José Loyola: "I am part of this self-sacrificing people"

Creation recognizes no difference between the cultured and the popular, and maestro José Loyola (Cienfuegos, 1941), composer and flutist, shows talent and mastery in both aspects. He is an architect of the Bolero Festival—organized by the Union of Cuban Writers and Artists of Cuba—scheduled for June.

Loyola takes advantage of every moment of his fruitful existence, as evidenced by his studies at the Frederik Chopin Academy in Warsaw, where he did his doctorate in Music Theory. He learned, like his father Efrain, that music would be their thing, and never strayed from his path.

He said about the Festival: "It has shown how to vindicate, consolidate in the present and project towards the future such an emblematic genre of our music (…) at a time when international ballads and other modalities were hoarding every media, space, stage and show at national and international level. So we managed to convince singers, cultural and commercial promoters, leaders and institutions and, above all, the public, of the importance of preserving and disseminating a component of Cuban culture".

Without hiding his enthusiasm, he adds: "Peñas (clubs) appeared across the nation, and bolero music became stronger on Cuban stages, radio and TV programs, and national and international tours were resumed. It is the only festival that unites all Latin American countries, where there is always a bolero composer and/or singer".

He enjoys the fact that Latin America and the Caribbean hold festivals that rely on Cuba's experience and organization and host Cuban musicians and musicologists who share their knowledge.

Maestro Loyola also praises the Festivals dedicated to [Cuba’s official musical genre and dance] danzón, of which he is creator and founder.

"I am part of this self-sacrificing people, and as such I bury myself in multiple tasks; for instance, in addition to composing, I teach at the University of the Arts, and I put all my energy into my orchestra Charanga de Oro as a creator, researcher and performer".