Salvador Perez Lopez is working toward his masters degree, but he now has another title —multiple Grammy winner.

At just 22 years old, Perez Lopez—a Jacobs School of Music student—played clarinet for a jazz ensemble nominated for three Grammys. The clarinet player won for his work with John Daversa’s big band on the album American Dreamers: Voices of Hope, Music of Freedom.

The album was up for best large jazz ensemble, best improvised jazz solo, and best arrangement for instrumental rockapella. The album went three-for-three, winning all of its nominations.

“A lot of tears were shed—happy tears,” recalls Perez Lopez after learning about the nominations.

Salvador Perez Lopez rehearses in the Jacobs School of Music.

Perez Lopez says that the album is special because it tells the stories of 53 Dreamers. The ensemble for the album was comprised entirely of DACA program recipients here in the U.S. from 7 different countries.

He shares that the album’s main goal is to share a message of awareness and hope of a subject that he feels is often left in the dark.

“We have to raise awareness [about DACA]. What do people do? What to people listen to? Music. Everyone can connect to music in their own way,” says Perez Lopez.

Perez Lopez—a native of Guadalajara, Mexico—was selected to join the jazz ensemble after writing an op-ed piece about DACA and what it means to be a Dreamer in the New York Times.

Perez Lopez says being a part of the album helped him to come “out of the shadows” about his status as a Dreamer. Now, he feels he is ready to help others in his situation.

“I want to raise activism through my passion, which is music,” says Perez Lopez. “Maybe I can hold community concerts here in Bloomington.”

To learn more about American Dreamers: Voices of Hope, Music of Freedom, visit www.dreamersjazz.us/about/