On Sunday January 18, 2009 the sun shone on a delightful garden party for Viva members. A sizable crowd of music lovers enjoyed a selection of Lebanese food and sangria. This was followed by a concert was provided by three of ¡VIVA!'s current scholarship students.

Iván Morales gave a piano recital performing two preludes by Bach, Sonata in F by Haydn, Valse Impromptu by Greig and Toccata in E flat minor by Khachaturian. This was a fine performance showing good technical control and musicality, and the Khatchurian showed inspiring verve.

Emmanuel Medeles, bass baritone, sang a range of Italian and German arias accompanied by Joel Juan Qui, chairman of the piano school at the University of Guadalajara.

The final performance was by Willy Rentaría on the violin also accompanied by Joel Juan Qui. Willy treated the audience to a rendition of the four Rumanian dances by Bartok. He gave a fine performance playing his teacher’s violin, as his own violin is inadequate for public performance.

To round off the concert maestro Joel delighted the audience with a dashing performance of a ‘Tarantella’, followed by his own arrangement of ‘Granada’.

*Students in the photograph are L to R, Emmanuel Medeles, Willy Rentaría and Iván Morales.