The Florida Orchestra

Cultural Exchange with Cuba

As part of The Florida Orchestra’s (TFO) multi-year cultural exchange with Cuba, it has announced that it will present the National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba (NSOC) as part of a Tampa Bay area residency November 5-7, 2012, which includes chamber music, an orchestra concert and master classes. This is part of the NSOC’s first U.S. tour, which kicks off in Kansas City in October and covers over 18 performances booked in 17 cities across 10 states so far.  Under the batons of the NSOC’s Music Director Enrique Pérez Mesa and Cuban composer and conductor Guido López-Gavilán, Cuban pianist Ignacio “Nachito” Herrera,  the concert features Gershwin’s Cuban Overture, Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4, Jorge López Marín's Danzón “El Médico de Pianos,” Nachito Herrera’s arrangement and Tribute to Lecuona, López-Gavilán’s Guaguancó and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5. The NSOC residency will start with a collaborative chamber music concert with members of the NSOC and TFO on Tuesday, November 6, at 7:30 pm at the Cuban Club in Ybor City and conclude with a performance of the NSOC on Wednesday, November 7, at 7:30 pm at the Progress Energy Center for the Arts – MahaffeyTheater in St. Petersburg. To read the entire press release regarding this project, click here.

With Tampa Bay’s rich Cuban heritage and after several months of communications with Cuba’s Music Institute of Havana (Instituto de Música de La Habana), The Florida Orchestra (TFO)  announced that The Florida Orchestra Wind Quintet would perform in Havana September 29 - October 2, 2011, which was the first time since 1999 that a professional American orchestra had sent musicians to Cuba and only the second time since the 1959 revolution.  To read the entire press release regarding this project, click here.

To read a brief introduction about Cuban heritage in Florida, click here.

“Music is such a wonderful way to communicate with others, to remind us of our shared feelings and emotions as human beings.  It does not matter if you speak different languages or if you are from different cultures.  Music can touch people, it can move people, it can bring people together.  That is an important part of our cultural exchange with Cuba.”  - Music Director Stefan Sanderling

PRESS ABOUT TFO'S CULTURAL EXCHANGE WITH CUBA

Tampa Bay Times
Feb 28, 2012: Cuba's national orchestra plans Tampa Bay concerts for fall
Oct 2, 2011: Florida Quintet Wows Cubans on visit to Havana
Sept 25, 2011: TFO's cultural exchange fits Cuba's deep ties to Tampa Bay
Sept 25, 2011: TFO wind quintet heads to Cuba bearing gifts for young musicians
Sept 25, 2011: Musician Benny Moré part of strong Tampa-Cuba connection

Bay News 9
Florida Orchestra Members in Cuba
Inside the Music Classroom in Cuba
Florida Orchestra Ensemble Flying to Cuba

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Florida Orchestra Principal Winds Quintet

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All photo credits for The Florida Orchestra Principal Winds Quintet should be 
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