Following a 2023 commission for the ASO’s Chamber Series, percussionist-composer Javier Diaz — whose studio credits include Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In The Heights — curates “Contrapunto Musical”: Musical Counterpoint between Cuba and the United States, a selection of chamber music programs that highlight the rich musical history of Cuba and its influence on American concert music and culture, from the turn-of-the-twentieth century through today. The second program of this four-part series, Afrocubanismo: African Music and Modernity in Cuba, explores Cuban music as a synthesis of many different musical influences: a combination of Spanish, French, Central African, West African, North American, and many other national musics. Cuban music emerges as a unique vernacular musical idiom that appears larger than the sum of its components.

19th-century dance genres, such as contradanza and habanera, exhibited elements that could be traced back to Europe and several places in the African continent (Congo Basin, Yorubaland, and others), and secondary diasporas (Haitian). Also, in the late 19th century, popular music styles like the danzón, and later the son, “wore” their African ancestry with ease and pride. However, when it comes to concert music, it wasn’t until the early part of the 20th century that Cuban music started to embrace Afro-Cuban influences in a significant way. Inspired by the literary and art movement called Afrocubanismo, composers such as Alejandro García Caturla, Amadeo Roldán, and others, created a genuinely Cuban musical identity that fused vernacular Afro-Cuban musical influences with contemporary concert music. This program features chamber music adaptations by Caturla, Roldán, Ernesto Lecuona, and Gilberto Valdés. Additionally, we will present traditional sacred drum music from the Yoruba-Lucumí Afro-Cuban tradition.

This performance is part of a free chamber music series in partnership with Bryant Park with programs curated by ASO musicians. Music-lovers will find a limited number of first-come, first-served chairs set up to enjoy an after-work respite with live music.

The ASO’s Chamber Series is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.