Mexico City, June 19, 2025.- As part of the first Cello Festival, the Universidad Panamericana Mexico City campus, through its School of Fine Arts (EBA), presented the Pedro de Gante Award to the renowned Mexican cellist and writer Carlos Prietoin an emotional ceremony held in the Mixcoac auditorium.
The following individuals were present at the event: Dr. Santiago García Álvarez, Dean of the Mexico City Campus; and Dr. Gabriel Pliego Carrasco, dean of the EBA, as well as students from the Panamericana university community.
A recognition of artistic and educational excellence
The Pedro de Gante Award, named after the 16th-century Franciscan friar, considered a pioneer of music education in the Americas and founder of the School of San José de los Naturales, the first educational institution for the continent’s indigenous peoples.
This award, which will be presented every two years, honors musicians who have demonstrated an exceptional career dedicated to the performance, promotion, and teaching of music in Mexico and around the world.
Carlos Prieto: A Musical and Cultural Legacy
Born in Mexico City in 1937, Carlos Prieto began playing the cello at the age of four under the tutelage of the Hungarian maestro Imre Hartman. He completed his musical training with legends such as Pierre Fournier in Geneva and Leonard Rose in New York, while studying engineering and economics at MIT.
“In my family, there was a violinist—my dad—another violinist—my mom—a violist—my grandfather—and we were missing a cellist to complete a quartet. So, practically from the moment I was born, they chose a cello for me, and as it happened, I’ve always loved it very much,”, he says.
His musical career has led him to perform with world-class orchestras, such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of London, the Berlin Symphony Orchestra and the Spanish National Orchestra, among many others. In addition, he has recorded more than 100 works, including the complete suites by Bach and pieces by Latin American composers from the 19th to the 21st centuries.
Prieto is not only a virtuoso cellist, but also a prolific writer with 14 books to his credit and a member of language academies in Mexico, Spain, Chile, and Ecuador. His career has been enriched by his friendship with figures such as Igor Stravinsky, Shostakovich, Octavio Paz and Gabriel García Márquez.
“As a matter of discipline, I spend more than an hour every day practicing the cello, but I also spend more than an hour writing books,”, explains Prieto.
Recognition by the university community
Dr. Santiago García and Dr. Gabriel Pliego highlighted Prieto’s cultural contributions and their impact on the education of future generations.
In his message, Carlos Prieto said: “I greatly admire the musical activities at the Universidad Panamericana. I would tell the students that they are fortunate and should not miss the opportunity to receive a proper education in music and other areas of human knowledge”.
During the event, Prieto gave a masterful performance and shared anecdotes from his artistic life, accompanied by photographs with great personalities such as Yo-Yo Ma.
Commitment to promoting the arts
With this award, the Universidad Panamericana its institutional commitment to promoting the arts as a fundamental pillar of its educational mission, honoring those who, like Pedro de Gante and Carlos Prieto, have transformed the world through art, culture, and humanistic thought.
Learn more about the EBA at: https://www.up.edu.mx/universidad-escuela-de-bellas-artes/
