Los Angeles, CA— Graduate music students from Cal
State LA take the stage at the Autry National Center
for two electrifying evenings of Latin jazz inspired
by the musical cultures of the Caribbean. Leaving
the classroom for real-life performance experience
is part of the required curriculum. CSULA Afro-Latin
Ensemble is dedicated to the performance of salsa,
timba, Afro-Cuban, and Afro-Caribbean music.
Repertoire ranges from classic danzones and early
conjunto classics to contemporary salsa and timba
charts. Most of the music comes from transcriptions
of the music and originals created by the graduate
students and professional arrangers. Band members
are students in the Master of Music in Afro-Latin
Music program at California State University, Los
Angeles.
The
award-winning ensemble is under the
direction of Dr. Paul De Castro, founder
and director of the Master of Music
degree option in Afro-Latin Music.
Students learn the art of arranging,
orchestration, and idiomatic writing for
instruments such as congas, timbales,
bongos, and maracas. They study
practical, theoretical, historical, and
philosophical topics, with a strong
emphasis on discourse with professional
musicians in Los Angeles . In addition,
students perform in public concerts such
as the two at the Autry.
Showcasing this group of talented
students at the Autry helps continue our
relationship with our loyal audience for
Sizzling Summer Nights, which features
the top Latin bands in town. The
students from the Afro-Latin Ensemble
who grace Sizzling Summer Nights
stage will graduate, become members of
local bands, or create their own. This
is an opportunity to give them early
exposure to the audience they seek to
entertain. Light refreshments will
be served after the concert. The fee is
$5.
About the Autry National Center
The Autry National Center is an
intercultural history center that
includes the Southwest Museum of the
American Indian, the Museum of the
American West (formerly the Autry Museum
of Western Heritage), and the Institute
for the Study of the American West. Each
institution maintains its individual
identity; however, the convergence of
resources allows us to expand our
understanding of the diverse peoples of
the American West, connecting the past
with the present to inform our shared
future. The Autry National Center ’s
executive offices are located in
Griffith Park . |
