Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniela Alexandra Diaz Peter.
Hi Daniela Alexandra, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born in Caracas, Venezuela, a city about the size of Boston or Barcelona, home to around 2 million people. When I tell people I’m from Venezuela, they usually mention oil, baseball, presidents names, or rum. What doesn’t usually come to mind is classical music.
Venezuela is famous for its oil reserves, and back in the ’70s and ’80s, Caracas was one of the most modern and prosperous cities in Latin America, a very diverse cultural hub. I, however, grew up just outside the capital, in a suburb called Guatire.
At home, music was everywhere. My family gatherings were full of cuatros, guitars, maracas, bongos, salsa, merengue. Weekends were always like a party, with every member of the family picking up an instrument and singing together. I definitely inherited that celebratory side of music, but more importantly, I learned very early the many dimensions in which music serves people.
Venezuelan folk music was the “fuel” of our mornings. Mom would be dancing salsa while putting on her makeup before work (she still does!). Not a single day passed without the sound of joropo on the radio, and by the afternoon, my own engine was the violin and the orchestra. Music wasn’t just something we enjoyed; it was truly the fabric of our lives.
When I was 8, I joined a social project called “El Sistema”: a huge network of orchestras and choirs in which the collective practice of music was used to tackle social problems of a country where 80% of the population live below the poverty line. By offering free instruments and tuition through after-school programs, El Sistema kept thousands of children away from drugs and gang-related violence, and helped create dozens of professional orchestras in a country that had only a handful before.
I was way too young to really understand what I was actually part of, but this project transformed my life and the lives of thousands of children from the most vulnerable strata of the Venezuelan population.
As I grew, I realized that same power of music I saw at home being elevated into something even larger. What had been an informal, joyful way of connecting with family, became through the orchestra, a structured and intentional way of building identity, discipline, and solidarity. The progression in El Sistema was never only about artistic growth; it was also about learning how could music serve others in deeper ways. That link to service was forged very early, so practicing an instrument, teaching, and performing in the collective became no different from being a citizen who cared for the world. For me, the orchestra became much more than an artistic structure, it was a school of life, one that gave me leadership, resilience and a sense of belonging.
Twelve years ago, I left home and came to the United States as a student. Honoring the responsibility I carry to create spaces where people of all backgrounds can discover their voices, I pursued an MBA in Arts Innovation and an MA and BMA in Music Performance. These studies have allowed me to bridge artistry, leadership and social impact.
I hold a deep commitment to transforming the values that drive the classical music industry, repositioning it as an ecosystem rooted in service, inclusion, and connection. I’m passionate about sparking synergies between artists and communities so that the arts become more woven into daily life: less something luxurious or distant, and more something people recognize as part of who they are. Not only as a pathway to a career, but as a source of meaning and belonging.
Today I serve as Vice President of Artistic & Education Programming at The Orchestra San Antonio (formerly Classical Music Institute). Our work is rooted in the principle that art is a social right, and that every person, especially those who are most vulnerable, deserves access to impactful access to music education. This fundamental principle is what resonates most deeply with me and drives me to be a part of The Orchestra San Antonio. And I believe San Antonio, with its diversity and cultural richness, is a uniquely fertile ground for shaping innovative ways to engage with the arts, and, through them, with one another.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, it definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Leaving home as a very young adult and coming to the United States as an immigrant was exciting, but it came with many challenges. Beyond the personal adjustment of being far from family, there were constant professional hurdles like navigating visas, not being able to visit home for long periods of time, proving myself in a new country, and working within systems that weren’t always easy to access. As an immigrant, the very concept of stability feels different, and in the cultural field that reality has deeply shaped my experience.
My journey has also been shaped by the mental health and recovery challenges within my family ad friends. Those experiences have given me an intimate understanding of how much strength and community it takes to heal. I have deep empathy and a deep respect for the unseen struggles we all carry.
But these challenges continue to give me clarity about why I do what I do, and why I believe so strongly in creating spaces where the arts can serve as a source of connection, resilience, and hope.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
In my professional life, I serve as Vice President of Artistic & Education Programming (transitioning into Chief Programming Officer, yay!) at The Orchestra San Antonio, formerly Classical Music Institute. In this role, I oversee both our artistic programming and our education initiatives, making sure that what happens on stage is deeply connected to the learning and community work we do off stage. I specialize in connecting artistic excellence with social impact, overseeing programs that not only present high-caliber performances, but also create meaningful access points for people who might not otherwise experience the arts.
I’m most proud of our Ascend after-school program, an initiative that provides free, high-quality music education to students in San Antonio’s most vulnerable communities. This program is not only about having kids play an instrument but mostly about building an equity ecosystem where young people see themselves reflected, supported, and empowered. For many of our students, picking up an instrument is the first time they feel a true sense of belonging in something bigger than themselves. Through Ascend, they gain confidence, discipline, and community, but also the understanding that their voices matter.
I’m also proud of helping shape our orchestra’s identity as one that is rooted in service. We are intentionally working to move classical music away from being seen as distant or exclusive, and instead repositioning it as a vital part of everyday life. To me, the artist is first and foremost a citizen, someone who brings their craft into dialogue with the needs and aspirations of their community.
What excites me about my role is how connects me to the community. In a city like San Antonio, there is so much potential to reimagine how our organization can serve, creating new models of access, new ways of engagement, and new pathways for communities to see themselves in what we do.
What sets me apart is that I carry both the experience of an artist and the mindset of a social entrepreneur. I love questioning the structures that are in place and disrupting them in ways that create more access. I’m fascinated by what moves people and what helps them thrive, and my heart is fullest when I can connect others to the opportunities, resources, or ideas that help them grow, both inside and outside the arts.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I’m fascinated by big human stories (and a bit of true crime!). Whether it’s someone like RBG, using her influence for progress, or someone like Bernie Madoff, whose personal choices caused ripple effects that shook entire institutions. I think what captivates me is the psychology and what those stories reveal about us as people and as societies.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cmi-sa.org
- Instagram: @classicalmusicinstitute and @theorchestrasa
- Facebook: Classical Music Institute and The Orchestra San Antonio
