Music, Race & Social Justice Visiting Artist Series

The MSU Denver Department of Music, with support from the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, presents the Visiting Artist Series on Music, Race, & Social Justice. Organized by Dr. Elizabeth McLean Macy, Associate Professor of Ethnomusicology and Faculty Fellow in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, this series highlights the work of historically marginalized and minoritized musicians, performers, and scholars.

Thursday, September 10
Music, Race, & Social Justice Visiting Artist Series
Romeyno Gutiérrez
Latin America’s first Rarámuri Pianist

King Center Recital Hall
3:30pm, Free and Open to the Public

This performance is part of MSU Denver’s HSI Week.

Considered the first Indigenous pianist in Latin America, Romeyno Gutiérrez Luna is a Rarámuri musician. Born in Retosachi, in the municipality of Batopilas, Chihuahua, his story begins with an American pianist Romayne Wheeler (Romeyno’s godfather), who traveled to the Sierra Tarahumara and fell in love with it. Romeyno used to spy on his godfather while he practiced the piano. Fascinated by the sounds, the little boy eagerly accepted Wheeler’s invitation to try playing the mysterious instrument. Wheeler quickly realized that Romeyno had a natural talent. He passed on everything he knew and introduced him to Mozart, Chopin, and Schubert — composers whose work ignited a spark of inspiration in the young Rarámuri. Romeyno could play the piano long before he even learned to speak Spanish. In addition to classical Western pieces, Romeyno began to transcribe and play the music of his people, adapted for the piano. Gutiérrez Luna has traveled through Europe and the United States with his unique blend of classical themes and Indigenous music. He always performs in the traditional attire of his community and has become an ambassador of the Tarahumara people to the world.

IG: @romeynogutierrez

Full Bio

Thursday, September 17
The Constitution in Action: The Slants & The Right to Rock

King Center Recital Hall
11:00 am, Free and Open to the Public

The Slants are an American dance-rock band formed in Portland, Oregon in 2006 by musician Simon Tam. Known for their synth-driven sound and innovative performances, the band became internationally recognized for their role in the landmark Supreme Court cast Matal v. Tam, which reinforced First Amendment protections for expressive trademarks.

Although the band retired from live touring in 2019 and released their final album in 2023, founding members continue to create, perform, and mentor artists through The Slants Foundation, supporting underrepresented voices in music and the arts.

The Slants Website

IG: @theslantsfound

Thursday, October 29
Music, Race, & Social Justice Visiting Artist Series:
Ruby Ibarra, rapper

King Center Concert Hall
7:30pm, Tickets $25

Ruby Ibarra is an emcee, spoken word artist, and director from the Bay Area, CA who has toured across the United States, Canada, and the Philippines. She is the co-founder of the Pinays Rising Scholarship program and the Bay Area creative company, Bolo Music Group. She has been featured in notable publications such as Rolling Stone, NPR, Huffington Post, Paper Mag, Vogue Philippines, Billboard Philippines, the Today show, NY Times, and the LA Times.

Her release, “Bakunawa,” is the first single from her forthcoming sophomore album and is also the winning song of NPR’s 2025 Tiny Desk Contest. In Summer 2025, Ruby and The Balikbayans went on a nationwide sold-out 10-city tour. She has since headlined this year’s NYELA, SF MOMA, Joshua Tree Music Festival, and served as a keynote speaker for SF Music Week and the Creative Youth Awards. Her music is available on all digital platforms and can be heard in several museum exhibits, films, and television features.

Ruby Ibarra Website

IG: @rubyibarra