Sonia Marie de León de Vega, Musician, Composer and Conductor

Happy Birthday to musician, composer and conductor Sonia Marie de León de Vega, born on October 16, 1964, in San Antonio, Texas.  Vega was inspired at an early age while listening to her first symphony by the famous German composer, Ludwig Von Beethoven.  Her father, also a musician, bought her a piano for $50 when she was five years old. In 1986, Vega was invited by the Vatican to conduct at Saint Peter’s Basilica, the first woman to receive this honor.  In 1992, she founded the Santa Cecilia Orchestra, named for the patron of musicians and dedicated to the memory of her father. Her mission with this Orchestra is to provide opportunities for Latino children to learn and appreciate classical music.