Dranoff 2 Piano and Miami-Dade County Auditorium Present Cuba 2024

MIAMI - April 19, 2024 - PRLog -- The Dranoff 2 Piano Foundation in partnership with the Miami Dade County Auditorium is proud to present the 4^th year of its annual Cuban Independence series. Cuba 2024: A Contemporary Showcase of the Greatest Cuban & Cuban American Composers taking place on May 17^th at 8pm in the Sanctuary of the Arts will explore the musical heritage of Cuba and the U.S. today highlighting South Florida as a creative catalyst for many of Cuba's contemporary artists.

Shooting stars of Cuban jazz piano, Kemuel Roig and Osmany Paredes, and their jazz band performing the music of the king of Cuban jazz piano Chucho Valdés, Mario Bauza, the first Cuban musician and composer to be a big success in the U.S, Ernesto Lecuona, and original works of Cuban and Cuban American composers including their own new music premieres. Kemuel Roig and Osmany Paredes will be joined by their jazz band by Samuel Burgos on bass and Hilario Bell on drums.

Moving Cuba 2024 to Sanctuary of the Arts in Coral Gables after 8 years of sold-out Cuban and Latin music concerts at the Miami-Dade County Auditorium is an exciting and perfect cultural match for Coral Gables and Miami audiences and Dranoff's fantastic performance opportunity in this gorgeous new arts campus.

Cuba 2024: A Contemporary Showcase of the Greatest Cuban & Cuban American Composers will be an inaugural part of Miami-Dade County Auditorium's away from home series. Dranoff will continue to partner with Miami-Dade County Auditorium while they are under renovation in the next year while bringing top Cuban and Hispanic artists to new venues across Miami. Celebrating and keeping alive the great arts presented for almost 75 years at Miami-Dade County Auditorium.

Friday, May 17^th at 8pm
Sanctuary of the Arts
410 Andalusia Avenue
Coral Gables, FL 33134

Tickets are $40 and can be purchased online at www.sanctuaryofthearts.org

About Dranoff

Recognized by critics and music lovers for presenting top duo piano artists from around the world, Dranoff 2 Piano champions the highest quality music from classical to contemporary, through the art form of 2 pianos, widening the lens of great art across heritage and time. For 38 years, the Dranoff 2 Piano Foundation has been the world's leading champion of two piano repertoires and artistry. Dranoff discovers, promotes, and awards honors to top professional duo piano artists through its competition, commissions, and presentations of duo piano concerts in Miami and prestigious concert venues in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Dranoff 2 Piano is one of the leading commissioners of top classical and Jazz composers today including John Corigliano, William Bolcom, Gabriela Lena Frank and 2023 world premiere of Chucho Valdés. The Dranoff promotes awareness in a new generation of students of the transformational power of music and the arts through its multi-disciplinary, educational, and inspirational concert program, PIANO SLAM.

About the MDCA Away From Home Series

Miami-Dade County Auditorium's programming continues to thrive during this period of renovation through the Away From Home Series. This program consists of off-site performances presented at alternative venues with community partners, ensuring that the magic of the performing arts continues to captivate audiences throughout this transition period. The Away From Home Series presents dance, theatre, and music performances that take place at a variety of South Florida facilities and cultural centers. MDCA remains committed to keeping the spirit of creativity alive during this monumental endeavor and invite you to join us away from home!

About the Artists

Kemuel Roig – At age 4, Cuban-born Kemuel Roig had already developed a passion for music and was intent on becoming a drummer. Four short years later, he studied both percussion and classical piano as a student of the Cuban National Vocational Art School in Ciego de Avila, Cuba, a pursuit he continued until relocating to the United States in 2002. At age 18, Roig accepted an invitation to perform at the Umbria Jazz Festival in Italy with the MDC Hard Bop Jazz Ensemble, an ensemble with which he won both outstanding composition and piano solo from DownBeat Magazine's Annual Student Competition the following year. Roig has subsequently toured and recorded globally with musicians such as Arturo Sandoval, Al Di Meola, Giovanni Hidalgo, Ed Calle, Amaury Gutierrez, Aymee Nuviola and Isaac Delgado, to name a few. "Genesis," was released in 2020 featuring renowned names like Chris Potter, Randy Brecker, Alain Perez, and Julio Padron as a biography of Roig's musical life honoring his musical heroes. Influenced by the musical genius of musicians such as Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Chucho Valdez, Bud Powell, McCoy Tyner, Bill Evans, and Fred Hersch, "Genesis" is seven original AfroCuban Jazz compositions and three world-recognized jazz standards arranged a la Afro-Cuban Jazz. In November 2020, Kemuel recorded his most recent musical project called "Live Acoustic Session". Last year, he decided to produce a live experience for all the music lovers wanting to hear something fresh, hopeful, and full of original compositions in the midst of one of humanity's hardest moments. He is the founder and head instructor of Pianodemia.com, his virtual piano academy for musician at all levels.

Osmany Paredes – At eight, Osmany Paredes began his classical piano career at the "Olga Alonso" Vocational School of Arts in his hometown, Santa Clara, Cuba. However, his first contact with music was at age 3 through his father, Guillermo Paredes, a percussionist with the Santa Clara Modern Music Orchestra, who taught him about the various Afro-Cuban rhythms and styles. In 1991 he graduated with honors from the National School of Arts (ENA) in Havana. Immediately afterward, he joined the Orquesta América, which allowed him to travel to Venezuela; Upon returning, he joined Bobby Carcassés' jazz group and then the Maestro Enrique Jorrín's Orchestra (creator of Cha-Cha-Cha) with which he had the opportunity to arrive in Mexico in 1992. In this stage of eleven years of work in Mexico, he shared the stage with musicians such as Israel "Cachao" López, Jerry González, Fellove Valdés, Celio González, and Diego "El Cigala," "Patato" Valdés, among others. In 2003, Paredes moved to Boston. Since then, he has collaborated and recorded with artists such as Richard Bona, Jeff "Tain" Watts, Giovanni Hidalgo, Roy Hargrove, David Sánchez, Jane Bunett, Issac Delgado, Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra, among many others. Since 2007 he has lived in New York City, where he has his jazz group and collaborates with different musical projects. He has toured Central and South America, the United States, Europe, Africa, Australia, and Asia, appearing at the most important Festivals and Jazz clubs. He has four solo albums to his credit: "Osmany Paredes Con Menduvia," "Passages," "Trio Time," and "Inside My Roots." His repertoire is based mainly on original compositions, jazz standards, and Cuban and Latin music in general. Countries where Paredes has taught Master Classes on Cuban music and jazz, include Colombia, the United States, Canada, Cuba, and Mexico.

Martin Bejerano Artistic Director is an acclaimed pianist and composer and has performed/recorded with numerous jazz luminaries including his 20 year association with GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award-winning drummer Roy Haynes, Christian McBride Band, Dave Holland, Pat Metheny, Ignacio Berroa, Ron Carter, Russell Malone, Dafnis Prieto, Roxana Amed, Brian Lynch,, Adam Nussbaum, John Faddis, Roy Hargrove, Marcus Strickland  He is featured on over 25 recordings, including the GRAMMY nominated Fountain of Youth with the Roy Haynes Quartet, and Roxana Amed's Latin GRAMMY nominated album Ontology. "Editor's Choice was nominated for a Latin GRAMMY award. Currently, Martin heads the Jazz Piano Studio at the acclaimed Frost School of Music, University of Miami, serving as Artistic Director for the world-renown Dranoff International 2 Piano Foundation.

www.Dranoff2Piano.org