The Gran Coral Isla que Canta (The Great Singing Island Choir) and the Festival de Música de Cámara (Chamber Music Festival), both taking place this April, are meticulously and energetically preparing for the approaching Cubadisco 2015 Festival, Cuba’s most anticipated annual music event, this year dedicated to choir and symphony music.
In the run up to the International Cubadisco 2015 Festival, the Cuban Music Institute (ICM) is holding the Gran Coral Isla que Canta event, across all of the country’s provinces, music expert Marta Olivera stated during a press conference.
She explained that the program includes performances by concert bands, camaratas, children’s chamber choirs and other vocal projects, which began April 4 with a cantata sung by choirs, in provincial theaters in Santiago de Cuba, Holguín, Villa Clara and Matanzas, all of which have symphony orchestras, and will continue across Mayabeque, Granma, the Isle of Youth Special Municipality, Las Tunas, Ciego de Avila and Sancti Spiritus.
“There is a large movement of choirs, symphony orchestras and municipal bands across the entire country and the Great Singing Island Choir will make visible these less popular genres, but which are of great value to Cuban and international composition.”
The ICM specialist announced that a grand closing event has been planned for April 26 in Havana, where many of the capital’s vocal and symphonic ensembles will converge; among them the Coro de Cámara Exaudi directed by María Felicia Pérez, who during the conference was responsible for presenting the 12th edition of the Festival de Música de Cámaradirected by pianistFrank Fernández (April18-25).
This year the Festival will pay homage to world greats of musical composition; Bach, Haendel, Maurice Ravel and Dimitri Shostakovich;and Cuban maestros Ignacio Cervantes, Edgardo Martin and Carmen Valdes.
The director of the Exaudi chamber choir noted that there will be a special performance dedicated to Professor Jesús Ortega, an important figure of chamber music and with an exceptional mastery of chords, on his 80th birthday and the 20th anniversary of his orchestra Sonantas Habaneras.
According to what was announced, a group of musicians from the Steans Institute for Young Artists, Ravinia, the United States, have been invited to participate in the event, in addition to Puerto Rican violinist Francisco Cabán, member of the Symphony Orchestra and professor at the Puerto Rican Conservatory of Music, who will share the stage with various Cuban artists, among them Aldo López-Gavilán, Harold López-Nussa, the Havana Chamber Orchestra, Orquesta Música Eterna, Dúo Ondina, and Sonantas Habaneras.
A highlight of the Festival will be a performance by the Exaudi Choir (which means “listen” in Latin) and the San Juan Bautista Choir from Puerto Rico - formed in 2001 and of great importance to the country’s cultural life - in the San Felipe Neri Hall.
The group has recorded 12 albums, and has an extensive repertory including popular, folklore and other musical styles from the 15th century onward, ranging from the sacred to the secular.
Maria Felicia Pérez agreed to speak to Granma International about the island’s choir movement and share her thoughts on Cubadisco 2015.being dedicated to choir and symphony music.
“In the past it had been dedicated to other formats, and choir music has a long tradition in Cuba. It is important and here are just two reasons why. The quality of our choir directors in high schools and at the Higher Institute of Art, and the high quality of the professional choirs in the country. It is an important and just dedication. The ICM has had a symphony, choir and band music development program for the last 10 years. We work to support provincial choirs and promote exchanges, as we receive choirs from other countries, with whom we conduct workshops on Cuban music. We also work with amateur choirs and I believe what we have gained ground with the children’s chamber choirs. The Corhabana is a noteworthy event. All of this creates a favorable climate in the country for choirs, for their training.”
Where do Cuban choirs feature in the international context?
“We have a very important choir movement. In 2007 we celebrated the regionalAmérica canta (America sings) event, and we have, as I said, a very important professional choir movement, who receive awards in foreign competitions. I believe there is international recognition of the quality of our choirs.”
The International Cubadisco Festival, sponsored by ICM, is a Cuban record industry event, which includes a trade fair and arouses much excitement from musicians and the public alike.
Its 19th edition (May 18-26), as has been announced, is dedicated to symphony and choir music, while Russia is this year’s Guest Country of Honor, with Digna Guerra, director of the Cuban National Choir and composer Guido López- Gavilán selected as Presidents of Honor.
During the Cuban recording industry’s largest event, in addition to recognizing the best records of the year across different categories, concerts, talks and symposiums are also scheduled.
