School of Music to present 2nd annual Latin American Art Music Festival
LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas School of Music invites the community to experience the second annual Latin American Art Music Festival, a three-day celebration of Latin American classical music taking place March 1-3 in Swarthout Recital Hall.
This multiday festival will highlight the rich and diverse traditions of Latin American art music and features distinguished guest artists alongside KU School of Music faculty and students. The festival celebrates both influential and lesser-known composers, showcasing the depth, variety and vitality of Latin American musical expression, according to organizers.
While Latin American popular music has achieved widespread global recognition, its art music remains underrepresented. The Latin American Art Music Festival seeks to broaden scholarly and public engagement with this repertoire and to share the exceptional creativity of Latin American and Caribbean composers, according to organizers.
The festival opens March 1 with a performance by the Jopara Ensemble, whose music blends traditional Paraguayan elements with classical and contemporary influences to create a distinctive and dynamic sound. The opening concert will also feature School of Music musicians and a guest artist performing “Perú Negro” by Peruvian composer Jimmy López, written for two pianos and two percussionists.
The March 2 concert will feature School of Music faculty performing works by Brazilian composers Fernando Deddos and Flautino Vale, Puerto Rican composer Johanny Navarro, U.S./Paraguayan composer Miguel del Águila and others.
On March 3, School of Music students will present works from Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay by composers Manuel María Ponce, Alberto Ginastera, Francisca Gonzaga and others. The concert will also include a world premiere by Guatemalan composer Ricardo Melchor.
The Jopara Ensemble’s appearance is made possible in part by a grant from the Kansas Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts.
The festival schedule is below. Events are free and open to the public.
March 1
Swarthout Recital Hall
6:30 p.m. Jopara pre-concert talk
7:30 p.m. Concert
KU faculty and guests perform “Perú Negro” (version for 2 pianos and 2 percussion) by Peruvian composer Jimmy López with Priscila Navarro and Jair Zacarias, pianos; and Garret Arney and Sijia Huang, percussion. Guest artists Jopara Ensemble perform music from Paraguay.
March 2
Swarthout Recital Hall
7:30 p.m.
Kansas Virtuosi: Harmonies of Latin America featuring faculty performances.
March 3
Swarthout Recital Hall
7:30 p.m.
Celebration of Latin American Composers Concert featuring student performances.