The National System of Music Education (SiNEM), an institution of the Ministry of Culture and Youth of Costa Rica, participates for the first time in the Women in Art Meeting “Disonancias”, held from March 18 to 22, 2025, in Panama, as part of the Iberorquestas Juveniles program.
Women in Art Meeting “Disonancias” takes place from March 18 to 22, in Panama
Costa Rica is represented by Sandra Herrera Bermúdez, the first woman to lead the National System of Music Education (SiNEM)
Herrera will present the lecture “Female Synesthesia: Cabbage or Did They Call?” on March 20, where she explores the relationship between music, colors, the technique of painting ox carts in Sarchí, Costa Rica, and women’s musical work
Sandra Herrera Bermúdez, the first woman to lead the National System of Music Education
San José, March 19, 2025. The National System of Music Education (SiNEM), an institution of the Ministry of Culture and Youth of Costa Rica, will participate for the first time in the Women in Art Meeting “Disonancias”, which will take place from March 18 to 22, 2025, in Panama, within the framework of the Iberorquestas Juveniles program.
Costa Rica’s representation is in the hands of Sandra Herrera Bermúdez, the General Director of SiNEM and the first woman to lead the institution since its creation in 2007.
This event brings together women from the Ibero-American music community with the goal of reflecting on gender gaps in musical practice and creating tools to reduce inequalities. This edition includes composers, orchestra conductors, performers, and educators from countries such as Mexico, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Spain, Chile, and Panama.
“What makes this meeting even more significant for Costa Rica is that, for the first time in history, a woman leads SiNEM, which marks a milestone for the institution and the country. Moreover, it is the first time the National System of Music Education of Costa Rica participates in this international meeting, underscoring the country’s commitment to gender inclusion in music and education,” announced SiNEM.
As part of her participation, Sandra Herrera Bermúdez will give a lecture titled “Female Synesthesia: Cabbage or Did They Call?” on March 20, where she will explore topics related to music, colors, and the technique of painting ox carts in Sarchí, Costa Rica. In her lecture, she will connect these cultural elements with women’s musical work, highlighting the relationship between traditional craftsmanship and artistic expression in music from a unique and personal perspective.
“The Ministry of Culture and Youth reaffirms its commitment to gender equality and the development of music education in Costa Rica, with the participation of Director Herrera Bermúdez in ‘Disonancias’, representing an important step in strengthening cooperation ties between music institutions in Ibero-America,” SiNEM announced.
Iberorquestas Juveniles is a technical and financial cooperation program that benefits young people from low and middle-income backgrounds through musical education. Currently, 12 countries participate in this program, which aims to create an Ibero-American musical space that promotes the cultural and social development of new generations of musicians.
Costa Rica’s presence at this international event reinforces the visibility of Costa Rican artists on the global stage and contributes to enriching the regional musical landscape.
