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From the Caribbean to the Andes: Adriana Valera de la Providencia; a lifetime of ...

From the Caribbean to the Andes: Adriana Valera de la Providencia; a lifetime of passion and mastery at the keyboard

24 April, 2026

From her training in Cuba to her arrival in Popayán in 2006, where she joined the Department of Music at the University of Cauca, Professor Adriana Valera de la Providencia has woven a story of discipline, dedication, and an inexhaustible love for music. Today, she inspires her students with a form of teaching that goes beyond the technical, defining it as follows: “Talent is a gift, but it must be accompanied by discipline and love for the profession if you want to train as high-level professionals.”

Born in Havana, Professor Adriana Valera de la Providencia recounts how “live music and radio have always had a strong presence. Radio has reached every corner of the country since 1922, and in Havana, music surrounds you at all times; the same happens in Santiago de Cuba. That is why there are radio and television programs that marked the lives of several generations. I remember Alegrías de sobremesa and Nocturno, Cuban radio programs. During my childhood, I was happy watching the two Urracas, Tom and Jerry, or Donald Duck, accompanied by great symphony orchestras playing classical music. I also enjoyed Cuban animated series such as Elpidio Valdés and Matojo. In the afternoon, television recreated children’s songs in programs like Amigo y sus amiguitos. That was the soundscape that surrounded me in my childhood and youth. I listened to Cuban and international popular music every day. In restaurants there was always live music: trios, duos, solo pianists, and so on. At home, my grandparents danced danzón on Saturdays, and I danced every day. I believe that was my first approach to music, even before I began studying piano.”

Although it is clear that from her childhood music was a guiding thread in the life of this talented professor, it was the influence of her father, a musician, composer, orchestra conductor, and founder of the Instituto Superior de Arte, that profoundly shaped her path. She began her musical studies at the age of seven at the Manuel Saumell Conservatory, where her mentor accompanied her every morning, studying piano with her before she left for school.

At the age of 15, she entered the Amadeo Roldán School and later graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Music with a specialization in Piano from the Instituto Superior de Arte, where she also completed her Master’s degree in Art with an emphasis on Music.

From her early years in the world of music, she fondly recalls a time when “There were six classrooms for piano lessons. Each one had a Yamaha baby grand piano, which we also used to practice during hours when there were no classes. Early on, we would mark the pianos where we wanted to study. We were allowed to practice until eleven at night. When we stepped out of the air conditioning, it was so hot outside that we would take turns keeping watch for the security guard and sneak into the pool. There was always one person who had to stay on lookout. When the guard returned, we would run out—wet, tired, but happy.”

Professor Adriana Valera de la Providencia also recalls with gratitude those who contributed to her training: “My piano teacher was Frank Fernández, a graduate of the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow, as was Teresita Junco, who taught me piano methodology. Olguita Valiente taught me accompaniment, and Jorge Luis Herrero was my History of Pianism teacher.” This rigorous training shaped not only the pianist, but also the pedagogue she would become. Over time, Adriana developed a solid career as a solo and accompanying pianist, alongside her work as a specialist in the Artistic Development Department of the Cuban Institute of Music. At the same time, she taught at the Instituto Superior de Arte and later joined the Cuban Radio and Television Orchestra, participating in programs, recordings, and productions with various popular music ensembles.

In 2006, an invitation would change the course of her life: “I arrived in Popayán for the first time invited by the University of Cauca to work in the Piano Area of the Department of Music. I entered Colombia with a work visa and a full-time temporary contract for one year. I did not know Cauca. I found a Bachelor’s program in Music designed to promote and strengthen the musical development of children and young people in the region. Two things impressed me: the musical talent of many students and, at the same time, their limited mastery of theoretical and practical knowledge to approach music. However, they showed me that when there is talent and discipline, in four semesters they can develop fundamental skills for their professional growth.”

Thus, throughout her work at the Alma Mater caucana, Adriana Valera de la Providencia has participated in various research projects that remain for posterity in the form of books—titles published by the University of Cauca Publishing House. Among them are Popayán en las canciones de Sergio Rojas Fajardo, co-authored with Carlos Hugo Ayala, Jorge Coral Guerrón, and Juan Carlos Gómez; and Sergio Rojas Fajardo: Diez versiones para voz y piano, in its second edition of 2024, written alongside Carlos Hugo Ayala.

These works are complemented by Las TIC Aplicadas a la Educación Musical: Aprendizajes en Tiempos de Pandemia y Pospandemia (2020–2022), the result of joint research with professors Carlos Hugo Ayala, Germán Tejeda, and Luis Fernando Arroyave, which compiles the lessons and reflections that emerged during that period.

Since her arrival in this corner of the world, Adriana Valera de la Providencia found a symphony of life in Cauca, becoming a key figure in the growth of the Department of Music. She highlights the importance of pedagogical practice within the curriculum, guided by professors with extensive experience such as Jorge Coral Guerrón, Carlos Hugo Ayala, and Ramiro Vela. “It is a course that integrates theory with practical experience within the real regional context. In addition, it promotes research and curricular flexibility to adapt training experiences to the real needs of children and young people in Cauca.”

She also highlights the artistic vitality of the Department of Music: “Concerts have been held with the Band directed by Maestro Carlos René Ordoñez, Juan Carlos Gómez, the Choir directed by Maestro Fabio Delgado, the symphony orchestra conducted by Maestro Alejandro Anaya and Maestro Diego Hernández, as well as activities involving the Vocal Area directed by Maestra Janeth López. All of this speaks to the articulation between the University and the community of Cauca, as activities have also been carried out outside Popayán, including concerts by professors as soloists,” the professor states.

Today, in this house of thought approaching its bicentennial, Adriana continues teaching Principal Piano, Accompaniment, and Chamber Music with the same dedication that brought her from the Caribbean to the Andes. Her message is summed up in words that are themselves a legacy: “Talent is a gift that every human being has. It must be accompanied by discipline and love for the chosen profession if you want to become high-level professionals,” a phrase that, like her music and teaching, continues to transform lives and make dreams come true.