UTEP Piano Major’s Project Wins a Grammy!

Diego Escalona, Sophomore in Commercial Piano, is perhaps the first-ever UTEP student to be recognized by the Latin Recording Academy while concurrently studying music at UTEP.  His contributions, both as co-composer and keyboard performer, on the live album Kintsugi, by the group Ún Corazón (One Heart), won the Latin Grammy for Best Christian Album, Spanish Language, on November 14, 2024.  Diego co-wrote four songs on the album: “Socorro” (Help), “Otra Vez” (Again), “Yo Veré” (I Will See), and “Quiero Más” (I Want More).  Diego completed composing sessions, rehearsals, and international travel for performances, as well as commuted daily from Juarez, Mexico for his classes at UTEP.  This wasn’t easy.

“It was honestly pretty tough to juggle school and the writing/production process of the album as well as regular daily responsibilities.  It’s definitely an intense lifestyle that helped me learn how to organize my time throughout the day.  Although I struggled through those days, it’s so encouraging to know that something good and inspiring came out of that time,” Diego expressed.

“The Grammys are a great reminder of how a great pop song can create a shared experience for people of widely diverging backgrounds and beliefs.  The final voting is done by the musicians and artists themselves.  More doors are often open for Grammy winners as the award is a recognition of musical excellence in the field.” – Billboard Magazine.

Diego is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Commercial Music at UTEP and wants to continue composing and producing his own compositions.  You can see and hear his work at YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, and all other streaming platforms.  Congratulations, Diego!