By Brigitte Onorato
The touch of Cuban spice was a great kick off to the Miami International GuitART Festival.
Artists from Cuba and around the world showcased their talents at the University’s School of Music that took place in the Herbert and Nicole Wertheim Performing Arts Center Concert Hall on Feb. 19 at 7 p.m.
The festival’s opening concert, “A LO CUBANO,” was to celebrate Miami’s Cuban heritage with an impressive lineup of virtuoso musicians and the art of guitar playing.
Usually, you go to see a favorite singer with the band or the band itself that consists of different instrumental elements perform. It’s not likely you go to a concert to only hear one specific instrument
I came to the event assuming it wouldn’t blow my mind away, but once it began and the sounds flowed from the guitar all my attention was focused on the performers. You couldn’t help but to relate the song with a Latin sound and feel.
Attending this concert brought back to when I was a child living in my country. Being raised in Venezuela, the aspect of the Latin vibe goes similar to my country’s style of music.
Gaitas is a popular theme in Venezuela, it consists of maracas, cuatro, charrasca and tambora. The cuatro is similar to a guitar but its only smaller in size, typically with four or five single or paired strings. Since very small, I always had an appreciation for guitars.
Solos, and chamber works were among many that performed. The duo who performed together, Zuleida Suarez and Thomas Uriarte was the best overall.
Uriarte would start creating a beat by pounding lightly on the edge of the guitar while Zuleida would strum to the beat of the song, genius idea.
It was remarkable how both guitarists performed simultaneously but yet it coincided perfectly. This event was a “you had to be there” type of moment to really appreciate it.
The next performers consisted of four guitarists, Mesut Özgen, Rafael Padron, Thomas Uriarte and Celso Cano. When they began to play in unison, the sound went from a latin feel to a low bass sound. This piece seemed like if each guitar was not tuned correctly. I was wishing they would end quickly to go on to the following performance.
Celso Cano who was among the group of performers that I disliked, took the stage shortly after and performed a solo, which I loved. The way he played his guitar felt so inspiring to watch. Cano’s facial expressions were in tune with every strum and chord change he made. This is what makes musicians appreciated for their love of music.
After the event, I got to exchange a few words with an attendee. Sebastian Hernandez is currently an FIU student for the School of Music and has been playing the trombone for 15 years.
Even though I’ve never been to Cuba, I’ve felt the culture almost my entire life here in Miami. So, hearing these Cuban composed guitar pieces really transported me.
Miami is a country with a blend of Latin cultures. Cuban heritage and Cuban music surround this country, yet I never take the time to listen to.
Physically attending and listening to this innovative way that guitars resonated the sounds of Cuba, created a curiosity in me about Cuban music.
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