Today we’d like to introduce you to Grace Estrada
Hi Grace, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
The Houston Underground Saxophone Competition was founded in 2008 by Professor Dan Gelok in an effort to create performance opportunities for high school saxophonists that placed chamber music, in this case the saxophone quartet, at the center of it. Dan Gelok strongly believed that participating in chamber music was the best way for musicians to develop their skills. At the time, there were not many opportunities for young saxophonists to participate in chamber music outside of school district competitions like the annual UIL Solo & Ensemble Festival. Houston has had a long history of great classical saxophonists and because of the strong band programs in the area, the Houston Underground Saxophone Competition was able to flourish. It started as a small competition hosted at a local church with only a handful of student participants and local private lesson teachers. Soon after its initiation, Houston Underground was moved to the Moores School of Music at the University of Houston, where Dan Gelok was Professor of Saxophone. With increased help from the local community, sponsorships and word of mouth, Houston Underground began to draw a crowd of hundreds of students from all corners of Texas. Within a decade, Houston Underground managed to change the culture surrounding chamber music in the state. Not only does Houston Underground bring in the best young saxophonists but it now sets the standard for chamber music in the state of Texas and beyond. I participated in Houston Underground as a high school student in 2015. I was introduced to the wonderful world of chamber music and the great community that surrounded Houston Underground. Upon graduating, I decided to attend the University of Houston and study with Professor Dan Gelok. During my time at the university, I was able to see the behind-the-scenes of Houston Underground. I discovered my talent for organization and realized that I far enjoyed coordinating the event than I ever did participating in it. Every year I became increasingly involved and by the time I graduated college in 2019, I was managing several moving parts of the event. After a brief covid hiatus, Dan Gelok decided to retire from teaching and with that, was ready to turn Houston Underground over to someone else. He reached out to me and in his own words, which I will never forget, said, “I cannot think of a better person to turn this over to.” He asked me to be the new executive director for Houston Underground and lead this organization into its next chapter. I took over in 2021 and since then Houston Underground has become an official 501c(3) non-profit organization drawing in a crowd of approximately 600 people annually. In 2024 we welcomed participants from all around Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, South Carolina, Nevada and California. We gave away over $3,000 in cash prizes, hundreds more in gear from sponsors and had a convention style exhibit room with over a dozen vendors. Houston Underground continues to expand well beyond the city of Houston and has become a household name among saxophonists. My goal is to continue raising the bar of musicianship among young students and to create a strong sense of community within ALL participants.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Like many small organizations, the road to success can be difficult. One of the biggest challenges that I have faced as the executive director for Houston Underground was during the first year that I took over. In the spring of 2020 and 2021 we hosted a small online competition due to covid. In-person events, especially of that size, were out of the question and so we opted-out for the next best thing. However, when I fully took over in the summer of 2021, although the organization had been around for 13 years, it felt like starting over. We did not have a bank account or any funds to jump start our live competition. Additionally, our relationship with our sponsors had to be reignited because of our two year covid break. I had limited connections and no prestige or reputation attached to my name. I was a recent college graduate and although I knew the ins and outs of Houston Underground, taking the lead felt very new to me. My first year involved a venue change, a reconnection to our long standing relationship with brand sponsors, dozens of email introductions, cold calls and a couple thousand dollars out of my personal pocket. I was terrified because of the overwhelming amount of time and money invested that first year. I worked non-stop to make sure that no details were overlooked. Luckily, our return to live competition was an outstanding success and set the precedent for the years that have followed.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
From a personal standpoint, I like to describe myself as someone that takes their hobbies too seriously. I keep myself busy and regularly have several projects going on at the same time. Today, my “jobs” revolve around things that started as side projects and can be put under the general umbrella term of entrepreneurship. I graduated from the University of Houston with a Bachelor’s Degree in saxophone performance. Although I eventually decided not to pursue that career, either in teaching or performance, it is the career path that allowed me to be involved with the Houston Underground Saxophone Competition. While leading Houston Underground is not my full time job, my many responsibilities in the organization create a part-time job 9 months out of the year. In addition to leading this non-profit organization, I work alongside my parents whom own a local retail business that specializes in formal gowns. Together we own Miranda Dress Shop on Harwin and welcome hundreds of teenagers during prom season! Because it is a small business, I often wear many hats with responsibilities ranging from website creation/management, social media, purchasing and customer consultations. My involvement in the family business has allowed me to expand my skills and grow on a personal and professional level. As if that were not enough, last year I took on a part time job at Manready Mercantile on 19th street in the Heights. Because the other work that I do is seasonal, I was looking for an opportunity to make up for the slow summer and fall months. I had been a customer at Manready for a while and it seemed like the perfect fit. My time at Manready has been very rewarding. It is exciting to work for a small business where I am regularly in contact with the owner and people that are in charge. I have also been given the opportunity to utilize my teaching and photography skills. I regularly teach some of the candle making classes that we offer at our retail location and I am currently working on a large photography project to replace all Manready Flagship product pictures with brand new ones. I am very proud of all of the projects that I work on. I pour my time and effort into everything that I do to make sure it is done well. I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to have work that I truly enjoy every day of the week.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
As an entrepreneur, risk taking is a regular part of what we do. It is necessary for the success of any business and can often lead to the most rewarding experiences. While it can be nerve-racking to make risky choices, I have learned that if you truly believe in what you are doing, risk will be accompanied by a positive outcome. During my time as executive director for Houston Underground, I have found myself in several situations that involved risk. My first year leading the organization in 2021 was riddled with risks. The biggest risk was on the financial side. Unfortunately, that first year we did not have a budget specially designated for our competition event that takes place in May. While historically, we have relied on sponsors and competition entry forms, that money does not come in until a couple of weeks before the competition takes place. However, there are printed materials, merchandise, and other administrative fees that need to be paid for long before the event takes place. That first year, I had to front most of the money that was needed to put up a successful event. Thousands of dollars came out of my own personal bank account without the guarantee that we would break even. I was nervous but fully believed in what I was doing. Had I not taken a leap of faith that first year, it is hard to say if the Houston Underground Saxophone Competition would be around today.
Pricing:
- Contributing Sponsor – $100-$350
- Exhibiting Sponsor – $375+
- Presenting Sponsor – $1200
- Premium Sponsor – $2000
Contact Info:
- Website: https://houstonsax.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/houstonsaxofficial/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/houstonsax/
