Maria Carmona, a music conducting doctoral student in the WVU School of Music, took the stage of the historic Warner Theater in Washington, D.C. to conduct the American Pops Orchestra (APO) during the 38th Annual Hispanic Heritage Awards (HHA), airing Friday, September 26, 2025, on PBS.
Carmona was paired with Luke Frazier, a WVU School of Music alumnus and founder of the APO, as part of the WVU College of Creative Arts and Media Creative Consultant and Media Mentors program, which matches outstanding students with extraordinary professionals in the fields of art, communications, design, media, music, theatre, dance and arts education, administration and industry.
The APO performed alongside the Hispanic Heritage Awards Orchestral Fellows, a talented cohort of college students representing countries across the Hispanic world, during the awards ceremony on September 4.
The HHAs were established by The White House in 1988 to commemorate the creation of Hispanic Heritage Month in America, supported by 40 national, Latino-serving institutions. Broadcast nationally on PBS, the HHAs are not only considered among the highest honors for Latinos by Latinos but honor excellence in a variety of categories and disciplines in the arts, education, public service, business and more.
“Being chosen to conduct the American Pops Orchestra at the Hispanic Heritage Awards is not only an honor, but a profound opportunity to represent my culture, my community and my university on a national stage,” Carmona said. “I am thrilled to be part of this historic celebration.”
At WVU, Carmona studies orchestral conducting and has distinguished herself as a versatile musician. She was a 2024 recipient of The Valerie Canady Charitable Trust Foundation scholarship, which is awarded to students who have a grade point average of 3.5 or above, are verbally fluent in two languages and have received three faculty letters of reference.
“Maria exemplifies the dedication and talent of our students,” said Michael Vercelli, director of the WVU School of Music. “This national recognition reflects her extraordinary artistry and the opportunities our School of Music provides to develop musicians who will shape the future of the arts.”
The Hispanic Heritage Awards will air on PBS stations nationwide and stream via pbs.org beginning at 9 p.m. ET on September 26, 2025.
For more information about the WVU School of Music, visit music.wvu.edu.