1 Twenty-five years later, this pattern of exclusion continues apace.

Ramos was one of the few Latinx curators hired in the aftermath of the infamous 1994 “Willful Neglect” report documenting a historical pattern of discrimination at the Smithsonian Institute and calling for the hiring of Latinx curators to help direct the Smithsonian’s priorities in research, collections, and exhibitions. The museum lacked works by foundational figures entire groups like Dominican Americans were missing, as were genres like abstract art and with a collection dominated by colonial and folk art and work by Mexican Americans, it was impossible to produce any comprehensive exhibition of contemporary Latinx art, much less one that represented the diversity of artists and trends. Carmen Ramos organized Our America: The Latino Presence in American Art (2013) at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, DC, art holdings of Latinx artists at the institution were minimal and unbalanced. In Sueños de España, Braamse communicates expressively each nuance and tone with impeccable Spanish pronunciation and a delivery that is true to her own musical strengths and the power of the stories she tells.When E. This spirit is revealed throughout the album, from 'A Tus Ojos', an homage to the eyes of one’s sweetheart, to 'Ave María', a prayer to the Virgin Mary for strength and protection. Her wide vocal range encompasses every note in the song comfortably and naturally, from the low, brooding tones to the sweeping higher ones. Braamse performs the role of the troubadour, displaying the pain of abandoning one's love and ancestral home. The first song on the album, 'Un Adios”, describes a troubadour leaving his lover and the ancient city of Granada forever. Braamse’s voice offers a lovely, distinctive sound that warmly colors each poem and melodic line. Accompanied by piano or Spanish guitar, each canción is simply focused on vocal quality - the star of the show.

Braamse's performance demonstrates both an understanding of the rich Spanish culture and its 19th-century romantic poetry. This treasury of Spanish art song relates stories of passionate love, broken promises, and heartfelt prayers. Soprano Shudong Braamse blends vocal artistry with technical skill in her recording of Sueños de España.

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