Yalil Guerra Founds the Guerra String Orchestra in Los Angeles

March 17, 2023

With the mission of promoting gems of classical music, as well as compositions by Ibero-American artists, Cuban Yalil Guerra Soto fulfills his dream of creating the GSO-Guerra String Orchestra. The debut will be with a concert at the Catholic Church St. Andrew, in Pasadena, in Los Angeles County, California, on May 6 at 7:30 p.m.

"My soul lives from music," Yalil Guerra revealed in an interview with Diario de las Américas. This project, he highlighted, has no precedent in the city, and seeks to present repertoires of his own music and that of other Spanish-speaking composers, "something so necessary in a city where there are so many millions of Spanish speakers."

As he added, "it is of vital importance that the music of our Ibero-American composers be known and heard, we have much to offer and possess an infinite rainbow of possibilities, almost unknown to many."

Regarding the reasons why he decided to create this musical ensemble, he detailed that "the idea of creating a string orchestra has been circulating in my head for some years. It is an instrumental format for which I have written a lot of music and, moreover, there is abundant repertoire. This type of group can serve as a base for future expansions, including guest soloists, or adding woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments, thus turning it into a chamber orchestra. Let's say it is a comfortable platform to grow and fly high."

The orchestra features prestigious musicians from the city, who have joined forces with Guerra to bring interesting musical repertoires to the Los Angeles audience.

"It has about 13 musicians in total and that will be the foundation, it might grow, if the budget allows me, and I am confident that will happen, as I am very optimistic about everything I do," commented the composer, orchestra conductor and Latin Grammy Award winner.

Regarding the orchestra's projection, he noted that he plans to hold about four concerts a year in the city of Los Angeles, "although I would like to take the project to other cities like Miami, New York and wherever doors open."

"The main objective of the orchestra is to be 'free' musically speaking, to be able to perform, program, record whatever I deem appropriate, without anyone controlling or dictating what I do or don't do. To be independent and seek that free world is my best wish. This project should also serve as a musical laboratory to search for sounds, colors and forms for creative projects that are yet to come," Guerra asserted.

It is worth noting that among his plans is "to premiere the music of my composition students and the work of Ibero-American composers, as we have much to offer the world and little is known of these repertoires by non-specialized audiences."

Regarding the youngest, he admitted that, "without entering into controversy, we live in a world where music that brutalizes, yes, brutalizes, is what is talked about everywhere. The new idols are venerated by the masses, those popular masses are entertained from above, like puppets without realizing it, and those who pull the strings find it convenient to entertain with what is least productive for society, thus they keep the cultural level low, which is not the same as the academic level."

As he expanded, "the approach of new generations to this music must come from top to bottom: from government to people; from grandparents to grandchildren; from teacher to student; from the media to electronic devices. But, what do we receive? If you know the answer, then we already know what needs to change. As an educator, I am concerned with teaching my students the best of music and also the worst of it, so they know what one thing and the other is."

Change, in his opinion, "comes from our hearts, not from outside. We have to remove the stones from the path, but if we cannot because of forces beyond our control, then we must forge a route, even if it is small, but that it is long enough to connect our souls with something sublime and beautiful, music."

He also acknowledged that "the greatest challenge of classical music in these times is achieving the financing of projects, be they concerts or recordings.

Beyond obtaining income, Yalil Guerra seeks that professional satisfaction that artists know well. "There are missions in life that are not paid with money. Money does not feed my soul. My soul lives from music. Music is my life," he assured.

"The GSO arises independently, from those sparks of energy or sudden but meditated outbursts that happen to me. I have always had the support of God, who has always known how to illuminate and deposit ideas in my mind, has made me imagine things and I only listen to them, think about them and execute them," Guerra emphasized about a project "100% of personal effort."

He also took the opportunity to thank those "people who support me, in addition to the public that buys tickets to attend this event, this is my greatest satisfaction."

The orchestra's debut concert is titled Old Havana and combines an exquisite selection of universal classics such as Johann Sebastian Bach and Felix Mendelssohn, as well as pieces by Cuban composers Aurelio de la Vega and Yalil Guerra himself.

"I want to thank my sponsors: Café La Llave, Sigue Corporation, Paul Diaz Insurance, El Sabor de Yamila Cuban Food and Mike Ferrer. Also to all those who have bought the tickets," the musician wrote on his social networks.