Musical Director of the U.S. Highlights Professionalism of Cuban Choirs

HAVANA, Cuba, Jan 15 (acn) The musical director of the U.S. Cabrillo Symphony Choir, Cheryl Anderson, asserted on Thursday that Cuban choirs are "extremely professional and wonderful," after her experience with three provincial groups.

"U.S. and European choirs are very lyrical, harmonic and melodic, but in Cuba their rhythm is very difficult for us, it is very syncopated and it is more related to dance," commented Anderson to Prensa Latina news agency.
The U.S. group performed on Wednesday at the San Pedro Apostol Church, a National Monument, located in the town of Quivican, Mayabeque province, 100 kilometers east of Havana, after performing earlier in Villa Clara (center) and Cienfuegos (center-south).
"We have felt very well in this country where we have been treated as brothers and sisters. Both members of the choir and I are grateful for the welcome and treatment," said Anderson, adding that "the arts offer us a bridge to understand the Cuban people."
In its tour of the island, the Cabrillo Symphony Choir held meetings-workshops and shared the stage with the Villa Clara Provincial Choir, directed by Yolanda Martinez, and the Cantores de Cienfuegos Choir, directed by Honey Moreira.
In Matanzas it met with the Chamber Choir (CCM), directed by Jose Antonio Mendez, who gave a keynote lecture.
"Mendez has been wonderful, a great maestro and very professional," said Anderson, with a quarter of a century directing the visiting group of the state of California, founded 55 years ago.
In Matanzas, Cabrillo performed sacred music, folk songs and spirituals of the northern nation, and pieces from the island.
The CCM, meanwhile, sang works by composers Cesar Alejandro Carrillo (Venezuela) and Miguel Matamoros and Monica O'Reilly, the two of them Cubans.
Preparations and arrangements for the visit to the Caribbean nation were directed by Classical Movements, a U.S. company with extensive experience in musical groups touring Cuba, informed Norma Rosso, operations manager, who accompanied the Choir.
Cabrillo is scheduled to perform in Havana on Friday, where it will share the stage with the Entrevoces Choir directed by Digna Guerra, at the San Francisco de Paula Church.
The Cabrillo Symphony Choir, which enjoys an excellent reputation internationally, will return to the United States on Saturday.