Afrocubanismo: African Music and Modernity in Cuba

The American Symphony Orchestra is a New York-based American orchestra, founded in 1962, dedicated to providing great music for everyone. The ASO chamber series features musician-curated programs that represent the diverse perspectives across New York City and worldwide, through explorations of the many styles and genres of American music. Afrocubanismo : African Music and Modernity in Cuba Following a 2023 commission for the ASO’s Chamber Series, percussionist-composer Javier Diaz — whose studio credits include Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In The Heights — curates “Contrapunto Musical”: Musical Counterpoint between Cuba and the United States , a selection of chamber music programs that highlight the rich musical history of Cuba and its influence on American concert music and culture, from the turn-of-the-twentieth century through today. The second program of this four-part series, Afrocubanismo : African Music and Modernity in Cuba, explores Cuban music as a synthesis of many different musical influences: a combination of Spanish, French, Central African, West African, North American, and many other national musics. Cuban music emerges as a unique vernacular musical idiom that appears larger than the sum of its components. Upcoming Events