170th Anniversary of the Matanzas Concert Band: A Projection of Roots
The people of Matanzas experienced a magical afternoon at the José White Concert Hall with the special performance prepared by the Matanzas Provincial Concert Band for the 170th anniversary of its founding.
The presentation was led by the ensemble’s directors, Yany Calama and Félix Luis Tápanez García, who were honored at the end of the musical offering along with other distinguished colleagues of the guild, such as the guest conductor, maestro Raúl Gómez Benavides.
The deputy director explained that for this commemorative occasion they assembled a more complete repertoire that would cover both classical pieces and touches of the properly Cuban genre: the danzón.
«The rigor in the rehearsals is strong because around 60 musicians must be brought together on the same stage where everyone sounds as one — something that is appreciated in the final results.»
«Four Winds,» «T-Bone Concerto,» «Cycle and Myths,» and the «Danzón No. 2» — acts that made up the program of this day — constitute great numbers that have revolutionized the history of music.
The concert paid tribute to musicians who trained in the band, such as Nieves Ramírez López, the first woman oboist in the group, percussionist Lázaro Pomares Aldama, and the soloist who assumed the greatest interpretive load of the evening, Dairon Alberto Jiménez Tamayo.
The trombonist, who received one of the greatest ovations as part of the band’s young collective, explained that it is a privilege to fulfill this role in the place that practically saw him born and opened its doors at the right moment.
«The preparation process becomes even more complex because most of us have other work responsibilities as well as within the family, but it is the support of our loved ones and the love for our work that drives us.»
The group that celebrated one more year of vitality constitutes one of the oldest and most beloved in the city, with a trajectory that reflects tradition, discipline, and cultural commitment, while bringing concert music closer to diverse audiences.
