Zenaida Castro Romeu

Descendant of a family of musicians, in 1983 she created the Chamber Choir "Cohesión" that set standards for a new stage presence and a new vocal sonority.

She has directed various choral and orchestral groups both in Cuba and abroad and made recordings with outstanding choral and orchestral groups, as well as directed important soundtracks for film and television. In this regard, it is worth highlighting her important contribution to the Cuban film La bella del Alhambra and, for its cultural significance and the mastery with which the premiere in America of the Concert was conducted in 1989 with composer and pianist Michel Legrand as soloist.

In 1993, under the auspices of the Pablo Milanés Foundation, she created the Camerata Romeu, the first female chamber orchestra of strings with which she has broken through with new artistic and scenic codes in the cultural sphere. Prize for Choral Music in 1989 and Goya Prize in Spain, she holds the Distinction "For National Culture" and the Medal "Alejo Carpentier" 2002.

Passionate and rigorous, the prestigious Cuban orchestra conductor and choral director Zenaida Castro Romeu is also an innovator. Owner of a very personal style, she has directed the Camerata that bears her surname for the past 16 years. Furthermore, she has directed the soundtrack for several Cuban films.

Music runs in her blood. And this is not an exaggeration if one takes into account that she comes from a family of outstanding musicians. In her home, after a day dedicated to teaching, the musical director.

She began her piano studies with Zenaida Romeu; subsequently she studied choral direction at the National School of Art with Agnes Kralovcaszky, and orchestra direction with Gonzalo Romeu, at the Higher Institute of Art. She was director of the Cohesión Choir, 1983-1987, and of the Lyric Study group, a group led by Alina Sánchez.

In 1989 she directed the American premiere of Michel Legrand's Concert oratorio, with him and Erick Berchot as pianists. Regarding the work on this piece, Legrand said: "Zenaida has the mastery of simplifying the complex, of making easy what is difficult. I am very surprised by this version of the Concert oratorio, never before conducted that way."

In 1993 she founded the Camerata Romeu, whose official presentation was in September 1994, made up of Zenaida Castro Romeu, conductor; Lázara Martínez Boada, concertmaster violin; Yeni Padrón Padrón, first and second violin; Inaldy París Cabello, second violin; Mónica Cruzata Espino and Anolan González Morejón, violas; Mailén González Aldama, cello, and Adays Marrero Núñez, double bass. With this group she traveled that same year to Mexico and later participated in the Cervantino Festival held in that city.

Camerata Romeu was born in the realm of Musical Culture as a fresh, rigorous and authentic proposal, addressing the best of the chamber music repertoire of Cuban music in particular and Latin American music in general. Its musical proposal is based on a string ensemble inherited from the Central European tradition, dedicated especially to the performance, promotion and recognition of chamber music.

In 1996, the first CD of Camerata Romeu was released, La Bella Cubana, which won the Chamber Music and Critics' awards, becoming a classic in Cuban music of this style. The music of Ignacio Cervantes is also recreated by the Camerata in the album Cervantes, four pianos, as well as in the CD Cuba Mía, which highlights the variety of Cuban musical creation.

Its discography is extensive and comprehensive, with other highly successful recordings, such as Danza de las brujas, Serranito, Strictly Worldwide, El día que murió el silencio, Raigal, Non divisi…

She has toured Spain, Canada, Sweden, Colombia, Ecuador and Costa Rica.