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 sixteenth to the twenty-first centuries."
The “other” Joaquín Rodrigo: The tremendous popularity of “Concierto de Aranjuez” has made Joaquín Rodrigo a well-known composer. In this program, Fiesta reviews this eclectic composer's vocal, piano and chamber music.
Music from the Basque Country: The Euzkera or Basque people have their own language and a longstanding cultural music tradition. This program presents historical Basque composers, Juan Crisostomo Arriaga, Jesus Guridi, and more.
Romantic Music from Brazil and Mexico: Music from Brazil and Mexico are featured on today's program including works by Brazilian composers, Alexandre Levy and Alberto Nepomuceno; and, Mexican composers Melesio Morales and Gustavo Campa.