Last night saw the conclusion of the Latin American Art Music Festival at the University of Kansas. I gave the keynote speech about the re-imagination of musical Pan-Americanism, and immediately afterward, I conducted KU music students in a performance of four works that our Cayambis Sinfonietta had previously presented on our 2024 concert last fall.
These student musicians played very well, which is a tribute to the high level of instruction that these students are receiving from the faculty members with whom they are studying. There’s always some amount of trepidation when coming into a situation like this, but these students responded quite admirably.
I’d like to thank all who were involved in having organized this festival, the ones that I know about, such as Drs. Margaret Marco and Ketty Wong, as well as the many who worked behind the scenes. Thank you!
I’d also like to thank those who have been reading these posts over the past few days. In the days that follow, please consider forwarding these to your friends and colleagues. After all, though we may live in uncertain times, the fundamental message of my keynote speech is that, by re-imagining the musical Pan-Americanism of the mid 20th century, we can push back, not only by increasing and enhancing our appreciation of Latin American classical music (this is, you know, part of our shared cultural heritage), but especially, to change the hateful rhetoric regarding our fellow Americans, wherever they may live in the western hemisphere.