Holguín Closes Successfully Classical Music Festival

Text and photos: Amauris Betancourt.

The large audience packing the Ismaelillo movie-theater to enjoy the closing ceremony of the XXVI Classical Music Festival approves the claim of having a concert hall, in the building currently, in Holguín city. Several people could enjoy the concert but had no seats in a room that turned out too small for such a Festival held yearly.

However, such a statement is not based on space availability but on the growing quality of Holguín musicians, ranked among the best nationwide, according to some noted figures attending the Festival like Frank Fernandez, Honorary President, maestro Guido Lopez-Gavilán, vice-president, and the absent guitarist Leo Brower, National Movie Prize.

The event’s closing ceremony started with a special tribute to pianist Frank Fernandez, born in the city of Mayarí, Holguin province.

The Holguín Symphonic Orchestra (OSH in Spanish), headed by Orestes Saavedra, opened the musical banquet with the interpretation of Vals Cubano (Cuban Waltz).

Then the OSH invited Colombian cellist Laura Ospina first and Italian clarinet player Ivan Petruzziello later to play with.

The OSH’s general director, Harold Ricardo Corella, had already praised Petruzziello in a press conference: “He is young but very talented."

Mexico joined in with maestro Marco Natanael Espinosa as director and soprano Alejandra Lopez who interpreted “Piensa en mi” (Think of me) by Mexican composer Agustin Lara.

Then Alejandra sang “Jurame” (Swear), accompanied by Cuban tenor Yunior Galano, a piece by also Mexican composer Maria Greever. Maestro Natanael Espinosa was given a warm welcome by the audience.

The Gala had an excellent closing with maestro Guido Lopez-Gavilan’s Guagancó, Orfeón Holguin and the Codanza dance company dancing it.

"Music has been without a doubt the queen of the Classical Music Festival in Holguin…," said Jorge Luis Sanchez Grass, the artistic general director. Each edition overcomes precedent ones, and ideas and dreams hardly stop but go on far from being utopian. Let’s see what will happen next year.

Then we are in debt with Harold Ricardo Corella, one of the most important figures in the organization of the event these last years. God willing, we will have more room next year, because the La Periquera Museum is too small for such a big event as the the Classical Music Festival.