Dr. Hurtado is the recipient of the 2024 “Mexicanos Distinguidos Award”
Every year, the Mexican Government, through the Foreign Ministry of Mexico, selects a handful of nationals from all over the world to receive the Distinguished Mexicans Award, which is given to people who have lived abroad for at least five years and have demonstrated an outstanding career in areas such as business, technology, academia, the sciences, creative endeavors, or social responsibility. The award is presented through Mexico’s consulates and embassies and consists of a diploma and a medal specially minted by Mexico’s national mint, Casa de Moneda.
This year, Dr. José Luis Hurtado, Professor of Music Theory and Composition at The UNM Department of Music was the recipient of such a high honor. The acceptance ceremony took place on December 20th, 2024 at the Torreón of the National Hispanic Cultural Center where Patricia Pinzón, Mexican Consul in Albuquerque and Zack Quintero, Executive Director of the National Hispanic Cultural Center (NHCC) presented the award.
According to the Mexican Consulate in Albuquerque, the Mexicanos Distinguidos Award was given to Dr. Hurtado,“…in recognition for an outstanding 25-year career as a pianist, composer, and academic, dedicated to showcasing Mexican art and cultural heritage beyond borders. His work has significantly contributed to strengthening cultural ties between Mexico and the United States, while proudly celebrating the richness of our roots and reinforcing the value of our identity”.
Chair of The UNM Department of Music, Professor Michael Hix, shared, “We are incredibly proud of Dr. José Luis Hurtado for receiving the prestigious Mexicanos Distinguidos Award. His dedication to his craft and his commitment to showcasing Mexican art and culture on a global stage are truly inspiring. Dr. Hurtado is not only an exceptional composer and academic but also a remarkable mentor and colleague. His passion for music and education enriches our department and profoundly impacts our students and fellow faculty members. This recognition is a testament to his outstanding contributions, and we celebrate this well-deserved honor with him.”
As part of his acceptance speech, Prof. Hurtado shared, “Of all the prizes and recognitions that I’ve received in my life, this one has a special significance. Right after I finished my PhD, I got a job offer at one of the most prestigious Universities in Mexico. I accepted the offer and we were getting ready to move back to Mexico when, a few weeks later, I got phone a phone call, offering me the job that I currently have at UNM. This is how, 13 years ago, and after 10 years of living in Boston, we decided to exchange the snow for the Sandias and the colorful and dreamy sunsets of Albuquerque.
“When I came for the first time to Albuquerque for my job interview, the Dean at that time told me something that resonated with me: even though we are a Hispanic serving institution and we are closer to Mexico City than to New York, we are not taking advantage of that. So, with this provocative comment in mind, and soon after I arrived to UNM, I started thinking about how I could serve as a link between the two countries and make distances shorter. I created courses that we were not previously offered, for instance, my “Music and Latin American identity,” a course were we would start talking about music in the context of the Mayan and Aztecs empires, going through the music of New Spain, Nationalisms in different countries such as Cuba, Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, and even popular music including Agustín Lara and rock such as Café Tacuba.
“This course in particular was very important for my students, as it signified not only explorations into learning about dates, names and places, but also for many of my students, it signified an understanding of the context in which their parents had been born and raised, and therefore provided an opportunity for the students to understand themselves much more. I also created academic exchanges where our students would travel to Mexico to perform at important venues, created a summer program called “The Mexico Masterclasses,” a recruiting activity where our UNM faculty go to my hometown, Morelia, to interact with dozens of students for a weekend during the summer. UNM now resonates much more in Mexico and the department of Music has become an option when the students of the National Conservatory or the National University think about doing a Master’s degree.
“I also founded “The Music from the Americas Concert Series” where musicians of the highest caliber from all over, from Alaska all the way to Chile, and even Spain and Portugal, come to UNM to give concerts, as well as lectures, workshops and reading sessions for our students. And finally, a year and a half ago, a local radio station approached me to produce and host a radio show on Latin American Music.
“Behind each of these projects, there is a lot of work, a lot of design and organization. These projects are the result of hours and hours of effort, energy and resources that many times I have to provide out my own pocket.
“However, these are some of the projects that inspire my life, that give my Albuquerque presence a meaning, that put things into perspective and have resulted in my understanding that art and music are not the final objectives, but are just a meaning, a conduct, a way to create much more sensitive persons, and therefore, a much more inclusive society, where we all value each other’s roles and construct a much more positive future.
“So, as I said at the beginning of my speech, this award has a special significance, because what I do, I don’t to it for myself, I do it for my son, for my students, and for our society, and because this award, is not only a recognition and a motivation, but also the reaffirmation that the decision that I took 13 years ago, was the right one.”
During the Spring 2025 semester, Prof. Hurtado is teaching Tonal Theory III and IV, as well as individual composition lessons, and directing the New Music New Mexico (NMNM) Contemporary Ensemble. He is also directing the “Music from the Americas Concert Series.”
Necessary Links:
LEARN MORE about Professor Jose Luis Hurtado
TUNE IN to The Music from the America on your local radio station, 95.5 KHFM, or online on the first Friday of every month at 6PM
LEARN MORE about the area of study in Music Theory and Composition within The UNM Department of Music
LEARN MORE about the “Music from the Americas Concert Series,”