Pitt State alumni to be showcased in statewide TV series

Jopara Ensemble, a Paraguayan music group with Kansas ties and two Pittsburg State University alumni among its members, has been selected to appear on the Kansas Arts Commission's public television series, LG Desk Concerts.

Formed in 2023, the ensemble is comprised of four musicians:

• Ramiro Miranda, violin, assistant professor of music at Pittsburg State University
• Irene Diaz, cello, orchestra teacher at Pittsburg Middle and High School
• Aleia Gonzalez, guitar, instructor at the University of Kansas and Barton Community College
• Alejandro Avila, piano, professor of music at Barton Community College

Diaz and Miranda are both 2011 graduates of the Pitt State Music Department.

"The Jopara Ensemble was born out of a desire to bring Paraguayan music to a wider audience," Miranda said. "True to our name - Jopara means 'blend' in Guarani - we perform traditional Paraguayan music infused with classical and contemporary influences."

Miranda, who directs the Southeast Kansas Symphony based at the university, arranges Jopara's music and composes new works, as well.

Inspired by NPR's beloved Tiny Desk Concerts and produced in collaboration with KTWU PBS, LG Desk Concerts offers a Kansas-centered take on the format. The performances take place at the historic desk in Lt. Gov. David Toland's office in the Kansas Statehouse in Topeka, creating an intimate and uniquely Kansas setting.

Each half-hour episode is filmed before a small, invited audience and professionally produced for broadcast.

"It was an incredible experience," Miranda said of the ensemble's participation.

The upcoming season will air on KTWU PBS and be available online. Kansas Public Radio also will share select performances on its 105 Live! program.

The first season of LG Desk Concerts, which aired in late 2024, featured a diverse mix of Kansas artists including Freedy Johnston, Maria the Mexican, Opus 76 String Quartet, Son Venezuela, Bad Alaskan, Kelley Hunt, and Melissa Etheridge.

Jopara Ensemble now joins this lineup of distinguished performers, representing Paraguay's musical heritage, the Pitt State Music Department, and Kansas's creative spirit on a statewide stage.