On Saturday, October 3, flutist Nora Lee Garcia will perform a recital entitled “Music of the Americas” with guitarist Rene Izquierdo at the University of Central Florida Rehearsal Hall at 8:00 p.m.
The recital celebrates Latin heritage and includes music from Cuba, Brazil, and Argentina. Garcia, who is of Puerto Rican descent, says she likes to present a concert annually during Latin Heritage month in order to celebrate Hispanic awareness and to connect with her cultural heritage.
“We are playing three suites, each of which shows a different portrait of the countries. ‘Suite Habana’ [by Eduardo Martin] is a portrait of Cuba. Suite de Buenos Aires [by Máximo Diego Pujols] gives a musical glimpse of the Argentinian capital. The third suite [Astor Piazzola’s “Historia del Tango”] tells the history of the tango dance, from 1900 to today. There are stories behind all of the music,” explains Garcia.
Garcia is one of the most highly regarded flutists in the concert world today and is an Associate Professor at the UCF School of Performing Arts. She decided to partner with guitarist Rene Izquierdo after a mutual colleague recommended them to each other. The two have never met and will have just two rehearsals together before their performance on Saturday.
“Rene is from Cuba and is a faculty member at Wisconsin State University, in Milwaukee. He travels all over the world playing all types of music. We’ve never met, but are working together on a collaborative recording, to come out in May,” says Garcia.
She encourages all curious community members to come to the free performance. “This concert is meant to connect people to different cultures. It is popular music from different countries and beautiful in nature. It is a concert that everyone can find something to identify with and enjoy.”
In addition to the UCF concert, Garcia is performing in another concert, also entitled “Music of the Americas,” on October 17 with the Bach Festival Society. She has been the principal flutist of the Bach Festival Society for twenty years.
The recital will be showcased on the UCF School of Performing Arts live stream.
For more information, you can visit the event page at the UCF School of Performing Arts.
Contact: Heather Gibson with further inquiries, UCF School of Performing Arts; 407-823-1732, heather.gibson@ucf.edu
The School of Performing Arts at the University of Central Florida comprises the Music and Theatre departments. In addition to year-round performances and teaching on the UCF campus, the School presents performances and outreach in cooperation with our community partners, which include the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orlando Repertory Theatre, and the Orlando Shakespeare Theater. For more information about attending performances visit http://performingarts.cah.ucf.edu
America’s Partnership University: The University of Central Florida, the nation’s second-largest university with nearly 60,000 students, has grown in size, quality, diversity and reputation in its first 50 years. Today, the university offers more than 200 degree programs at its main campus in Orlando and more than a dozen other locations. UCF is an economic engine attracting and supporting industries vital to the region’s future while providing students with real-world experiences that help them succeed after graduation. For more information, visit http://today.ucf.edu.