Music

Community Arts Program 2022 Summer Concert Series present a tribute to jazz legend Benny Goodman. Clarinetist extraordinaire, Ken Peplowski, joins John C. O’Leary (piano), Alejandro Arenas (bass), and Mark Feinman (drums).

One of George Frideric Handel’s earliest operatic compositions, Agrippina tells the story of one of opera’s fiercest leading ladies. Once she hears that her husband Claudius has died in a storm at sea, Agrippina plots to secure the throne to the Roman Empire for her son Nero. This opera is filled with exciting music to display the most impressive vocal fireworks, in addition to being performed by a traditional baroque orchestra, utilizing the instrumentation of the time. Devious plots, love and obsession with power, Agrippina is on par with any of today’s popular telenovelas.

A program of Cuban classical and semiclassical music in celebration of Mother's Day

We continue with Flamenco Sound Series which features a musical and dance recital between Jerez’s David Carpio, known for his interest in taking traditional Flamenco to a new place, who will be joined by long-time collaborator Francisco Vinuesa on guitar. As is Carpio’s style to collaborate with other artists, the Spanish artists will be joined by Miami’s Irene Lozano who will add a touch of dance to this authentic Flamenco musical recital.

Award-winning concert pianist and young Steinway artist, Talon Smith, is the featured guest pianist for the final Chopin for All of the season. His performances in Europe and across the USA have been met with high praise and he is currently under the mentorship of Garrick Ohlsson. Join us at 3PM on May 15 at the Granada Church to hear works by Chopin, and the world premier of Talon’s own composition.

South Florida’s best piano students will perform the music of Frédéric Chopin as part of the monthly Chopin for All free concert series. The young pianists are recommended by their private piano teachers and then, along with scores of other young pianists, audition before a panel of professional artists/jurors to obtain a coveted spot on the recital program. The finest piano students from S. Florida, all under the age of 18, were selected to perform at the Young Pianist Concert. ALL CHOPIN PROGRAM Israel Garcia / Waltz in A minor, Opus posth., No. 19 Lana Tan / Nocturne in E Flat Major, Op. 9, No. 2 Andrew Gedde / Fantaisie-Impromptu Op. 66 Amelia Weimar / Nocturne in C-sharp minor, Op. Posth Joshua Safont / Impromptu in A flat Major, Op. 29 Christopher Rocha / Waltz in B minor, Op. 69, No. 2 Michael Drew / Nocturne in G minor, Op. 15, No. 3 David Espinosa / Polonaise in G minor Lili Dagan / Etude Op. 25, No. 2 in F minor Jin Yang Li / Ballade No. 1 in G minor Nicolas Lama / Nocturne in C-sharp minor, No. 20 Jocelyn De Young / Fantaisie-Impromptu Op. 66 Luna Zanna / Etude Op. 10, No. 1 in C Major Luke Yang / Ballade No. 2, Op. 38 in F Major Tiger Ren / Nocturne in F minor Op. 55, No. 1 Lilli Theisen / Scherzo No. 2, Op. 31

Everglades National Park, Songbook Suite is a FREE Concert. The vastly resplendent Everglades is considered the largest subtropical wilderness in the U.S. It is home to rare and endangered species such as the manatee, American alligator, and the Florida panther. It has inspired countless works of literature and art, most notably The Everglades: River of Grass by Marjory Stoneman Douglas, who proved to be instrumental in creating an awareness of the area, and in spearheading the movement to preserve it. It also moved Grammy-nominated musician, composer, and producer Jose Elias to create the Everglades Songbook Suite (ESS). A 2016 Artist in Residence in Everglades (AIRIE) fellow, Elias wrote the music for ESS after spending considerable time in the Everglades National Park, and ESS stands as the creative and artistic statement of his experiences there. The project, which was originally set to launch in 2020, first came to fruition on June 21, 2021 as a virtual performance film co-produced with Live Arts Miami and AIRIE for International World Music Day. The piece is a collection of compositions and soundscapes that celebrates the sights and sounds of the Florida Everglades by juxtaposing a stunning variety of acoustic instruments with field recordings. “I’m very happy to once again have the opportunity to perform the ESS in the environment that inspired the piece in the first place,” says Elias, who is also the founder and executive director of the Miami-based non-profit organization Community Arts & Culture (CAC). “To have it coincide with the 75th anniversary of the national park is a personal and professional honor.”

Leyla McCalla finds inspiration from her past and present, whether it is her Haitian heritage or her adopted home of New Orleans, she — a bilingual multi-instrumentalist, and alumna of Grammy award-winning African-American string band, the Carolina Chocolate Drops — has risen to produce a distinctive sound that reflects the union of her roots and experience. This Haitian Heritage Month, join Live Arts Miami to experience McCalla’s latest project, Breaking the Thermometer to Hide the Fever, a new multidisciplinary performance work exploring themes of exile, return, and the complexities of what it means to be Haitian. Breaking the Thermometer is inspired by the legacy of Radio Haiti-Inter, Haiti’s first independent radio station to broadcast news in Haitian Creole—the voice of the people—until the assassination of the station’s founder, Jean Dominque. The title is derived from a proverb used by Dominique to describe the spirit of Haiti’s marginalized poor in the face of violence and political oppression. Directed by renowned theater director Kiyoko McCrae, the work weaves together arrangements of Haitian songs, traditional dances, audio and video recordings from Duke’s Radio Haiti Archive, and Leyla’s own personal storytelling. Through this juxtaposition of voices — the personal and political, the anecdotal and the journalistic — McCalla gives expression to the enduring spirit of Haiti’s people Leyla McCalla is also set to release her new album, entitled Breaking The Thermometer, featuring music from this project in conjunction with her Miami performance on May 6. The album features sophisticated melodies and Afro-Caribbean rhythms with lyrics in English and Haitian Creole.

The African Heritage Cultural Arts Center welcomes the public for the Seventh Annual Sankofa Jazz Fest About this event The African Heritage Cultural Arts Center presents the 7th Annual Sankofa Jazz Festival on Saturday, April 30, 2022 from 3:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Headlining the family-friendly, celebratory event for 2022 is six-time GRAMMY nominee jazz pianist Christian Sands with the Christian Sands Trio. The Sankofa Jazz Fest highlights the diversity of arts that arose from the African diaspora and showcases both local and emerging artists that embody the spirit of African heritage jazz artists. The accomplished Christian Sands Trio will highlight their wide repertoire, which draws from historic and contemporary sources. They will be joined by Melton Mustafa, Jr., “Mustafa on Sax,” a two-time Grammy-nominated saxophonist and educator, in addition to Aniye Strachan, Robert Bradley, Luis Disla, Arnitris Williams, John Dixon, and HOT 105's Rodney Baltimore. The Festival will also feature a gallery exhibit, local art for purchase, and food vendors. The gallery exhibit, titled “We The People,” honors prolific late Miami muralist, Oscar Thomas, on the 25th anniversary of his passing. The exhibit features three decades of Thomas’s work, a photography collection of his murals, and never-before-seen videos, in addition to a tribute showcase that highlights local and international talent inspired by Thomas’s legacy. For more information call 305-638-6771 or email us at ahcac@miamidade.gov. https://www.ahcacmiami.org/event/7th-annual-sankofa-jazz-festival/ The African Heritage Cultural Arts Center is managed by the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, with funding support from the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners. It is the policy of Miami-Dade County to comply with all of the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request materials in accessible format, sign language interpreters, CART, and/or any accommodation to participate in African Heritage Cultural Arts Center sponsored programs or meetings, please contact Gloria Diaz at 305-638-6771 or ahcac@miamidade.gov, at least (5) five days in advance to initiate your request. TTY users may also call 711 (Florida Relay Service.)

Ella-Miau by Juan Trigos Opera in one Act for soprano and ensemble Libretto by Juan Trigos S. Synopsis The madness was present. It dwelled outside of her, since she, She-Meow, was born. It assumed the female form. She wore a mother’s hat obsessed with the idea of being a cat. Later, the waters of madness, drowned her person, and she, Ella-Miau, was left with nothing. No home. No father. Not even her self. Treasuring a mother’s affections, which she never had. Antonio Camacho Oropeza, stage director Juan Trigos, conductor Daniela D’Ingiullo, soprano La Coperacha, puppeteers Elisbeida Suárez Héctor Caro Alejandro Orozco The Last Hundred Ensemble Frank Capoferri, alto saxophone Vladimir Ibarra, electric guitar Noel Halloway, percussion Chen-Hui Jen, piano/electric piano Salvador Rodríguez, pictures Olga Gámez, artistic direction, puppetry and costumes César Camarena, scenography and puppetry José Camacho, videos Marcos García, lighting