FESTIVAL MIAMI 2010 CELEBRATES 27TH SEASON WITH MUSIC OF THE AMERICAS

Once again this fall, the community is invited to partake in all that Festival Miami has to offer – from world premieres and symphonic concerts, to chamber music presentations and jazz performances. Expect the extraordinary and prepare to be amazed at Festival Miami 2010.

Festival Miami, the annual music festival that opens the South Florida arts season, will commence on October 8 and conclude on October 30. It will feature 20 concerts and renowned guest artists over a four-week period. Each concert falls under one of four unique themes: “Great Performances,” “Jazz and Beyond,” “Creative American Music,” and “Music of the Americas.”

Latin American music is represented by a number of musical forms from sacred to secular music, from folk to classical music. Along with political independence, Latin American countries have made the development of music a national goal. In recent decades, Latin popular music has exerted significant influence over the development of jazz, rock, and other various styles of music. “Music of the Americas” will feature Latin Dance favorites Hansel y Raul, trumpeter and composer Gabriel Alegría, world-renowned flute musician Nestor Torres, and Tiempo Libre – who will pay tribute to the golden age of Cuban big bands with the Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra.

Festival Miami has set a precedent over the last 26 years by providing a month-long series that a blend of artistically and culturally diverse music with educational opportunities. The festival offers 20-30 concerts each season, providing for people of all ages and income levels the chance to be enriched by live musical performances. It is unrivaled in its scope of musical presentations and is known throughout South Florida, the U.S., and the international community for its cultural contributions while expanding academic opportunities and cultural enrichment to all of South Florida and its visitors.

In its last two seasons, over 24,000 music patrons attended Festival Miami performances.  Since its inception, Festival Miami has presented performers from six continents including Argentina, Poland, Brazil, Russia, Mexico, Germany, Puerto Rico, China, France, and from throughout the U.S.

The Festival’s concert series is unparalleled in its scope of musical magnitude and includes stellar guest artists, the Frost School’s widely known artist-faculty and student ensembles, and an educational mission that includes children’s concerts, master classes, lectures, forums, and concerts that highlight historically-significant events.

The Festival Miami Advance Ticket Sales Office phone number is (305) 284-4940 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (305) 284-4940      end_of_the_skype_highlighting.  Hours are Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.  For a complete listing of concerts and to order tickets online visit www.festivalmiami.com or email festivalmiami.music@miami.edu for additional information.  All performances are held at the Maurice Gusman Concert Hall, located at the Phillip and Patricia Frost School of Music, 1314 Miller Drive, on the University of Miami’s Coral Gables Campus (unless otherwise noted). For more information on the Frost School of Music, visit www.music.miami.edu.

About the University of Miami Frost School of Music

Building on its foundation as a Conservatory of Music, the Frost School has pioneered new curricula and was the first in the nation to offer professionally accredited bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Music Business and Music Engineering Technology. The Frost School was also among the first to offer degrees in Studio Music and Jazz, Music Therapy, and Accompanying and Chamber Music. In addition, the Frost School was the first in a major university to develop a student-run label, ‘Cane Records, and a publishing company, Category Five. The School’s innovative programs, combined with its traditional areas of concentration, offer its students one of the widest choices of career programs of any music school in the nation.  More information about the University of Miami Frost School of Music can be found at www.music.miami.edu.

The University of Miami is the largest private research institution in the southeastern United States. The University’s mission is to provide quality education, attract and retain outstanding students, support the faculty and their research, and build an endowment for University initiatives. www.miami.edu

MUSIC OF THE AMERICAS SCHEDULE:

Saturday, October 9, 8 PM

LATIN EXPLOSIÓN

HANSEL Y RAUL! The Hottest Act in Latin Dance Music Bring Their Tropical Dance Music and Contagious Beat to Festival Miami

Hansel Enrique Martinez and Raul Alfonso were born in Cuba. Their professional musical careers began with the world famous Charanga ’76 as vocalists and co-founders of the band. Their music is based on a sophisticated version of tropical dance music that emphasizes strings and woodwinds rather than brass.  In 1980 Hansel and Raul left the band and became the most famous, dynamic and charismatic duo in the history of Tropical music: Hansel & Raul.

The integration of a brass section to the already popular Charanga Sound, spiked with a very Caribbean sense of rhythm, made Hansel y Raul the hottest act in Latin Dance Music. Their global hit songs Maria Teresa Y Danilo and Con La Lengua Afuera became anthems and made them international recording stars. Hansel y Raul have recorded more than 12 albums including 7 Gold albums and the double Platinum “LA MAGIA.” They continue to tour worldwide and are without a doubt “The Hottest Dance Band of the Decade.” Buy your tickets early—this concert will sell out quickly.

Section A – $60 Section B – $50 Section C – $25

Thursday, October 14, 8 PM

¡CELEBRACIÓN!

Experience the Excitement of the Gabriel Alegría Afro-Peruvian Jazz Sextet

“Coral Gables Night”

Trumpeter and composer Gabriel Alegría presents a unique form of World Jazz that combines his distinctive approach to the jazz trumpet with the rich heritage of Afro-Peruvian music. The Gabriel Alegría Afro-Peruvian Sextet features saxophonist Laurandrea Leguía; acoustic guitarist Yuri Juárez; bassist Ramón De Bruyn, drummer Hugo Alcázar and master percussionist Freddy “Huevito” Lobatón, who plays the traditional Afro-Peruvian instruments cajón (box drum) and quijada (jaw bone) and adds spectacular passages of zapateo dancing to each performance. Good grooves abound!  Afro-Peruvian style is the newest musical voice to come from Latin America and Festival Miami is bringing it to YOU!

Section A – $30 Section B – $25 Section C – $20

Saturday, October 23, 8 PM

MAMBO!

Tiempo Libre Pays Tribute to Beloved Cuban Big Bands and the Music of their Heritage

Three-time Grammy-nominated Tiempo Libre is one the hottest young Latin bands today. Tiempo Libre’s members were all classically trained at La ENA, Cuba’s premiere conservatory during the “Special Period” in Cuba. Today, the group is a hit in the U.S. and abroad, celebrated for its incendiary, joyful performances of timba, an irresistible, dance-inducing mix of high-voltage Latin jazz and the seductive rhythms of son. This concert is dedicated to the era of Cuban big band, with works by Xavier Cugat, Beny More, Perez Prado, and Chano Pozo/Dizzy Gillespie; it will also feature traditional Cuban music (cha-cha-chas, sones and congas) arranged especially for Tiempo Libre and orchestra.  They will perform with the Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra and Big Band.

Section A – $50 Section B – $40 Section C – $20

Friday, October 29, 8 PM

FLUTE JOURNEY

Amazing Nestor Torres Explores a Rainbow of Musical Colors Ranging from Baroque to Big Band, Latin to Fantasy

Nestor Torres, flute, performs an ambitious program with Frost students from the Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra ranging from the timeless Pergolesi Flute Concerto in G (a Baroque concerto for flute, strings and harpsichord), the ever-popular Ibert Flute Concerto, to exciting works accompanied by Latin rhythm section such as El Condor Pasa, Vuelvo Al Sur and Soñando Con Puerto Rico.  His program closes with Tiger Tales and (Somewhere) Over the Rainbow with the Mancini Institute Orchestra and Big Band.  Don’t miss this incredible concert, featuring the spell-binding flautist Nestor Torres, conducted by HMI resident conductor, Scott Flavin.

Section A – $60 Section B – $50 Section C – $25

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