Maestro Jose Maria Vitier and his party arrived in Trinidad last Saturday to the warm welcome of Dr Pat Bishop, and a small group of Lydians who sang for him at the Piarco International Airport. Visibly moved, Vitier confessed that this was the best welcome he had ever had in arriving to a new country.
Vitier is a Cuban music composer and pianist. He has made music for movies and television, as well as compositions for piano, symphonic orchestra, chamber orchestra, among other formats. His style often combines the classical and Cuban folk music styles. Dr Bishop, Maestro Vitier, and percussionist Abel Acosta, who also happens to be the deputy minister of culture in Cuba, spoke at length about the types of drums that would be incorporated into the Lydians' performance of the Misa Cubana. These include Indian tassa drums, together with African drums. Acosta also brought drums from Cuba to accompany the Lydians and the Christmas performance of the Misa Cubana.
The first rehearsal with Maestro Vitier took place last December 5 at the East Mucurapo Secondary School hall with the full cast–Desperadoes Steel Orchestra, the Soogrim Ram Tassa Drummers, the Malick Folk Drummers, members of the Lydians Steel Orchestra, accompanists Lindy-Ann Bodden-Ritch, Myrtle Cumberbatch , and Jerome Dinchong, percussionists John Jacob and Abel Acosta, Maestro Jose Maria Vitier, and approximately 100 Lydian voices.
For more information on Misa Cubana, contact the Queen's Hall Box office at 621-5103, Ext 1.