Cuban Symphony to Premiere Ibermúsicas-Awarded Works

The Cuban National Symphony Orchestra (OSN) will debut five Latin American compositions this Sunday, October 13, at the Covarrubias Hall of the Cuban National Theater.

Under the baton of maestro Igor Corcuera Cáceres, the country’s leading symphony will present the first performance of pieces awarded by Ibermúsicas, the OSN Communication Team reports.

The concert will take place at 11:00 a.m. This special performance will feature Fénix by Cristian Andrés Lazo Remedi (Chile), Canto del Cotopaxi by David Alejandro Meneses Almeida (Ecuador), Cruces by Samuel Robles (Panama), El Enigma Cuántico by David Aguilar Valdizán (Peru), and Antifonía Fractal by David Pedroza (Venezuela).

As part of the Cuban Cultural Celebration 2024, the Cuban Symphony will dedicate the presentation to the 120th anniversary of the birth of Alejo Carpentier, a Cuban intellectual, Cervantes Prize winner, renowned musicologist, and musical researcher. Carpentier also lived for several years in Venezuela, leaving behind numerous articles and columns for the local press during his time in Caracas. In 1948, he completed his great novel The Kingdom of This World. Later, he wrote several other major works in the Venezuelan capital, including The Lost Steps (1952), The Chase (1956), and Explosion in a Cathedral (1958), while also lecturing and teaching at the prestigious Central University of Venezuela.

In its 10th year, Ibermúsicas launched its 2023 competition to encourage the creation of new symphonic works across Ibero-America. Eleven compositions from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Spain, Mexico, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela were awarded.

A distinctive feature of this competition is the special involvement of the Cuban Ministry of Culture and the Venezuelan Ministry of People’s Power for Culture. Thanks to their participation, the 11 winning pieces will be premiered in special concerts by the Cuban National Symphony Orchestra and the Venezuelan National Philharmonic Orchestra.

Translated by Luis E. Amador Dominguez