Book by Master Guido López Gavilán Presented at Havana Book Fair

February 24, 2024

For 32 editions now, the International Book Fair has been celebrated each year in Cuba, a cultural event that due to its importance and national magnitude, has become one of the most important events taking place in the country.

On this occasion, the celebration of books and reading extends from February 15 to 25 in Havana and will subsequently take place in each of the Cuban provinces.

As part of the offerings for readers, last Thursday, February 22, at 2:00 p.m., the book "La dirección orquestal sinfónica. Su expresión en Cuba" by master Guido López-Gavilán was presented, the result of his research to obtain a Doctor of Science degree in Art from the University of the Arts (ISA), in the Lezama Lima room of the Fortaleza de la Cabaña.

The possibility of having this volume is due to joint work between Aurelia Ediciones and the Fondo de Arte Joven (FAJ), a platform for the promotion of emerging art in Cuba, which has among its fundamental supports Swiss Cooperation (COSUDE).

Master López Gavilán compiles in this book various milestones of symphonic orchestral direction in Cuba from 1922, the date when the first symphony orchestra was founded in the country, until 2022, when the first century of this event was commemorated.

In this way, the distinguished composer and director of the Música Eterna Chamber Orchestra offers valuable information about concerts and orchestra conductors that was scattered in music dictionaries, essays and musicological reviews in the mentioned period.

Based on the material gathered, which includes the foundations of this discipline and the knowledge upon which he has built his own work, the 2015 National Music Prize winner has prepared reference material that will undoubtedly become essential bibliography for the Symphonic Orchestral Direction subject in the teaching system of this specialty in Cuba.

With these characteristics, "La dirección orquestal sinfónica. Su expresión en Cuba" by master Guido López-Gavilán, is a volume that will be sought out by those who aspire to become future orchestra directors, as well as music enthusiasts and readers, in a general sense.