Concert music flew high.
The audience gave a standing ovation to both ensembles, and the emotion increased when they joined forces to perform his emblematic piece La bella cubana as a tribute to the 190th anniversary of the birth of the great Cuban violinist José White.
he performances of the José White Camerata and the String Orchestra of the University of St. Thomas, Minnesota, became sound metaphors within their musical magnitude, in a memorable exchange concert.
The encounter turned out to be a gift for the people of Matanzas and of much benefit for both groups, an event that took place in the José White Concert Hall, in the city of Matanzas.
Regarding the program, the Camerata performed three works of the Cuban and Puerto Rican national repertoire: El Manisero, by Moisés Simons; Cachita, by Rafael Hernández and La Samba Son, by Jeny Peña.
The Minnesota University String Orchestra, conducted by Doctor of Science and Maestro Mathew George, performed works from the international, European and American repertoire.
The program included a performance by professor and guitarist Cristopher Kachian, who showed his quality together with the orchestra by interpreting Haydn’s Opus.2 for guitar and strings.
The audience gave a standing ovation to both groups, and the excitement was heightened when, as a finale, they united to perform as a tribute to the 190th anniversary of the birth of the great Cuban violinist José White, they performed his emblematic piece La bella cubana.
At the end of the concert, Maestro Mathew George expressed to the press his satisfaction for this encounter. He said that «in spite of being his second time visiting Cuba, it was the first time he was able to get to know first hand an orchestra like the Camerata Matancera.»
He noted that «he was impressed by their capacity for interpretation and coupling.» And he added that «the university students had been delighted with the young people and the Cuban people, for their kindness and gestures of friendship.»
On the significance of this meeting, the musicologist from Matanzas, Dr. María Victoria Oliver, said: «I consider this level of exchange important, although the visitors are university students and ours from the Professional School of Music, younger in age, but a level of quality, information, musical interaction from the academic point of view, relevant, especially for the Cuban student who has little mobility in terms of being able to contact this type of student body that is in the process.»
It is worth mentioning the repertoires that were performed. «The José White Camerata chose Cuban pieces. Cuban music is very difficult to perform, to play, because of the complexities it has in terms of its polyrhythm.
«And St. Thomas brought music closer to its roots. They incorporated English themes, those beautiful Victorian rhythms; they also played North American music, with the black spirituals, an essence of closeness to ours, plus other melodies of great beauty».
The musicologist and pedagogue, winner of the UNEAC White Award, emphasized: «It was an intense day between both groups, much more with the rehearsals so that they could perform together La bella cubana, under the baton of maestro George. It was an exciting gesture to close the concert by playing together this emblematic piece by White and Atenas de Cuba».
Written by María Elena Bayón.
