Fiesta! is devoted to Latino concert music and presents artistically significant compositions from Latin America, Spain and Portugal to listeners. The creative force behind this series is Elbio Barilari, an acclaimed composer, musician, performer and professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago. The Uruguayan-born Barilari says, "Fiesta! features the hottest Latin-American music from the 16th to the 21st centuries." For more detailed information, visit the Fiesta! Web page.
Palaces and Cathedrals: Latin American music from the colonial era has experienced a revival over the last twenty years with the discovery of music from this time period. On this week's program, we hear some of these treasures that have been kept in the palaces and cathedrals of Bolivia, Brazil and Mexico.
The Sound and the Fury: Latin American classical music is full of passion and emotion. This week, Elbio Barilari shares some of his most favorite composers who aren't afraid to show this passion through their music. Included on this program are composers Claudio Santoro, Mario Lavista and Alberto Ginastera.
Smiles and Tears: While humor in music is fun to hear, it is not easy to make happen. This week we have examples that even Mozart would find humorous. The program begins with Paquito D'Rivera's arrangement of the Mozart Clarinet Concerto, and ends with a contagious musical disease, Tanguitis.
Teresa Carreno, Composer: Born in Venezuela in 1953, Teresa Carreno was one the first Latin American women with an international career as a pianist, composer and teacher. Fiesta looks into the life and music of this piano virtuoso nicknamed "the Valkyrie of the Piano."
Best of the Chicago Latino Music Festival: The Chicago Latino Music Festival is the biggest of its kind, featuring world-class performers in a repertoire spanning the Colonial period to the present. The festival showcases soloists and chamber music, symphonic works, and even opera and ballet. This week's program presents highlights from the thirteenth year of this colorful festival.
Two Hundred Years of Solitude: Social struggle and conflict have been significant factors in the history of Latin America. Art in general can be a meaningful reflection of such events, and music can be one of the most powerful. On this program Elbio Barilari presents musical works linked to society and human experiences.
