MDC-TV Wins 11th Suncoast Regional Emmy Award
Miami Dade College’s award-winning television station, MDC-TV, has won their 11th Suncoast Regional Emmy Award.
The honor was presented by the Suncoast Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for their video project, Video Games Concert 2024, in the Special Event Coverage-Edited category.
Winners were announced on Dec. 7 at the Hyatt Regency Orlando.
“It felt incredible,” said Ariel Rubalcava, executive director and senior producer of MDC-TV. “I’m my worst critic…and this [project], I really liked it, and I was just extremely happy that it won.”
Since its establishment in 2008, MDC-TV has received 22 Emmy nominations.
In October, the station was also awarded a Silver Davey Award by the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts for Video Game Concert 2024 in the General Entertainment category and for Black History Month Promo in the Public Service and Activism category.
Video Games Concert 2024 was led by Rubalcava and Alberto Bade, director of the MDC Symphony Orchestra.
The project, which has happened seven times since its debut in 2015, features soundtracks from video games such as Halo, Final Fantasy Four and Metal Gear Solid 3.
“We’re always grateful that a community college like ours can achieve a nomination and even [win] as many Emmys as we have,” Bade said. “I don’t know too many colleges that have Emmy Awards the way MDC does, so it is a very distinct honor.”
Another MDC-TV video project, Raices de España (Roots of Spain), was nominated under the Historical/Cultural Short Form Content category but fell just short of an Emmy.
It was filmed in collaboration with the College’s Symphony Orchestra to showcase the roots of Spanish culture through music. Performances were recorded on Oct. 10, 2023 at North Campus’ Lehman Theatre for Hispanic Heritage Month.
The project also featured behind-the-scenes interviews about each piece and the inspiration behind them.
Marcos Quesada, the main trumpet player of Orquesta Metropolitana de Madrid (Madrid Metropolitan Orchestra), and Álvaro Alvarado, a Spanish composer, helped bring the score to life.
Alvarado wrote two original pieces for the performance—Elegia Torera (Bullfighting Elegy), which follows the story of a bullfighter, and Amores Goyescos (Goyean Loves), which pays tribute to Fransico Goya, who served as a first court painter for El Prado, Madrid during the early nineteenth century.
“There’s always room for improvement,” said James Pierre, a producer at MDC-TV. “But we are happy to achieve such great pieces. I think our efforts are [definitely] being recognized by one of the highest.” MDC-TV airs on Comcast channel 78, Atlantic Broadband channel 78, AT&T U-Verse channel 99 and on YouTube.
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