Cuba’s Orquesta de Cámara Concierto Sur to perform at UW Tacoma
Note: This event is sold out as of 10/8/2012.
UW Tacoma has partnered with Northwest Sinfonietta to bring Cuba’s Orquesta de Cámara Concierto Sur to campus for their final musical performance of their Washington state visit in October.
The orchestra will perform a special public concert in UW Tacoma’s Carwein Auditorium on Saturday, October 13, at 7:30 p.m. The UW Tacoma concert is free, but registration is required. Seating is limited.
Northwest Sinfonietta will hold three public concerts from Friday, Oct. 5 to Sunday, Oct. 7. Tickets are on sale now. The University of Puget Sound is also hosting public events, including cultural talks and music, from Monday Oct. 8 to Thursday, Oct. 11. University of Washington Tacoma will hold a final concert on Saturday, Oct. 13. Full details are available at www.northwestsinfonietta.org and www.pugetsound.edu/cubanfestival.
These performances will be the first time that U.S. and Cuban orchestras perform side-by-side in the United States since the 1959 revolution. It will also be the first time that any of the visiting Cubans will be performing Beethoven’s Ninth.
“Cubans have a magnificent musical tradition and are trained to the highest standards with the greatest commitment,” said NWS Music Director Christophe Chagnard. “Their legendary innate sense of rhythm is contagious and will be thrilling to share on a common stage.”
While in the northwest, the Cuban musicians will also participate in Northwest Sinfonietta’s annual gala on Friday, October 12, known as TEMPO. This year’s theme is Tempo Cubana! and will feature a festive Cuban-themed party with live Cuban music, salsa dancing and a special performance by Orquesta de Cámara Concierto Sur. Information on Tempo Cubana! is available on the NWS website.
“Music has the ability to transcend ethnic, cultural, social and ideological boundaries,” said Chagnard. “This upcoming exchange with Cuba will open vast horizons and enrich the lives of all involved. I feel deeply honored to contribute towards this musical bridge of goodwill and excellence.”
ABOUT NORTHWEST SINFONIETTA
Northwest Sinfonietta (NWS) is a highly-acclaimed professional chamber orchestra consisting of 35 virtuoso musicians performing a full season of classical music concerts. Now in its 22nd year, the orchestra maintains residencies in Seattle, Tacoma, and Puyallup and also performs in nearby communities. As a major regional presence, NWS fulfills a unique role as the only professional chamber orchestra established in multiple cities. NWS is also known for its very broad and innovative artistry, equally adept at orchestral, opera and ballet prepertoires. NWS has shared its stage with some of the world's greatest soloists including Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Richard Stoltzman, Lynn Harrell, Lara St. John and Awadagin Pratt.
NWS recently conducted its first international tour to Cuba in January 2012, making history as the first American orchestra to perform jointly with a Cuban ensemble since the 1959 Revolution. For the continuation of the reciprocal relationship, musicians from Orquesta de Cámara Concierto Sur will be traveling to Seattle to join Northwest Sinfonietta on their season opening concerts. This historical event will mark the first time these Cuban musicians travel abroad and the first time Americans and Cubans share a stage in the US.
ABOUT ORQUESTA DE CAMÁRA CONCIERTO SUR
Founded in October 2006, Orquesta de Cámara Concierto Sur (Concert Orchestra of the South) is comprised of talented musicians who are graduates of the National Art School, The Instituto Superior de Arte (Havana), and professors at the Benny Moré School of the Arts (Cienfuegos).
The ensemble performs complex repertoire covering a range of styles – from Baroque to Renaissance to contemporary music and arrangements – with a special emphasis on preserving authentic Cuban music.
Today, it stands as the finest orchestra in the region, and has partnered with Northwest Sinfonietta of Seattle, WA, and with the Symphony Orchestra of Havard-Ratcliffe. As a continuation of the reciprocal exchange with Northwest Sinfonietta, OCCS is pleased to embark on its first international tour to Seattle, WA, and Tempe, AZ.