middle schools, high schools that are lacking string programs because of the recession, of course, many of the music programs got reduced dramatically, so kids are not exposed to it anymore.”
Mauricio also hopes the hospital concerts will be therapeutic.
“Music therapy helps, not only at the moment for a patient or a person in a retirement home, of course. Not only in the moment that you see the smile but it has been demonstrated that in the long term, music can be healing as well,” Mauricio said.
The couple feels they have a duty as artists, musicians and now parents to dedicate time to give back and educate.
“Not only allows me to perform for kids that need a smile every day. But also allows me to perform with my wife, whom I love the most,” Mauricio said.
The Artists in Communities grants fund projects by artists in literature, film and performing or visual art. This is the first year United Arts awarded these grants, which are given to artists performing a service for or collaborating with the community.