Around three in the afternoon on any given day of the week, as you pass through the door of the Larios gallery, a soft melody invites you to stop and listen. I’ve been watching for a while and everyone who passes by, of any age, stops to enjoy the music.
The invitation comes from a rehearsal by the Camagüey Chamber Orchestra, which is working on its next premiere, a concert by Arcangelo, with various movements in G minor. It is entitled Christmas Concert.
Before entering the room, I wait for the performance to end and the intermission to take place, to get closer to its director, Juan Ramón Orol, who is the founder of the group, which already celebrates a quarter of a century on the scene.
Interesting facts
I must say that chamber orchestras are small-format groups, mainly composed of violins. They appeared around 1750 for small rooms of the royal palaces, but over time they changed their composition with violas and cellos, some with piano or guitar accompaniment, but their instruments are always stringed ones.
One of the most relevant composers of music, such as Beethoven, composed ten sonatas for violin of this style, as well as five for cello, which are the model of scores most interpreted by his followers.
The Camagüey group, is made up of 16 musicians, it is beautiful to see how the novices and the experts complement each other in perfect harmony. This chamber orchestra is composed of 5 violins, 2 violas, a cello and a bass.
A little bit about history
Roberto Campo Valdés is the founder of the orchestra, he remembers the beginnings with maestro Orol, when a handful of young people came together to make classical music, so lacking in the cultural panorama of the territory in the last decade of the last century.
For him there is no better award than a big round of applause, because music is his life and he puts his soul in each performance so that it reaches those who listen to it in the same way.
The middle generation
Chamber music is a genre of academic, written for a small group of instruments; hence its members are mostly teachers.
The violinist Gladys Maxám is a teacher at the Luis Casa Romero Vocational School of Art. In her 10 years as a member of the orchestra, she has participated in events abroad, but she always returns because being among her companions is like being at home.
About the youngest
Dianet Llañez, is from the youngest generation of violinists, feels that the Chamber Orchestra is a great school for all musicians, she particularly appreciates the training and demands of the teacher and director, which are reflected in the quality of each show. For her the enjoyment of presentations and rehearsals are a pleasure.
A great family of musicians
Most of those present here prefer to play their instruments than comment on their feelings, but as a good observer, I could appreciate that they are a great family; some are aware of the other and know that they can trust their teacher, who has dedicated 25 years of his life to take his music to the most beautiful places. They eternally grateful to their teacher Juan Orol.
I recently had the pleasure of enjoying a concert by the Camagüey orchestra at the Heritage Interpretation Center and I felt that my spirit vibrated with its varied repertoire, which in addition to the classic, includes contemporary themes such as Imagine, a song by John Lennon that call for peace.
It has been a luxurious afternoon; I received the scoop on a new concert: Christmas Concert. Before saying goodbye and thanking the musicians for their time, cellist Roberto asks me what I think about the Chamber Orchestra of Camaguey and I could bluntly assure him that… it is very special.
Translated by: Aileen Álvarez García
