Francisco Villarroel Mondaca honored for musical and teaching career

Francisco Villarroel Mondaca, a music teacher at Liceo Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins in Iquique, has received the Guillermo Jorquera Morales Regional Award for Arts, Cultures, and Heritage. He was recognized in the Individual Artists category by the Seremi of Cultures, Arts, and Heritage of Tarapacá.

Villarroel has a 42-year career in teaching and music, contributing significantly to the cultural development of northern Chile through choral activities, chamber music, and jazz. He currently directs the Grupo de Cámara Ad-Libitum Histórico, the Coro Comunitario Víctor Jara, and the Rubato Big Band of Iquique, which consists of high school students.

In addition to this regional distinction, Villarroel was previously recognized nationally as one of the 100 Great Teachers for Chile by the Ministry of Education and the Presidency.