The Essential Music of Cuba
With the Alonso Brothers
The Cuban Research Institute is pleased to announce the 14th installment of its Classically Cuban concert series. Virtuoso pianists and Cuban brothers Orlay Alonso and Orlando Alonso present an immersive experience that places the audience at the center of the "Golden Era" of Cuban music and entertainment of the 1940s and 1950s. The event will be held on Sunday, December 2, 2018, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at the Wertheim Performing Arts Center on the FIU Modesto A. Maidique Campus.
From the sensuality and seductive melodies of the bolero, to the exotic and complex rhythms of the mambo and cha cha, Cuba's rich musical heritage spans centuries and has influenced most popular music of our time. Presented by the Alonso Brothers, this interactive show features a variety of Cuban styles such as mambo, cha cha, salsa, bolero, son, danzón, and conga, and includes works by Ignacio Cervantes, Ernesto Lecuona Miguel Matamoros, and Dámaso Pérez Prado, among others. The program includes the following songs in arrangements for two pianos:
- Para ti (Jorge Gómez)
- El manisero (Moisés Simons)
- Mamá, son de la loma (Miguel Matamoros)
- Mambo No. 5 (Dámaso Pérez Prado)
- Oye como va (Tito Puente)
- ¡Y la negra bailaba! (Ernesto Lecuona)
The Alonso Brothers
Equally talented, these brothers dazzle with their artistic exuberance and passionate expression. Having played the piano since they each were six years old, Orlando Alonso and Orlay Alonso both attended the National School of the Arts in Havana and earned degrees from Manhattan School of Music and Yale University, among several other prestigious institutions. As a duo, each brother brings his own signature style to the stage. Inspired by their communicative gifts, elegance, and polish, the Alonso brothers shine with a charismatic stage presence that is a pleasure to behold.
"It is never about showing off what they can do technically, but rather about bringing the listener into the meaning of the music. They are real virtuosos of their instrument not only because of their rock solid performances, but because of their considerable intelligence, sensitivity, intense feeling, and contagious joy." —The New York Times
Orlando Alonso
Cuban-born pianist and conductor Orlando Alonso has already established a flourishing international reputation through his orchestral and recital performances in North America, South America, and Europe. Noted for his challenging programs, artistic maturity, and versatility, his repertoire ranges from Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven through the Romantics, Liszt, and Brahms, to works by contemporary composers. Mr. Alonso has performed with many of the major orchestras in Cuba as well as North and South America, including the Santa Clara Symphony, Havana Symphony, Key West Symphony, American Youth Symphony, OSB Orchestra of Rio de Janeiro, National Symphony Orchestra of Brazil, Madrid Symphony, Kiev Symphony Orchestra, Astoria Symphony, Manhattan Chamber Orchestra, George Enescu Symphony Orchestra in Romania, and Ossia Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Alonso has given recitals at Carnegie Hall in New York and has performed extensively throughout Europe, North and South America, and China.
Orlay Alonso
Cuban-American pianist Orlay Alonso has been lauded as a "rising young star" and "a real virtuoso" (Anthony Aibel, New York Concert Review). Equally at home with solo, chamber, and concerto repertoire, Alonso is "committed to sharing every note with the audience" (Aibel). With his instinctive communicative gifts, Alonso takes the audience along on his imaginative and thought-provoking journey. Alonso has captivated audiences across the globe with his elegance and intensity since his Carnegie Hall debut in 2003, and has graced the stages at some of the most prestigious concert halls in the United States and Canada, and as far away as Punta Arenas, the southernmost region of Chile. He has garnered top prizes at numerous national and international piano competitions and obtained his doctorate degree from The Ohio State University in 2015 and holds graduate degrees from Yale University and the Manhattan School of Music.
Video Clips
For samples of previous performances by the Alonso Brothers, click on the appropriate title:
- Para ti, by Jorge Gómez
- ¡Y la negra bailaba!, by Ernesto Lecuona
- Malagueña, by Ernesto Lecuona
Tickets
General Admission: $25
FIU Student & Alumni, Faculty & Staff: $20
To purchase tickets for the concert, please click here.
