Cuban Music Course Matanzas, Cuba, 1st-8th April 2024 plus an optional 3-day Havana music tour 28th-31st March

Register here https://forms.gle/UJbwkoUCGss6kB788

In order to secure a place please register and pay a £100 depositThe course is primarily aimed at musicians but we also welcome along families and friends.

N.B. The trip to Havana will be in addition to the course fees. This will be at cost plus a small commission for our Havana agent

COURSE COST £1000/Students £900 ($1260/$1133 at current exchange rates)

SUPER EARLY BIRD if booked before 30th September 2023 £900 ($1133 at current exchange rate)

EARLY BIRD if booked before 31st October 2023 £950 ($1196 at current exchange rate)

Repeat booking are entitled to a further £50 discount

Non-players – half price, if sharing a room there is a further reduction. 

1 WEEK COURSE INCLUDES:

Rehearsals and group tuition,

Accommodation and breakfast for 7 nights (1st-8th April inclusive)

Evening meals for 6 evenings (one is free for outings).

We are happy to organize accommodation for extra nights, please indicate on the booking form. 

SUMMARY:

Following amazing courses in 2022 and 2023 we are going back to Matanzas in April 2024. Join Sara McGuinness, Jesus Bello and a team of fantastic Cuban musicians for a week of music making. 

Matanzas is situated 100km east of Havana, on the coast close to the seaside resort of Varadero. Matanzas is significant in the history of Cuban music and arts and is a vibrant cultural hub. We have great contacts in Matanzas and are very excited to have this opportunity to run the course there. We will be rehearsing in Sala de Concierto José White, situated on the main square in Matanzas. The concert hall is famed as the birthplace of Danzón (Cuba’s national dance). We will be staying in beautiful casa particulares including Casa de Margarita and Roberto and Casa Soñada. They are gorgeous and the hosts are wonderful, welcoming people. We will be eating in a selection of a lovely local restaurants and use a delicious home delivery service. 

As usual, to complement the rehearsals we will be organizing an exciting programme of musical activities: concerts, talks, rehearsals, etc. As we are close to the beautiful beaches of Varadero, we will have a daytrip to the beach. 

Features include:

40 hours of taught music making and directed practice

Ensemble playing with professional Cuban musicians

Percussion and rhythm workshops

Extra time slots for individual and group practice

Taught sessions on the history and development of Cuban musical styles

Ensemble playing

Performances by top Cuban ensembles

Homestays in lovely, friendly local casas.

NB: Due to the difficult situation in Cuba, we are limiting numbers. Please book early to avoid disappointment. 

 

Not included in the price but we can organise:

Optional individual classes

Optional dance classes

 

Sara McGuinness and Jesus Bello (see biogs below) host a week-long music course in Matanzas, Cuba. The course will be held in the legendary Sala White concert hall. The course is designed to cater for musicians both with and without experience of Cuban music performance. In an intensive week of activity we combine music making with essential background knowledge about the development and structure of Cuban music. Music making is interspersed with visits to live music performances across a wide range of Cuban music genres and a chance to interact with Cuban musicians.

We will be joined by a team of top Cuban musicians to work with you. 

This year Matanzas artists collective ‘El Almacen’ are helping to coordinate the course. They have access to many of the great Matanzas based musicians. Mantanzas is home to many acclaimed Cuban groups including Grammy award winning Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, Afro Cuba, Danzón Orquesta Failde, Alejandro Falcón, numerous afro-Cuban religious groups and much more. We will be inviting some of the musicians from these groups to work with us on the course as well as organizing activities with them. 

Please follow links at the bottom of page for more details about the venue, accommodation and El Almacen.

THE TUTORS 

Jesus Bello hails from Santa Clara, in the centre of Cuba and is steeped in the Cuban son tradition.  Throughout his career Jesus has combined life as a professional musician with education. Accolades include winning the Cuba-wide competition “Sonero del Año” as a singer, several years touring the world with Cuban L’aud Maestro Barbarito Torres of Buena Vista Social Club and 7 years as the lead singer of renowned Cuban son band Sierra Maestra. Whilst he has gained fame as a vocalist, Jesus is a talented multi-instrumentalist and has taught music at the school of arts in Santa Clara for over 20 years. One of his recent projects, which has gained national recognition, is to train a band of students in traditional Charanga style. He is currently director of Raices, a son group from Villa Clara (link below). 

 

Sara McGuinness is well known on the UK Salsa scene, having worked as a piano player, bandleader and educator in the field of Cuban music for more than 20 years. She has studied and worked with many great Cuban and Latin musicians both in Cuba, the UK, USA and abroad. Her two professional bands are Sarabanda  (Cuban salsa band), and Grupo Lokito (Congolese/Cuban band)For the last 16 years she has been the principal tutor on Cuban music courses in Havana and the UK. She also runs the 30 strong, successful Cuban Big Band “Orquesta Estelar” and leads regular Cuban Descargas (jam sessions) in London. She has a passion for imparting knowledge about the intricacies of Cuban music. Sara is a frequent visitor to Cuba, and is able to give you an insight into musical and social life there. 

We will be joined by a team of amazing musicians, biogs to follow. 

Registration Form https://forms.gle/UJbwkoUCGss6kB788

SALA JOSE WHITE https://www.ecured.cu/Sala_White

CASA ROBERTO Y MARGARITA https://www.cubacasas.net/cities/matanzas/robertoymargarita/

VILLA SOÑADA https://www.cubacasas.net/cities/matanzas/Villa_Sonada/

EL ALMACEN – interview on Afropop https://afropop.org/audio-programs/africa-in-matanzas-cuba-el-almacen-is-walking

EL ALMACEN – YOUTUBE PAGE https://www.youtube.com/c/ELALMAC%C3%89NCUBA

JESUS BELLO (lead vocal and bass) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-86qkhceKpg