By: CubaPLUS Magazine Photos: José Tito Merino Feb 29, 2024
Link: https://www.cubaplusmagazine.com/en/news/drum-festival-more-than-a-celebration-a-tradition.html
Already converted into a great tradition, the Guillermo Barreto in Memoriam Drum Festival will once again fill the Cuban capital with music, in whose streets the rumble of the tumbadoras, the bongos and the drums starting next March 5.
In a press conference held this Wednesday at the iconic Tropicana cabaret, the president of the organizing committee of the meeting, Director Giraldo Piloto, highlighted the importance that covers the event for the promotion of Cuban music, which has already reached its 21st edition.
He said later that on this occasion he will add to the usual scenarios of the party, the Galiano downtown avenue, in the capital municipality of Centro Habana, which is expected close it to traffic for the closing gala on Sunday, March 10, in which they will perform the Muñequitos de Matanzas and Alexander Abreu and Havana D’Primera.
Something that differentiates this edition from previous events is that the festival will pay tribute to important figures with an immense legacy in Cuban music: Juan Formell, César “Pupy” Pedroso, José Luis Cortés, Adalberto Álvarez, Carlos Embale, Jesús Abreu (Los Papines), Tirso Duarte, as well as the author duo Piloto and Vera, well known for the movement of feeling.
As in previous years, this great festival will reach the communities and will also take place master classes, shows, dances and competitions in various venues, such as theaters Nacional and América, the Salón Rosado de la Tropical and the Fábrica de Arte Cubano, among others.
Regarding foreign participation, Piloto reported that artists from the United Kingdom will perform, in throughout Africa, The Drumming Wonders of Burundi will be presented for the first time, a small dance company from the United States and Rodrigo Íter, drummer from Chile. Finally, Piloto expressed the joy it brings him to show the art of Africa at the festival, as he highlighted that “as long as possible, the Drum Festival will continue defending the premise that says: There is no dance without a drum and no drum without a dance.
Also attending the press conference were Carlos Estrada, director of Communication and Programming of the Cuban Institute of Music, Víctor Rodríguez, Director of the National Popular Music Festival, Efrain Sabas, Artistic Director of the festival and Johannes García, national dance prize, among other sector officials. The Drum Festival, whose first edition took place in 2000 as a tribute to Guillermo Barreto –Giraldo Piloto’s uncle-, has the sponsorship of around 30 entities, including the Ministry of Culture, the Cuban Institute of Popular Music, Sabian / Gon Bops, CubaPLUS magazine and KOSA (the three from Canada), Havana Club International S.A., the Palmares Group and the Paradiso agency, among others.
Carlos Estrada, director of communication and programming of the Cuban music institute Victor Rodriguez, director of the national center of popular music Pilot Efrain Sabas, artistic director Johanes García, national music prize.