On this CD of the Camerata Romeu, led by Conductor Zenaida Romeu, we hear the world renowned, all-female Chamber Orchestra playing everything from Folk and Classical compositions to stirring renditions of new Cuban music. Using their sting instruments to reimagine the popular island rhythms from Africa, Spain, Latin American Indians, and the Caribbean, they create an original and soulful sound all their own. The companion to the award winning Cuba Mia PBS documentary and DVD, the album “Camerata Romeu: Cuba Mia” This recording captures the harmonies of the Cuban soul and offers an unforgettable message of hope.
Amazingly talented, incredibly beautiful, and Cuban to the core, these amazing musicians demonstrate the power of music to cross the boundaries of nations, gender, and time. Whether performing in their stunning Basilica in Old Havana or captured live on this album, “Camerata Romeu: Cuba Mia” (Soundtrack), these astoundingly gifted women perform with a joy and energy that has made them renowned to both lovers of Classical music and fans of fellow Cuban musicians such as the Buena Vista Social Club.
Song Selection:
1. Pregoneros | Calixto Alvarez | 2:33 |
2. Invitacion al son | Calixto Alvarez | 3:25 |
3. Medico de Pianos | Jorge L. Martin | 4:47 |
4. Canambu | Eduardo Gamboa | 4:44 |
5. Rosa Roja | Oscar Ildez/ Zenaida Romeu | 3:07 |
6. Manisero | Moises Simons/ Roberto Valera | 2:14 |
7. Danza Lucumi | Ernesto Lecuona/Roberto Valera | 2:33 |
8. A la Antigua | Ernesto Lecuona/Roberto Valera | 2:37 |
9. Improvisada | Cervantes/Zenaida Romeu | 1:28 |
10. Cortesana | Cervantes/Zenaida Romeu | 1:13 |
11. Cuba Mia | Armando Romeu/Roberto Valera | 4:20 |
12. He Perdido Contigo | Luis Cardenas/Zenaida Romeu | 3:45 |
13. Jugando Contigo | R. Prats/ Zenaida Romeu | 1:56 |
14. Momo | Eman L. Nussa/Roberto Valera | 4:33 |
The orchestra:
Zenaida Romeu: Conductor/Founder
Yadira Cobo: Violin
Yescenia Fales: Cello
Yohima Fernandez: Viola
Anolan Gonzalez: Viola
Veronica Reyes: Violin
Lianne Lastre: Percussion
Dayren Santamaria: Violin
Caridad Zaldivia: Bass
About Camerata Romeu:
Zenaida Romeu, founder of the Camerata Romeu and one of the world’s few female conductors, was born into a family of Cuban performers and composers spanning several generations. She created her orchestra in 1992, and it has blossomed into an accomplished group of all-female instrumentalists, playing a variety of music ranging from Mozart to traditional Cuban, all with their own distinct and youthful flavor. The musical focus of the orchestra is playing European style classical music while drawing on the Spanish, African and Latin American Indian rhythms that are popular throughout the island of Cuba.
They have played all over Cuba, both in the large cities like Havana and small country towns. They have also been privileged to receive a tremendously warm response from enthralled audiences while on tour in the United States, Latin America and Europe. Despite the everyday hardships of life in Cuba, scarcity of musical supplies and quality instruments, injuries and insecurities, this group of women, who are also busy housewives, mothers and students, have created an original sound that displays their tremendous musical gifts for the world to see. They have two highly acclaimed CD’s, “Cuba Mia”, and “La Bella Cubana”.