Rafael Moras

The UTSA Music Department has just welcomed the entrance of a young talented singer into their vocal program.  Rafael Moras, a recent graduate of MacArthur High School, has been granted the opportunity to perform before Placido Domingo.  Last year, Rafael entered a national competition sponsored by the National Foundation for Arts Advancement (NFAA).  This organization receives between 6,000 to 8,000 applications annually; only 135 recipients travel to Miami on an all-expense-paid week where they are engaged in master classes, showcase performances, interdisciplinary activities, enrichment programs, and final adjudications. 

This is not Rafael’s first major achievement. The talented 19-year-old was one of three classical singers to be named a Presidential Scholar in the Arts.  He also received the opportunity to sing before the President of the United States and sang at the Kennedy Center.  Rafael is currently planning a trip to Florida where he will sing at an NFAA Gala all while warming up his melodious voice to sing before Domingo.  

Rafael has 2 half-hour lessons per week with his voice instructor, Diana Allan who advices him to “be true to the music and yourself.”  He will be performing the primary aria--“Una furtive lagrima from L’elisir d’amor by Gaetano Donizetti, on a Mozart aria, a Massenet aria, and a 2 Zarzuela arias.  Although Rafael is encouraged to sing to the best of his ability, Allan reminds him that he is “not expected to be any better nor worse than a 19-year-old young tenor”;  she reminds all her vocal students that the key to singing is to always be true to the story of the song.