This information may be of interest to them for the development of our daily practices.
" ... To hear better
Silvio Rodriguez has just opened its wallet website at the address Apprentice http://www.zurrondelaprendiz.com/ , where "I want the ax of a witch / to throw in my wallet," according to the cover story.
This message announces the troubadour Silvio Rodriguez, just back after a year his blog Second date, the emergence of its "proper place in the network, which brings news sections ( news summary), interviews ( testimony), gallery ( your image ), biography ( life and other issues), including others.
The opening note of the singer's website says:
"Within a few hours will be May 9, 2011. Then Second appointment will be celebrating one year of existence and we, the segundaciter @ s, too. Welcoming this, at 8 am, when Cuba, will appear apprentice wallet, my own site on the net. Initially opening remarks have less vague than those opened this blog, as you know was a gamble (happy, of course).
"The motives of the bag from afar. I think it started on June 13, 1967, when the first people approached me, asking all sort of thing. Then, the steady stream of curiosity I was by seeing the need there was an accessible and reliable.
"What we have physically occupied square meters, virtuality has ordered us in bytes. Nor do they think will be very few, because if the words are light, in the digital picture and sound are heavy, especially if they are of quality. But I do not want to impede access to my page to those who have a large bandwidth. Quite the contrary. My wallet is a site committed with the desire to share it with the delicacy.
"learner's wallet may be viewed at: http://www.zurrondelaprendiz.com/bienvenidos
"We are making efforts so that Cuba can see intranet.
"Congratulations to all segundaciter @ s. We have completed one year of life, almost without realizing it. Did you see how it was possible? "Life is beautiful and colors."
name is Carlos Alberto Mestre but everyone knows him as Nito Mestre. Releasing albums for 40 years and is one of the masters of Argentine rock. Not in vain 'Mestre' means teacher in Catalan, and his grandfather was from Tarragona.
10/05/2011
Nito Mestre on 14 April in Berlin Cabaret Barcelona. © Manel Gausachs |
His latest book is "Flowers in Nashville" (Acqua Records 2009), a CD 4 tracks dedicated to women and the DVD of the concert he did in September 2007 with the Symphony Orchestra San Juan and university choir where he reviews 13 tracks of his career with Sui Generis, The Unknown Always and its 30 years of solo career.
may seem impossible, this April has made its first English tour (Gran Canaria, Madrid, Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca), in acoustic format, accompanied only by Ernesto Salgueiro (guitars, vocals and musical direction) and Fernando Pugliese (piano) and under the advertising slogan of "Nito Mestre canta Sui Géneris”.
Y es que Nito siempre será la carismática y mágica voz de Sui Géneris , el dúo que formó en 1971 con su amigo de secundaria Charly García . Una formación a medio camino entre el folk y el rock progresivo, con una mística y una poesía onírica única. Un hito de la música popular latinoamericana de los últimos 40 años. Posiblemente, a este lado del Atlántico, sólo serían comparables con lo que hacían, en esos mismos años, unos Ia - Batiste , en Cataluña, o las Vainica Doble In Castile. But in any case would be comparable to these groups in terms of popular success, as the Sui Generis connected with the aspirations of Argentina's youth as a few groups have succeeded.
Sui Generis, in his short but successful career (1972-1975), were the leading exponent of the second generation of rock in Castilian of Argentina after Manal (1967-1971), Los Gatos ( 1967-1972) and Almond (1967-1980). Despite his beginnings were not easy. The group had serious problems to release their first album, "Life" (1972), because the producers did not trust the feasibility a group of folk with classic rock. The band completed bassist Rinaldo Rafanelli and drummer Juan Rodríguez .
On April 14, Songbooks had the pleasure of interviewing Nito With just a couple of hours for his debut at the Berlin Cabaret of Barcelona, \u200b\u200ba venue is also suitable for acoustic concerts. The talk was held during a break from the sound check, when Nito sent for the flute, and while taking tea.
What is the directory you've chosen for your first English tour?
The repertoire we do is the whole race. Here was a little bit more emphasis on issues of Sui Generis it is the first time I've been ... So it is, but actually do a tour of the whole race and not in chronological order but in order of how we put together the show . We also touched issues latest production is "Flowers in Nashville" , the four tracks we played two or three issues ... not because Del is a symphonic concert symphonic whole career ... I mean, there are many issues which are the 'symphony' that we played, of course, because they are issues of Sui ... The repertoire is varied ...
show on this tour accompanied only by a guitarist and a pianist Why?
This is training where you can show off and play something very comfortable, very practical to play ... We sing all three, we know long time ago ... But I have a band, sometimes with bass and drums ... Usually we are playing with this formation. I like playing acoustic. As a singer it's nice to have so ... The dynamic people change a lot when no band or not ... When you play and you play no band ... Instead here is like that sometimes have some history ... This way is more 'tête à tête', more communication with people and I like ...
"Winter Confessions" with the Orquestra Sinfónica de San Juan (Argentina). |
concert in Barcelona was not going to miss (and there were) 'classics' as "Song for my death" (Charly Garcia song that he composed as a result of their service experiences conscription), "Scratches on the rocks" , "Confessions of winter "rock'n'roll or" Mrs. Jones (a theme that played live in Spain Los Rodríguez). But neither their themes lacked most successful solo album, "20/10" (1981), as "Today I threw old leaves" .
"'20 / 10 's your favorite book?
is one of the albums that I like and that was kind of symbolic ... It is one of those albums that actually came out all plump, all perfectly fine, came at the right time, etc ... But the latter is one of which I like also because it is a combination of four very emotive issues chose ... And part of that is devoted to women ... There is a song dedicated to my mother who is called Flowers in March ', another dedicated to my wife is' My dear ',' Naomi 'which talks about a chance encounter with a woman, and' A kiss on the nose "which Berra is Adrian, a young Argentine composer. But also in "Flowers in Nashville" the advantage is that it has the DVD with Symphony Orchestra and then combined my career 'classic' and the last four new tracks and that's a nice combination ... Of course it is also 'pure colors ' (1999) also a previous record of which play an issue today.
"Today I threw old leaves" in Prima Rock Festival '81. |
Nito is a musician prone to do duets with many musicians from all over Latin America. For several years he lived in Chile and worked with guitarist Eduardo Gatti . More recently, in 2009, has performed with to Silvina Garre, the singer who popularized Rosario in Argentina "It forces the machine" of the Catalan-Argentine Gato Pérez.
The duets with Silvina Garre are duets we did while I continued with my career or my career is not interrupted to do this, but it was circumstantial ... "Duet? Pending a duet with Leon Gieco to record an album. We have sung together for a long time. A part of Porsuigieco , we have made together themes for my records and records of it, and we are seeing in the future we could re-record these issues and complete with a new topic now. Then ... Others? In particular, no, I have a forecast ... We did a duet with Andrés Cepeda of Colombia and in a moment, we do duets with other musicians and songwriters in Latin America, but is seen later.
Who if you do things in the coming months will be with his old friend Leon Gieco . The relationship between the two comes from far away. Nito, Leon, Charly Garcia, Raul Porchetto and Rosa Maria Osorio Porsuigieco formed just after the separation of Sui Generis. Porsuigieco was a progressive rock band Sui more electric than just released a self-titled album in 1976.
has been written recently that you could do new things with Porsuigieco. What's that?
Look ... He approached a photographer and filmmaker of our age, who has taken many photos of that time and offered us shoot some interviews and some gigs and have a little mystique of how the group was armed, but only for a film ... To film a documentary because we could not say that's a feature ... The character is called Ruben Andon ... The other day we were reunited with Leo (IPCC) and Raul (Porchetto) ... We had a little meeting before I came here, to Spain, and we thought it was funny because we were on a lunch and we started to tell stories ... Then I sent an email Rubén (Andon) and I said 'is very nice so we started to count' ... Charly (Garcia) not yet speak, but Charlie is not going to lose because you never want to get out of anything (and smiles) ...
But you have raised record new material?
No, no ... We started this but you never know what can happen ... So far we have recorded many anecdotes, cute things in the conversation ... After the party will come to play and see what can happen ...
Nito, we understand in June-July is expected to enter the studio to record a new album ...
We are planning to go to record new tracks but not of Rock ... There is a song by Maria Elena Walsh , but we are still looking for the issues so that progress not yet too ...
Apparently, in the coming months Nito can give us any surprises.
In 2000, Nito and Charly met for the first and only time the Sui Generis. From that meeting came "Symphonies for Teens a massive tour and an album, half live, half studio, called " Yes - Behind the walls " (2001).
"Ten years after this massive tour is possible further meeting of the Sui Generis?
Neither affirm or discard ... Charly because we take the phenomenon but did not have ... as you might say ... have not spoken. We talked for two years or so ago, when he was wrong, and we were about to ... Then diluted and we're at it ... But to say we're in that I mean that hung in the air, he forgot and went their with their projects ...
How can it be that your record is not known in Spain?
Look ... Not raised ... One thing is that the record labels that were previously sent and is not raised ... Perhaps we now for the first time and without label support, no support whatsoever, if not more or less a lung ... I had been thinking for a long time, but now I've made the decision because we have been able to co-produce with people here ... And let us once and for all because above all a personal taste. So not measured by the number of people because people are coming in moderation, but it gives me great pleasure to come to Spain ... At least I like to come once a year and grow to the extent that, of course, my age allows ... You know that record companies rely more on younger kids, obviously, and I will come to support me now ...
Nito's work is known mainly in Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Costa Rica and Uruguay but surprisingly it has not crossed the Atlantic.
Sony had a record of mine that called "Years" (compilation, 2002) , which is double that once you edit asked (outside Argentina) ... But as I am not the edited Sony artist but did not support him ... I just took him out in some places and not in Spain ... Well, that complicates things a bit ... And besides, do not come you hired producers to come, if you have to come and do a lung ...
I commented that now seems a good time for folk in Spain, which currently number 1 in sales is a group called Manel. "Manel?" Nito asks. Not known, but heads to his wife saying "We must seize Manel disk." And finally comes the flute and we expected to end the conversation.
Later, on stage, Nito showed that the magic of his songs is still intact. Were two-hour concert to an audience mostly in Argentina and Latin America's sometimes ahead to sing.
Nito, Ernesto and Fernando 'stripped' 25 greatest songs of the best Latin American folk-rock, until that time, Barcelona was unable to listen live. We hope that soon the public Barcelona has a new opportunity to discover one of the best folk-rock repertoire of Argentina.
Manel Gausachs
Journalist
| ||
| CANCIONEROS.COM not take any responsibility for the views and comments expressed by its employees, nor necessarily endorses or shares. | |
Jamaican musician Bob Marley, considered the "king of reggae, with more than 200 million albums sold worldwide, died on May 11, 1981 in Miami, exactly 30 years ago, what motivates tributes all over the world.
Zambia's Rastafarians gather in Lusaka to "celebrate life" of his idol, who has become the "voice of the disadvantaged" in the world. His music "continues to maintain a unit that goes beyond creeds, races, colors, borders and cultures," he told AFP Chengela Brian, director of Jah Entertainment.
will also be concerts, will be broadcast on radio or television programs, as the documentary "The Wailers: Catch a Fire", which shows behind the scenes recording of this album in 1972.
Thirty years after the death of Jamaican music, various musical currents "came from the 1950, as punk rock or remain," said sociologist and researcher at the University of Paris-Sorbonne Anne Petiau.
But Robert Nesta Marley continues to symbolize the protest, emancipation and freedom for many people of different ages, including young people, and discover music that they heard their parents or grandparents
star originally from a poor country.
For its part, the elderly "are listening to the music of his youth (...) goes back to the time," according Petiau.
Overall, the voice and the spirituality of Bob Marley - as part of Rastafarian culture and has had to introduce him on many occasions as the apostle of cannabis - have become in many disadvantaged various parts of the world.
This is, for example, in Africa, as we remember the musicians Alpha Blondy and Tiken Jah Fakoli, a continent where Bob Marley reggae forecast to return to his source of inspiration.
Bob Marley was born on February 6, 1945 in Rhoden Hall, near Nine Miles in the parish of Saint Ann (Jamaica) Jamaican mother and English father (a naval officer that the musician did not know). He lived in the ghetto of Trenchtown, Kingston, and in 1962 she recorded her first song, "Judge Not", whereupon he founded the group "The Wailers with Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer.
In 1966, he emigrated to the United States for economic reasons. There she met Mortimer Planner, a Cuban-born Jamaican, transmitted part of Rastafarian culture. After returning to Jamaica, in 1960, took his first album with The Wailers in the early 70's. "Catch a Fire" and "Burnin 'in 1973.
In 1974 he recorded his first solo album, "Natty Dread." Then came "Rastaman Vibration" in 1976 and "Exodus" in 1977. In 1977, Bob Marley gave to "The Wailers", a legendary big concert during which he played parts of the album you just recorded ("I Shot the Sheriff", "Lively Up Yourself," "Get Up, Stand Up," " Jamming "," No Woman No Cry, "" Exodus "and" War ").
almost to the final album ("Survival" in 1979, "Uprising" in 1980).
(With information from AFP)
Amaury . Good evening we With 2 who want to . Now here in 5th Avenue and Calle 32, Miramar district, in the wonderful Abdala Studios.
Today with us, I am very happy that she is here because I have always admired, I have always revered, in fact I think a woman also beautiful and it always encourages good questions. He is with us, the great pianist, the great singer and choir director extraordinary, director of the National Chorus of Cuba, and with the voice-that is spoken in the way, my friend, I have to say, the teacher, the teacher Digna Guerra.
Digna. My love.
Amaury . My life, how beautiful you come!
Digna. What an honor, what honor!
Amaury 've come so beautiful. You're so beautiful dressed, I hope that TV may be able to portray the beauty of Dignity, elegance, also has been divinely.
I want to start, because you are a person of acute responses, an important intelligence, landmark, wondering: what is a chorus?, That is, is a harmonious group, a company harmonious, angelic voices or a group of soloists frustrated?
Digna. Well, boy, is what first comes first. I think it's a group of angels that life has met once its stage to sing together, because in reality, what is sought when one sings as a whole is trying to raise the spirit, try a little angelic what result comes from the soul. Because I say that music, voice, singing comes from the mouth, comes from the soul. And for that you also do very specific work with that group. Even I think the second part of the question ... is, there may be a group of people to meet because they are frustrated by Jan reason in life, or perhaps do not know ...
Amaury. ... Or did not dare ... I'm afraid being a soloist and then I get into a choir and then hide.
Digna. Exactly. But still, I think the director's work is so important ... to lead the angelic rank any of the two groups.
Amaury. There are many people, many solo singers, I think right now in Miriam Ramos, for example, an extraordinarily rich singer who had a background in the choir.
Digna. He was in the National Chorus. He was a member of the National Chorus.
Amaury . She said a member of the National Chorus. But for example, the case is yours, you've got a tremendous voice, then my question is: Why you were not solo?
Digna. Well look, I think it was circumstantial. I started in music at the piano, is not it, and suddenly he opened the Choir School of Havana, the Havana Municipal Conservatory. I introduced myself, I took the test, I entered the Conservatory and began to study Choral. Ever, all the life I've loved singing, but nevertheless, I was pulling and I was winning the state of choral conducting, and stayed there. So what made many times, in some solos in the choir, the same singers said to me Sing you, teacher. Sing you and I went in and sang well, ran, ran. But I love to sing, I love to sing.
Amaury . And besides, you do very well. Not only do you like to sing. There are many people who likes to sing, I love to sing, but not doing well.
Digna. Ah, but I admire you very much, I have to do the parentheses there, because you really put your eye to where your bullet, and that's important.
Amaury . Well, thanks. Let's see, Digna, where you were born?
Digna. I was born in Havana, here in Havana, Central Havana, a neighborhood very humble, very close the Ameijeiras, where it was before the Charity. I am the daughter of parents also very humble, a mason and a homemaker. And really fought very much both to route. We were three brothers, and my older brother died. And much my mother struggled which was what was also on the ball with me. I got here, there, they saw the conditions was also from a very tiny, since the four years.
Amaury . How do you realize that the music sounds more attention than toys, games?
Digna. Incredible, incredible. I was in kindergarten in a public school that is ...
Amaury . "In the Kindergarten, which had three years?
Digna. Yes, yes, yes. At Kinder had a piano and then the teacher said, "But Digna, go play with the children at recess," and I would not play, I wanted to play the piano while kindergarten children were in your game. The teacher realized that I was playing the melody of the songs they taught us in kindergarten, and to put the harmony below. Then, well, surprised, and sent for my mother. Madam, do you have not noticed that the girl playing the piano?, But not with your finger, is not making melody with your finger like you do, but it touches, but put it under so far.
Amaury . You used to play those songs, marches of letters, all those songs.
Digna. All Kindergarten ditties. Then, well, I brought the Magi a toy piano. You can imagine that my father never could have bought a piano. But I will make the history of the piano. I got to have a real piano. It at that time there was a TV show named Tertulia, which encouraged him, directing him clothesline Diego, but Diego was nominated for Alderman clothesline, then across that stage, my mom puts me in a vocational school music, which was just around the house. And while a day at the corner of the schoolhouse, a cafeteria, I was talking to other girls who were there at the school. He told them, but imagine, I'm not going to continue studying because I have to study piano. And there was a man sitting there telling me suddenly, look, there's a gentleman here, and me the whole story, called Diego Rack, etc., etc. and why you do not you write?, because it is a very human person, has helped many people, what do I know, and I get a piece of paper and I write: Mr. Rack, I'm a girl so, Asao, I send my Cartica. I have no piano, I have to study and the piano is my dream, I do not know why, and well, what happens, I gave the letter to Mr. They spend days and days. I lived in a tenement, the program began at ten in the evening. And it happens that the neighbor, suddenly you hear a scandal comes and knocks on the door and says: Rachel! "Rachel called my mom, Rachel, wake up you daughter won a piano!
. Why TV?
Digna. On television.
Amaury . Mr. Rack gave you a piano on television!
Digna. Yes, and then, well, finally went and bought a piano. So the event was the arrival of the piano to the site, a real historical event.
Amaury . And what time do you then studied the piano? For neighbors, on a site ... My dad lived on the site of Aguiar, that is, that I know well the life of the sun.
Digna. I studied once that came home from school. I took off my clothes and was, piano, piano, piano, piano, piano, but it was all day, all day long. Then my dad I said, oh, Dad, I heard a song called, Here comes the goat, Lecuona. That was my dad to a music that was in San Rafael, next to the Ten Cent Galiano, I do not remember what it was called the house that sold sheet music, selling instruments, etc. And there was, I bought my score, I brought it because well, I read a lot too. I do not know what my mystery but I read, I ate the scores at first sight, a very fast manner.
Amaury . What is the mystery of sight reading? To explain to viewers that the musicians who have the ability to read music, reading musical notes, like everyone else, good reader, you can read the newspaper.
Digna. The paper, itself, is practical, you should know supposedly run the scale.
Amaury . Yes
Digna. But everything is in practice you do you daily. To me, not only that I was a student of Aida Teixeira, a great teacher of music theory.
Amaury . A legendary masterpiece!.
Digna. Legendary teacher. And the system was in the conservatory in Havana that was four years of music theory. And in four years, all my generation learned to run the scale and are tremendous solfistas that generation, you see, simply, that was a very good period, and all my generation learned to run the scale very well.
Amaury . Yes, but it's like a photographic memory, because, for example ...
Digna . Too.
Amaury . ... I learned to run the scale, you give me a paper and I have to look at the key and start slowly. And there are people, however, musicians who record with me usually, Rolando Luna, Rodney Barreto, all those people that put the paper in front ...
Digna. ... And the touch!.
Amaury . And they are playing!.
Digna. It is a practice, is a visual practice. I played four years at the Havana Symphony Orchestra, that is, the practice gives you a stand very quick view gives you a tremendous view, and this helped me a lot. I already run the scale a lot when I arrived at the Symphony and yet, those four years there before the lectern, looking, looking, meeting, helped me and encouraged me so much more. Gave me a lot more practical and eye. Hence the name, sight reading.
Amaury . At first glance. So, you see the paper, and, wham, I ate and solved, right?
You know that when you talk to me ... I've always considered a very happy woman, is the Digna I know, if there is another hidden I did not get. I always played a positive and cheerful woman. Do you think there is a relationship between happiness, joy and insecurity?
Digna. I think there is a relationship. I think they are related because we were very poor and not only us, all the people who lived there in the sun. And yet, were people who lived with joy. Perhaps our parents with the burden of life, were those who had more concerns and others, but all in all, are not the concerns of today, or yesterday, inclusive. Are the concerns before the day before yesterday. People lived very happy with what I had, that is, there was a vision of consumerism, I do not know that ...
Amaury . Ambition to build things, right?
Digna. To accumulate things, in addition, they are not going to go, you go naked, as you come into the world. I really think that money is not happiness, nor the luxuries are happiness, nothing like that. I particularly think so, perhaps, because I come from that world, of such removal.
Amaury . I said one day, do not know what electronic device I had bought, and I said Eusebio Leal, who was in the house: one builds up things and objects and what objects are slowly abandoning one.
Digna. That's right.
Amaury . Let's see, Digna, you have not told me any time yet, but I guess I can, but I want you to tell me, have you been happy?
Digna. I think so, I think so. I give thanks to life, really, because I'm still here. Each stage has its charms, dreams, dreams realized, some not made, but there's a door has always been a door, a door opened and despite the clashes, they are always teaching, in spite of difficult times, because I have had many difficult times, despite that, I have tried, as I tell people that the May lives in my heart, is not it, or That is, try to tarnish anyone putting me in October, November or February in my soul. I think May, the month of flowers, will be with me with me always.
Amaury . How beautiful, what must it have told me!
Well, you know that the other day I meet a mate, I will not put the fact, but we were on a birthday, and I about a person from our artistic endeavors and said: Amaury, very gently, because she was very kind. I said: I want you to invite, and you were invited to the program, but I said, I want you to invite the teacher. Then I say, and is invited, but why specifically? And he says the following: she will meet the time-was that it was in the National Choir 50 years and she has been leading the choir for 35 years. Then I say: Well, and those are the reasons why I should invite the teacher?, Ie, anniversaries.
What do you think of this issue that we have embraced this in a paranoid? Anniversaries closed. Because it gives me, I festejaría with the same joy your 65 than your 66, your 67, although not anniversaries. What do you think of anniversaries?
Digna. I think it's an economic problem, do you know, that anniversaries are linked to the overall economic situation.
Amaury . Yes, is not it, for the thing of five years, right?
Digna. I think so, I think so, because both have value 65, as 63 or 67.
Amaury . When do you come to Germany?
Digna. When I get there? came in 72.
Amaury . What city in Germany?
Digna. In Berlin, I was in Berlin. Studied in Berlin. It was very important. I got there and I validate almost all subjects. But within the leadership, within the curriculum of courses, there is the additional piano, then it is my turn to test for additional piano, I say, but you can not make additional piano.
Amaury . Piano complementary to explain to viewers what it is exactly.
Digna. Is a complement, here is also given supplementary piano. The complementary piano is studying the flute, you have to study additional piano, the violin has to do it too.
Amaury. Yes, because that is the case, for example, Gonzalo Ruvalcaba who studied percussion, and piano complement became THE PIANO.
Digna. Well, it happened to me in Germany.
Amaury . Ah, and there it is.
Digna. In other words, the court that I said no, but you play too much, you can not make additional piano because it is something added. No, you have to do basic piano. And I say: Oh, fine, if I came here to study, and made two state diplomas, I graduated from the two specialty level there in the Berlin Conservatory of Choral and Piano. Of the two. I studied like a fiend, morning afternoon and night, had permission from the police until ten at night to study in my home without disturbing the neighbors, but since I was raised keys.
. But look who is the second resignation. First, give up being a soloist.
Digna. Yes
Amaury . And then gave up to become a concert pianist.
Digna. Exactly, exactly, and I stayed with the choir, the choir has given me has given me a lot of human knowledge. Working with a conglomerate of people teaches you a lot and learn, learn to see a little further.
Amaury . Yes, because you have to be a psychologist to also work with groups of people.
. You have to have mass psychology for guiding to a range of people and try to unify thinking, that's not easy, not easy.
Amaury . Now, you go back to Germany and where you return when you get here. When you arrive, and I graduated, I have two wonderful diplomas: What do I do with this, so where am I?
Digna. Well, at that early stage advisor put me in art schools, to review educational programs and immediately begins to take shape the Higher Institute of Arts and Science Council is a methodological and call me so I incorporated the Scientific Methodological Council, which was the one who would prepare plans and programs of study to establish the Institute.
And the Institute was founded in 1976, or the whole 75 years I was working on plans and programs for the creation of the Institute, the foundation of the Instituto Superior de Arte.
Amaury . And at what point, for your husband, discussed later, Benjamin, Dr. Benjamin, so beloved and such a good person. When we were doing research for your program, I would not come to improvise, to throw stones, she says, ask that she was a percussionist in the Symphonic Orchestra. What time was it?
Digna. Well, when I was a student at the Conservatory of Havana.
Amaury . I said: how percussionist?, But what you played, timpani?
Digna. Yes, everything but the timpani, everything else.
Amaury . Do not imagine that skinny.
Digna. Yes.
Amaury . Playing the gong.
Amaury . Did you ever could you do?
Digna. Yes, yes, I went through all the percussion instruments in the orchestra.
Amaury . Do you know that one of the dreams of my life, as this is a conversation, also serves to confess one, was one day to complete a large symphonic work to do so: shssss. (Amaury makes gesture of orchestral cymbals close synonyms)
Digna. Playing the cymbals.
Amaury . Touching those huge dishes, and do, shsss. Know that I finish something.
Digna. But the worst of the dishes, it is not them, but when you have to turn you have to stick to the body.
Amaury . And that's a little dream adhered to. Now, I want you to tell me about your love. Because you must have been a woman in love because you're so pretty and you have had many lovers, many suitors. Did you have many suitors?
Digna. Yes
Amaury . Does not give you any grief to say yes.
Digna. No, not at all. I am a woman, and yes, people too ... who fell in love with me, yes, I have loved throughout my life, until my husband appeared.
Amaury . Let's talk about it, when it appears Benjamin?
Digna. Benjamin appears in Nicaragua, in a tour that took the National Choir, singing we were over there during the war. Besides, it was very important. As the war went to Nicaragua. There is even a sympathetic and dramatic story at a time. We were singing in a theater and suddenly the light goes out and said the ground! All the choir on the floor and we sing from the floor in the dark.
Amaury . I can not believe it!
Digna. In the dark! Well, that was in Managua, but one of the places we visited on that occasion was Matagalpa, which was where the medical mission and was very exciting, very exciting, because the medical mission was also immense. There were hundreds of Cuban doctors there. And after the concert we met there with the mission, with many of the doctors who approached us with the head of the medical mission, and we invited the physicians house. And it was there so I know Benjamin on the way, on the bus; the peek, a wink, etc.
Amaury . Were you alone at that time?, You were not with anyone.
Digna. She was alone and it caught my attention to its timbre, the color of the voice and whatnot. Well, this happened as we saw, ran, ran, back. And I remember every time my mom came home from work gave me all the days four and five letters.
Amaury . Wow!
Digna. Yes, yes, I did not know how.
Amaury. What romance!
Digna. Beautiful. And I said, do nothing, wait, let me compete.
Amaury . Right? That barbarian!, I can not imagine that Dr. Benjamin.
Digna. Ah, yes, imagine, and I put it here at auction. Well, well start now, ran, ran and has come and the year and we got married.
Amaury. Did he somehow works with you in some way help you?
Digna. Yeah, yeah, yeah, well, as 30 of the 35 years of National Choir, he has been there standing on foot with me. In his work as a doctor and also assist and represent, and practically being the support I've had over the years.
Amaury . Do you think it is useful to see, because sometimes it works and sometimes not. What is useful for the partner you work with one?
Digna. It depends.
Amaury . It depends, right?
Digna. I think not always, but I think so, in my case, yes, can serve much that much needed support in your work tasks.
Amaury . Because sometimes I see double interests collide with the interests of labor.
Digna. Yes, yes.
Amaury . Somehow, it is sometimes too much juntadera.
Digna. Too board, meeting.
Amaury . Let's see. When I met you, I can say that the first time I saw you, may have been in 74, I think it was ICAIC studies. We had Frank Fernandez, and I've always seen that there is a friendship very nice between Frank, Guido López Gavilán, teacher, and well, and our beloved Theresa ...
Digna. Teresita Junco ... ...
Amaury . ... Never forgotten, a smile that lit wherever they came Teresita. The great teacher, which many pianists, he should ...
Digna. ... Very much ...
Amaury . ... Very much, much more than it acknowledged.
Digna. That's right.
. Owe their career. How is your friendship when they meet? For this group I've always liked. It's a Fantastic Four.
Digna. How nice, eh?. Well, we were and still are four brothers. We met at the Conservatory, in fact, small. Theresa's mother was there sitting on the bench with my mother, hoping to get out of classes and all that, right?.
Amaury . Wow!
Digna. He then became Frank, who came from Mayarí to study and rest. And so began the friendship. You know, people will be grouping by affinities and the four of us enrolled in the school choir. So, Frank, he studied choral conducting. Guido, choral. Teresita, and well, me too.
The four sang together and were four bohemians who were leaving the Conservatory at 11 pm and we went to the wall of the Malecon to sit on the Malecon to sing, oh! was a time divine, divine. We, for example, went out singing something, some new arrangement of the Conservatory, we went to the bus stop, which was stuck right there, we were singing in four parts, we had not finished singing and the bus came, we climbed singing, because as it had not finished the song, and there, standing in the bus, we kept singing and soon started to notice that on the bus were silent, silent.
Amaury . Yes, I had uploaded a quartet, music, music on the bus.
Digna. There. We finished the whole bus singing and clapping. No, but how cute, how nice.
Amaury . What a beautiful day!
Digna. And we got into all night clubs. We were always where it was Portillo. Other days we went to the Pico Blanco, listen do not know who sing well. We were in that nonsense, but it was very cute, very cute. It was a beautiful stage, and so, well ...
Amaury . This nonsense that you call him, has ... made four pillars of our music.
Why the chorus, Digna, are not passed on the radio?, Even when, for example, in your case, and Between Voice Choir, who also heads sing popular music. Why do not you think that people say that's Choir, that does not work in radio?
Digna. Look, I can not say that there is ignorance, because at this point can not talk about lack of communicators, which are half as powerful in their hands as the radio, as is television.
I think, I think that is interest, or personal tastes, because unfortunately, sometimes it moves that way, nobody can tell me now, in the XXI century, the choirs are static, if it is music of churches, because those criteria that existed before, and that does not exist. In other words, the choirs move, the chorus sing popular music. I myself, I sing a lot of popular things, Pastorita has guararey of Formell, Dale as , Adalberto Alvarez, whatever you understand?
Amaury . And very drinkable arrangements ear, as they say, is not it?.
Digna. Exactly, and very innovative. I mean, I think you have to balance between what is put, reggaeton, the something and the chorus also have to have a space.
Amaury . Yes, air for everyone, right?
Digna. Exactly, because everyone ... there are ears for everyone. Diversity our and tastes people have. Everybody does not like reggaeton, everyone does not like old music, not everyone likes this or that. Well, let's do a range where everyone can freely choose what you want to hear, but I think the media has a duty to offer this range of possibilities.
Amaury . Well, hopefully this will help, at least in the case of the chorus, so that things work differently.
You know that we are using the phrase frequently: our sports movement is in good health, is our symphony music is in good health?, It's like if anyone was sick. Everything is in good health, is a phrase that has become so commonplace that it becomes cheesy, right?.
Digna. Sure.
Amaury. Do you think that the Cuban choral movement is at a point of fullness?
Digna. I think so, because much has been done. The Institute of Music specifically created groups for the development of these lines of work, there is a program called for the Development of Choral Music. And indeed this has yielded results. Many results, because it has created a team of choir directors, quarterly visit all the choirs of the country where he directed how to do, they are material, they are scores, discography. In addition to all the meetings that are, well, festivals, Santiago ...
Amaury . ... The Festival Chorus.
Digna. The de La Habana, or that there are possibilities as to meet, confront, and I think that, indeed, has many results. And each time you visit a choir, you say, 'Well, but this is not the choir for three, four, even five years ago. Really, the quality is immediately noticeable, has increased significantly.
Amaury . And is also massive.
Digna. And the masses.
Amaury . Because there are so many choirs.
Digna. And is also massive. I really do ...
Amaury . Have you lost the fear of being part of a choir.
Digna. Yes, yes.
Amaury . Because people ...
Digna. ... People of the choir is not the bastion of walking.
Amaury . Sure.
Digna. It is a specialty, is a specialty class before, for example, people said, well, students who fail the trumpet or the piano get into the choir. That was the beginning, but not now. Now people are going directly to study choir, because that's what interests them, is an important race, as the piano, and violin, as everything is in the field of music.
Amaury . Ya, let's talk about your fascination with dogs. Because many dogs have
Digna. Oh, we kennels in my house. I have 7 dogs I picked up on the street. Well, I have one abroad.
Amaury . Are you a foreigner?
Digna. I have six Cubans and ...
Amaury . ... This is a diploperro. (Laughs)
Digna. I have, as I say, Mexican, called the Nano, is an adorable dog that I found in Mexico. I was working there in Fine Arts and one morning I see a puppy and all stunted, with a chill of horror, I, well, called him, then he was half-evasive, who knows. He fled everything that was happening on the side. Well, he spent the next day I see little, and the dog was fucking me confidence and I was approaching. And I said, oh, this dog, poor thing. Well, finally picked it up, I took him to a vet, I gave vaccines, bathed, he was stripped, and the first chance I had to come on holiday, I rode in a little cage and dress. And here it is.
Amaury . And that is with their Cuban brothers.
Digna. With six Cuban brothers. Everyone has their story. But I tell you we are one big family, we are three and seven dogs.
. I have a lot of issues for you, but there is an issue that I think is important, and try to forgive him, but I think it's an important issue. Your daughter, your only child is a girl with special abilities, I prefer to call it that way. With a very particular history. I wish that you, as your means the count. Especially since as was also the last in a program with Aurora Basnuevo, so many mothers need to listen to advice. You have been a great mother and she is a great daughter, I know, and I wish you were talking in your discretion you allow, but knowing that you're sending a message as well as many mothers throughout the country and in many parts of the world. Because this is a program that is live in many parts of the world and there are mothers who are experiencing or have experienced situations like yours.
Digna. Look, my daughter, well, that is my blessing, was always a lively girl, a girl living a super temperament runs, jumps, I do not know why, afinadísima. I have a recording when he was one year plus two years and sang the songs that I taught, but with perfect pitch, perfect, musicalísima, so, a wallow in the house. Well, I registered and when it's 7 years, Caturla, proved itself to study violin and began studying violin. Immediately the girl began to play, to fiddle with accurate tuning. But a school day comes and goes, because every child vaccinated at school. But they begin to spend their days, what I know, spent two or three months, but we see that she began to stop running. It started as a slow down, to be slow all motor status. In speech, it was hard to articulate. Then it began to alarm us, and immediately start to see what happened. But no one knew what it was. And I started walking in Havana, to walk in Havana, in all ways and all colors because I had to know what happened to my daughter. And he was as demyelination, it is called.
Amaury . Yes, of course, lack of myelin, is not it?.
Digna. Yeah, so good, that the vaccine is put him in school, his body was immune rejection and to produce a growing cerebolosa ataxia and development of the cerebellum and was atrophied parts of the cerebellum. So what remains is a sequel to that episode with a balance disorder. But I immediately took letters, went to school, took her all day, talked with teachers, principals, yet the world and thus ended, and ended with tremendous shouts your high school, really, and was an official act done there. Well, that, well me.
Amaury . It is a beautiful girl, too.
Digna. It's beautiful.
Amaury . It's beautiful.
Digna. It's my life.
Amaury . How beautiful, how beautiful! Well, I start to move. Because the problem is ... that is bad about not being a professional interviewer, I get excited, it's the poor that has this.
I will not talk because it will give me time to get it, your terror of cockroaches. But I do want to talk about your tastes because when Benjamin tells me this, I would not researched this, that I sent him Benjamin. I say, are very similar tastes to mine, he says, he loves Frank Sinatra, loves Once Upon a Time in America , the movie.
Digna. Lifetime.
Amaury . And sponsors. So I say wait, but we are soul mates. Tell me about it. What causes you to see a gangster movie? As you also a woman so sweet. Do you like gangster movies?
Digna. If I like, I dunno, I do not know. I ..., there is a mystery why I have not been able to decipher. As I really like the theme of Nazism.
Amaury . Yes?
Digna. Ahhh!
Amaury . We are in the same, know what happens, how it was. The films of that era ...
Digna. Exactly how was it?, And I do not know something, I find something there that ...
Amaury. We have to exchange films and books, we have to share. I would like to conclude with the incident so beautiful Michael Legrand, when you ...
Digna. Oh, how cute!
Amaury . Because he said something about you, I am unable to repeat, he said, one of the great, great. How was it?
Digna. Look good in the Film Festival, one of the festivals, of the editions of the Latin American Film Festival, was to make the Oratorio Concert on the texts of human rights, Right?. And the music was all Michael Legrand, was for a large choir, soloists and two pianos. One of the pianos he was and that brought another fabulous pianist as well. But the work is a sweet, sweet, well, a total enjoyment. Well, I was given the task, together 150 voices for the choir.
Amaury . Zenaida was the address.
Digna. Zenaida address ...
Amaury . ... The conducting.
Digna. And I worked like an ant, morning, noon and night, because it was in French, too. And it really was extraordinary. When he came and listened, really, what he had done with the choir, she was well, but stunned and said. This woman is a giant, facing the choir, right?.
And sorry I could not enjoy much about, then what happened, the incident that happens after that tarnishes the beauty and magnificence of the work.
When it all ends, which premiered at the Karl Marx, I wonder if there was something, some toast, because well, I would not have missed something, is not it, after the success of this magnitude.
Amaury . Normally, there is.
Digna. Normally there, and I say, no, no, nothing, nothing. I said, ah, well, I'm going to my house. And there were two in the morning and knock on the door of my house, my husband opened the door, is a soldier who says, "Here lives Digna Guerra?, Yes, yes, I do not know how I got up and went to the door. Look, I come from the Commander.
Amaury. "The Commander in Chief?
Digna. Commander in Chief, of Fidel, because he was surprised that you were not in the toast that is now in the State Council. Ah, I was well. Then that was tremendous because they say they came there and said, "Where is Digna Guerra? The first thing she asked was: Where is Digna Guerra? Does discriminated against? I will not ever forget that phrase.
Well, I got dressed. I went there, and unfortunately those who had informed me that if they knew what I was going to be reported, but well, I do not know, and I did my part, it was not to be there or anything, but I also deserved to be, but hey, some people understood that and I was not.
And yet, I sent for Fidel, which I very much appreciate this gesture.
Amaury . I think it's a beautiful way to end a program, a program that started in a vacant lot in downtown Havana, who passed through Berlin, which went through Bellas Artes, Mexico, and ended with words that make up a name, that you and for me is sacred finish a program also is a way of saying, gee whiz, Fidel!
Digna. Thanks, Fidel!
Amaury . And thank you. I love you much, my love. Thank you very much.