Panthers played the iconic Radio City Music Hall in New York City on Valentine’s Day with international recording artists Yandel and J Balvin. The group joined the Latin music stars for a performance on the Yandel Sinfónico tour, a genre-crossing project that blends reggaeton with full symphonic forces and has already made history with a Grammy nomination.
The performance majors, music business students and recent graduates together embody the Herbert and Nicole Wertheim School of Music & Performing Arts' emphasis on real-world experience, versatility and professional preparation. All were invited to perform by FIU Symphony Orchestra conductor Javier Mendoza, who initially worked with Yandel on the concept for his most recent album and got the university’s orchestra and students involved. The orchestra, with Mendoza leading and students playing, shared a Latin Grammy nomination for their efforts.
Learning beyond the concert hall
For violinist Gianluca Nagaro, a first-year master’s student in instrumental performance and concertmaster of the orchestra, the collaboration offered a completely new perspective on what it means to be a professional musician.
“Working with Yandel showed me how different that world is compared to the classical music world,” Nagaro said. “It’s not just about playing the notes, it’s about production, microphones, lighting, movement on stage. It felt more like a full-scale live show than a traditional concert, and that was really exciting to be part of.”
Nagaro, who had been involved with the project since its early performances, also pointed to the value of the connections these experiences created. “The music world is very small,” he said. “Being able to perform in places like New York and meet contractors and musicians there, those are relationships that can shape your entire career.”
From FIU’s stage to Radio City
Violist Miriam Elsawi, a second-year master’s student, recalled how surreal it felt to first see Yandel perform on FIU’s own stage, at the Wertheim Center for the Performing Arts at MMC. Coming from Canada, she did not experience reggaeton as part of her musical upbringing. The project pushed her beyond her comfort zone, she says, and that’s exactly what made it meaningful.
“I feel very honored that Yandel chose not only our orchestra, but to premiere this project at our school,” Elsawi said. “To go from that first performance to recording the album and then performing at Radio City Music Hall, it really felt full circle.”
She added that the experience made her a more versatile musician. “Getting to say you’ve played on these stages and worked on a project like this shows that you can perform at a high professional level. That’s something that stays with you.”
Breaking barriers, expanding possibilities
For Kamilah Brown, a second-year master’s student in viola performance, the project represented something even bigger: a glimpse into the future of classical music.
“Watching this grow gave me a lot of hope,” Brown said. “It’s breaking down barriers that have existed in classical music for a long time and showing how these worlds can come together.”
Brown has participated in several Yandel Sinfónico performances. “I’m very honored that Maestro Mendoza trusted us to represent this project on such a big stage,” she said.
Also joining the group was Cate Mazon, a first-year master’s student in viola performance from Ohio. For Mazon, the project represented an opportunity to step beyond the traditional conservatory environment and experience music-making in a broader cultural context. Through this collaboration, she gained exposure to different styles of music and performed alongside artists from diverse backgrounds, an experience that reflected FIU’s emphasis on preparing musicians to work across genres and cultures in today’s global music industry.
Cellist Anthony De Peña, a junior music business major and transfer student from New York City, brought another perspective.
“I’ve worked a lot as a performer, and I realized I wanted to explore what happens behind the scenes of production, lighting, and how shows are really put together,” De Peña said. “FIU has given me the flexibility to do that.”
This marked his first time performing with Yandel, and he saw the Radio City performance as a fresh creative chapter. “It felt like a new beginning,” he said.
Alumni return
The performance also brought FIU alumni back into the spotlight.
Michael Vargas, who graduated in 2024 and is now pursuing a master’s degree in percussion performance at Rutgers University, returned to perform on timpani with the orchestra.
“Playing in real venues teaches you things you just can’t learn in a school concert hall,” Vargas said. “You learn about travel, logistics, working with venue staff, and that’s real-world experience that stays with you.”
Ana Camacaro, a 2025 graduate in music business and now a working music producer, was part of the orchestra performances recorded for the Grammy-nominated live album.
“For any musician, performing in a place like Radio City Music Hall is a big deal,” Camacaro said. “And what Yandel is doing, combining reggaeton with orchestral music, is inspiring. It was exciting to be part of something that’s changing how people think about this music.”
