Lino Arturo Neira Betancourt

Dr. C Lino Neira has spent more than thirty-eight years dedicated to artistic and teaching work. Graduated in Percussion from ENA (1970), Licensed in Musicology from ISA (1985) and graduated with a Doctorate in Sciences on Art from the Instituto Superior de Arte (2002).

Newly graduated from ENA, he performed Social Service as a Percussion teacher at the "Esteban Salas" Conservatory in Santiago de Cuba. During that period, he was a solo percussionist, lecturer and percussionist-conductor of the Percussion Quartet of Oriente; guest musician with the Symphonic and Modern Music Orchestras of Oriente.

He was also a percussionist at the "García Lorca" Theater and recorded music from the New Trova Movement for records (LP) and incidental music for theater, ballet and dance.

Guest musician with the Orchestra of the "Continental" Cabaret at the "Internacional" Hotel in Varadero, the National Symphonic Orchestra and the Percussion Ensemble of the "Rain Forest" Cabaret at the "Cristal Palace" Hotel (The Bahamas).

As a musicologist, he developed collaborations with the National Directorate of Music and Entertainment, CIDMUC and the National Museum of Music. Professional trips: Italy, Venezuela, USA, Spain, France, The Bahamas, Sweden, Colombia and Costa Rica.

For sixteen years he was president of the Society of Percussionists of Cuba (PERCUBA), President of the International Percussion Festival of Cuba. He was also an advisor to the Festival of Music and Dances of African Roots "Wemilere" in Guanabacoa, president of the Colloquium "Syncretism and Identity" in Palmira and head of the Cultural Animation Brigade of Montaña "Barigua".

He is also Honorary President of the Rumba and Charanguera Conga Workshop Alfonso Iyaé, "CubAché" in Bejucal; research member of Chairs for the Study of Africanity at ISA and Alcalá de Henares Universities; judge for the Musicology Prize of Casa de las Américas and the International Music Festival "Petronio Álvarez" in Cali; member of the Musicology Section of the Association of Musicians of UNEAC; and head of the Brigade of Musicological Research of Montaña "Argeliers León".

About his topics
His scientific research topics have been related to: The musical culture of the abakuá in Cuba; acoustics of Cuban instruments; ethnomusicological studies and artistic animation in rural and mountain communities; and the origin and development of percussion and music in Cuba. He currently works on the topic: The musical culture of the carabali in Cuba, the Caribbean and South America.

Publications
He has published titles such as:

How an abakuá drum sounds (1991)
Percussion in the musical genres of Cuba (2004)
Percussion in Cuban music 2005
Articles in the newspapers: Granma, La corchea and Cubadisco; in the magazines Percussioni and MusiCuba from Rome; Percussions from Paris; Percussive Notes from Illinois; Cúpulas, Educación, La Letra del Escriba, Enfoques and Cultura y Sociedad. Articles in digital publications: La Jiribilla, Cuba a la mano (IPS) from Havana, among others.

Co-authorship
He is co-author with CIDMUC of Instruments of the Folkloric-Popular Music of Cuba. Atlas (Havana, 1997) and of the "Cuban Voices" to the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Spanish and Hispanic American Music (Madrid, 1999). He directed, produced and wrote the notes for the Abakuá Music CD, EGREM (Havana, 2006).

Recognition and distinctions
He has received a total of forty scientific, teaching, artistic and military distinctions of national and international character, whose main examples are:

Diploma for Pedagogical Merit in 1999.
Distinction for National Culture in 1999.
"Alejo Carpentier" Medal in 2001.
"50th Anniversary of the FAR" Medal in 2007.
Order "Frank País Second Degree" in 2008.