Class: 2013
Cesar Torruella
César Torruella brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to his new role as Executive Director of Arts Education in Chicago Public Schools. With a distinguished career spanning several leadership positions in the field of arts education, César's dedication to fostering excellence in arts education has left a profound impact on educational institutions and communities alike.
Prior to joining Chicago Public Schools, César held a key position at KIPP Texas Public Schools, the largest charter district in Texas. As State Fine Arts Coordinator, he demonstrated exceptional leadership by overseeing a broad portfolio spanning 59 K-12 schools in four major cities: San Antonio, Houston, Dallas and Austin, leading a team of 55 school principals, 145 teachers and 30 Instructional Coaches. She orchestrated the offering of 101 diverse fine arts courses, including Dance, Visual Arts, Music and Theatre. Their efforts were instrumental in advancing state initiatives that advocated for equity and accessibility, curriculum improvement, and teaching quality. Under his leadership, fine arts education flourished, supporting the district's student achievement goals and demonstrating its deep commitment to enriching teaching and learning experiences.
César's impact extends beyond administrative roles, as he served as a Fine Arts Content Leader, Level Coordinator, School Culture Coordinator, Curriculum Writer, and Music Theory Teacher at YES Prep Public Schools. Her multifaceted roles included designing, facilitating, and supporting fine arts programming, as well as managing crucial aspects such as teacher evaluation, budget analysis, curriculum development, and professional development. This comprehensive approach exemplifies his comprehensive approach to education and his dedication to elevating all aspects of arts education.
He obtained a bachelor's degree from the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music and a master's degree from the University of Houston. Torruella's distinctive combination of educational acumen, administrative skills, and artistic passion positions him as a transformative figure in the field of arts education. His visionary leadership and commitment to advancing best practices continue to shape the trajectory of arts education, making him a valuable asset to the Chicago Public Schools community and the broader field of educational excellence.
It has stood out for the originality of its artistic programs and projects, always seeking to present music as a broad field that includes social and environmental issues and the growing understanding of music in a post-colonial atmosphere.
Since 2015, he has presented concert-conferences with neuroscientist Christian Bravo on the relationship between music and the brain, and motivational concert-conferences on music and art for young people from the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music, School of Medical Sciences. from the UPR, Goethe Institute in Lagos, Nigeria, National University of Music of Lima, Peru, Montana State University, the Youth Institute in Mexico City, among others.
His recent performances include performances as soloist with the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra, Neue Philarmonie Westfalen, Bad Reichenhaller Philharmoniker, Dortmund Philharmoniker in Germany, Orquesta Ciudad de Palencia, Spain, Camerata Santiago de Querétaro and the INJUVE Symphony Orchestra in Mexico City , and the Aldworth Philharmonic Orchestra in England; recitals in Cologne, broadcast live on the WDR3 radio network; Belgrade, London, Berlin, Havana, Vienna, Asunción, San Juan, Mexico City, Paris, as well as appearances on radio and television networks such as BBC, Radio France International and Deutsche Welle.
Arturo Castro Nogueras has a Bachelor's degree in Music with a specialty in Guitar, from the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of the distinguished Puerto Rican maestro Leonardo Egúrbida, and a Master's degree in Guitar and Early Music from the Robert Schumann Conservatory in Düsseldorf under the tutelage of the famous guitarist and composer. Joaquín Clerch, and the pianist and harpsichordist Anthony Spiri. In 2016 he graduated with distinction from the Konzertexamen excellence program, at the Robert Schumann Hochschule, in Prof. Clerch's class.
English 
Español