Blue Sky Cultural Connections - Hecho en Cuba School Workshops

Hecho en Cuba musical artists Pachi Ruiz and Lia Llorente have returned to Saskatchewan for a series of performances and workshops, and will be in Canada until early November. Watch for them at a club, school or concert venue near you. Les concerts sont disponibles en français et espagnol à la demande.

Interactive Cultural Workshops and Performances for Elementary and High Schools

Cuba is one of the most musical places on earth. Cubans were born to dance and have an innate rhythm of their own. Cuba’s mixed inheritance of Spanish and African elements is at its best in its music.

African influences have shaped the prevalent rhythm of Cuban music and dance. The rumba, for instance, originated in Havana’s black neighbourhoods more than a century ago. Combined European and African dances created the son. Today, it is the salsa that is Latin-America’s best-known music.

Within that tradition, musicians Pachi Ruiz and Lia Llorente bring to Canadian audiences a warm and unique musical style known as trova. With original tunes and engaging rhythms, these musicians have delighted audiences of all ages.

Pchi Ruiz and Lia Llorente at Musicarte, their music school in Trinidad, Cuba

In the historic UNESCO World Heritage Site community of Trinidad de Cuba, Pachi and Lia have operated Musicarte, a fine arts program for instruction in dance, guitar and vocals.

Lia Llorente and Pachi Ruiz with their students at Musicarte.

Check out Lia and Pachi on the Web: http://www.duocofradia.neositios.com/ and on Facebook

Hecho en Cuba is a collaboration of Cuban musicians from the historic Caribbean coastal town of Trinidad, noted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The group encompasses a range of traditional and contemporary Latin and Afro-Cuban musical styles, encompassing son, salsa, trova, jazz, funk and pure percussion. This musical project showcases the individual and combined talents of Lia Llorente and Pachi Ruiz, also known as Dúo Cofradía, a husband and wife jazz duo on guitar and vocals. Les concerts sont disponibles en français y español à la demande.

For more information on school workshops and performances, contact Project Manager Alyce Hamon by e-mail, or phone (306) 591-3098.

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Last updated September 2011