Abraham Hernandez: Bridging Classical and Mexican Musical Traditions

My name is Abraham Hernandez, and I’m a musician with a unique blend of classical training and Mexican folk music roots. I hold a BA degree in music composition/arranging from Cal State University of Northridge, but my musical journey began long before my formal education. In my early years, I played in CONJUNTOS (a Mexican cover band) at gatherings and parties of Mexican families. For the first 5-7 years of my musical journey, I was entirely self-taught, learning to play by ear. It wasn’t until near the end of high school that I decided I wanted a greater challenge, and the world of classical music provided exactly that—a challenge that continues to inspire and push me to this day.
My specialty lies in classical music and in arranging non-classical songs into solo classical pieces, often with demanding levels of commitment for the performer. I’ve carved out a particular niche for myself by arranging iconic songs from Mexico or by Mexican artists into pieces that could be mistaken for works by Chopin or Beethoven. Through this unique approach, I aim to accomplish two things: first, to introduce pianists to new repertoire that is worthy of their practice time and will prove challenging; and second, to introduce people to songs from Mexico that might otherwise never be heard in classical concert halls.