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Roberto Roena and Apollo Sound will celebrate 50 anniversaries at the Puerto Rico Fine Arts Center
Latin America / Puerto Rico / San Juan
Roberto Roena: Staying active in any profession for 50 (fifty) years is not an easy task for anyone. But if it is a musical orchestra that half a century later continues to bring tropical music to all corners of the planet, more than a musical group, it becomes an institution.
That is the reality of the Apollo Sound orchestra and its founder, the percussionist and dancer Roberto Roena, who this summer celebrate five decades making the world dance and will celebrate it with a great concert to commemorate his career.
“We are going to do something big to celebrate 50 years. It will be in the month of June at the Center for Fine Arts, “said Roena in conversation with this medium.
“It’s going to be something really cool. We are going to sing the hits of the orchestra, we will have guests and a little bit of everything”, added the musician, who indicated that the exact date will be confirmed in the coming weeks.

The Apollo Sound Orchestra was founded in July 1969 and its name derives from the launch that same month of the Apollo 11 space mission, which aimed to carry the first human being to walk on the surface of the moon.
His record catalog includes more than 20 productions and among his most notorious hits are “Tú loco loco y yo tranquil”, “El Escapulario”, “Marejada Feliz” and “El Progreso”, among many others. In the case of Rohena, the renowned 79-year-old musician from Mayagüez began his musical career much earlier, at age 16, with the distinguished group of Rafael Cortijo y su Combo.
He was also part of Rafael Ithier’s Gran Combo and appeared in the star catalog of the famous Fania record company and its All Stars, among other collaborations.
It was in the Mayagüez neighborhood of Dulces Labios where he was born, raised and took his first steps as a dancer. “Sweet Lips is my neighborhood. I have many memories of my childhood days.
From there came great musicians, such as Santitos Colón and Mon Rivera”, he pointed out.

When she was nine years old, her family moved to Santurce and when she was barely a teenager, she was already appearing on television.
He was discovered by Cortijo in one of his dance performances on the La Taberna India program and from there he became a percussionist for the renowned group. Since then, he has not stopped delighting his followers with his music.
“In these 50 years, there is no greater satisfaction than being able to continue playing,” said Roena, who last Saturday began the celebration of his 50 years in a concert at the Lehman Center of Performing Arts in New York, where he brought together several of the singers who accompanied the group in its beginnings, such as Sammy González, Tito Cruz and Carlos Santos, among others. In addition to the concert, Roena does not rule out going back to the studio to continue shaping her music for posterity.
“This does not mean the end of Roberto Roena and the Apolo Sound. We are going to continue as long as God wants”, he sentenced.

RELATED ITEMS: 50TH ANNIVERSARY, CENTER OF FINE ARTS P.R., INTERNATIONALS, ROBERTO ROENA AND HIS APOLLO SOUND
Berklee Online: The Best Option for Learning Music Online
According to many of the artists we have had the honor of interviewing in this section, one of the most important things to succeed in the world of music is education and academic preparation. Fortunately, the United States is full of academic institutions offering all kinds of degrees, courses and diplomas to contribute to knowledge base artists use for their work. One such institution is Berklee College of Music.
Berklee College of Music is one of the leading music institutes in the state of Massachusetts and offers all kinds of academic degrees related to this important branch of the arts on its campuses in Boston, New York and Valencia, Spain. Its biggest focus is developing the potential of its students in areas like music, dance and theater.
In this prestigious institution, students have the opportunity to experience every aspect of the music industry through an interdisciplinary curriculum. On its website, those interested can see everything that is offered such as undergraduate, graduate, summer programs and online courses.
In addition, Berklee has made available to its applicants the possibility of studying in an online mode through its Berklee Online initiative.

Berklee Online
Berklee Online is an initiative by Berklee College of Music created in 2002 with a view to allowing aspiring musicians and established artists to pursue economic and high-quality degrees and educational programs from anywhere in the world.
Berklee students will be able to develop and improve all of their artistic skills through online certificate programs, award-winning courses, and undergraduate programs.
An important thing to note is that online students will be able to learn from the same professors from the physical campus, so at no time will there be any decrease in the quality of teaching compared to face-to-face classes. We are talking about the best professionals in each of their areas who have taught classes to numerous artists and have been part of national and international award-winning projects. Likewise, many of the graduates of this institution have won Grammys and other awards of this kind.
According to figures handled by the college, Berklee Online has students from around 140 countries and very diverse academic and work backgrounds, but with the same desire to learn and absorb the best from their instructors.
Another benefit offered by Berklee is the assignment of an academic advisor to students in order to support them in achieving their goals and help them in everything they need to make their experience the best it can be.
And for those who are not particularly interested in enrolling in a paid course, they can also opt for free resources to complement the activities they are carrying out. Among these resources, we can mention free sample lessons, degree handbooks, online course catalogs, news and exclusive content.
Once on the page online.berklee.edu, whoever wishes to have access to all this material must sign up and create an account by typing the data required by the page in order to get access to the content.

Berklee Graduate Artists
Berklee College of Music has been the home of many renowned artists who have been able to learn much of what they know today in its facilities.
In this same section, we have spoken with renowned musicians who attended this college, which has greatly contributed to the training that has allowed them to get to where they are today.
One of them is Venezuelan percussionist and musician Omar Ledezma Jr., who received a scholarship to study in this institution and, at that moment, he told us that he applied for the scholarship and managed to pass the audition required to enter the school. A month later, he was informed that he had been admitted to Berklee through a letter and, in his own words, it was one of the most important news in his life.
Today, Ledezma has an important participation in groups such as Pacific Mambo Orchestra with which he has played in major festivals such as Tempo Latino in several of its editions. He is also teaching at the SF Community Center where he shares his knowledge with other young people who want to follow the same path.
Another fitting case to mention is that of Puerto Rican arranger, composer and sound engineer Felix O. Rodriguez, who studied production, mixing and remastering at Berklee College of Music to prepare his return to the stage since leaving the music for an extended period of time. After that, he started his solo career with all the irons and released his first studio album. Having developed in the aforementioned areas, he has much more control over his work and has no need to hire as many people to record his music.
While it is true that these artists attended face-to-face classes, their professors and content were the same for online classes, so students enrolled in the online mode can enjoy the same benefits and the same learning without any problem.

Read also: Tracy Jenkins from Lula World Records spoke exclusively with us
Cubarumba Tataguines in memoriam International Festival in its second edition.
Latin America / Cuba / La Habana
The National Center for Popular Music invites you to participate in the Cubarumba Tataguines in memoriam International Festival in its second edition.
It will be held in Havana from June 28-30, 2019. With the aim of Honoring the memory of Tata güines, Stimulating the artistic creation of rumba groups from the community, encouraging children’s projects based on the folkloric and musical genre, highlight the social value of the rumba as intangible heritage of humanity.

Likewise, to carry out a national and international workshop based on the pedagogical need to strengthen cultural nationality by art students in Cuba on the basis of the figure of tata güines, the fundamental foundation that promoted the proclamation of Rumba as Intangible Heritage of Humanity. . With this goal we urge all young people, students who wish to participate in the Festival through the following themes:
Themes:
- Cultural educational practices
- Potential value of transformation of the percussive theory of Tata güines.
- Main factors that slow down or facilitate the descending of the Rumba genre as a percussion modality.
- Ethical and aesthetic values promoted by the practice of percussion
- Challenges to perfect percussive techniques
- Creation and promotion of Cuban art
- Young rumbero, possibility of cultural advancement. Harvested experiences and challenges for the present and immediate future.
- Others
The venue will take place at the Turf Night Club
General program:
Press conference
Thursday, June 13, 2019
Venue: El Turf Night Club
Address: F Street between Calzada and Quinta Vedado
Time: 2pm
Participation: Press-Radio-Television-Guests
Duration: 1h
toast to daddy
Place House Museum Tata güines
TIME: 3 PM
Event schedule:
Thursday, June 27
- 8:00 Opening Gala Avellaneda Hall of the National Theater
Cast Subject to change
- Tata guines Jr.
- Makuta Flow
- Rumbansoc
- Ronald and his Rumbera explosion
- Denis and his swing
- Vania Borges
- Iannna Wobble
Friday, June 28
Venue: Club Noturno El Turf
- 9:00 Inaugural Conference
- 10:00 Recess
- 10:30 Percussion and dance workshops
- 12:30 Demonstration group
- 1:30 Visit Tata Guines House Museum
- 2:00 Lunch
Cultural
Devil Tun Tun: 4pm to 6pm.
Show Woman in the rumba
Omini Bata-Rumba Morena
- 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tataguines/Ochareo Group
- 10-2am Venue: Club Norturno El Turf Shows with rumba groups
Explosion Rumbera/Rumbavila/Rumbansoc/
Saturday, June 29
Venue: Club Noturno El Turf
- 9:00 Inaugural Conference
- 10:00 Recess
- 10:30 Percussion and dance workshops
- 12:30 Demonstration group
- 2:00 Lunch
Cultural
- 3:00 Clave de Rumba folkloric ensemble / children’s project.
- 8pm-2am Venue: El Turf Timbalaye Nightclub /Rumberos de Cuba/Rumbansoc/ Tata güines
Sunday, June 30
Venue: El Turf Night Club
- 9:00 Report of the event. Delivery of Certificates.
- 10:00 Recess
- 10:30 Symposium Asocosalsa Cuba
- 5:00 Cinema Avenue Closing Gala
- 10:00 Final reception.
Festival Project
Event Organizing Committee:
Víctor Rodríguez García: Executive Director
Arturo Soto Martínez: Chairman of the Event
Suset Núñez Vázquez: CNMP Events Coordinator
Osorio García Rule: CNMP Events Department
Brigitte Oliva: General Producer

Company National Center for Popular Music
INTRODUCTION
The Cubarumba 2019 Tata güines in memoriam project is a previous interactive festival that consists of pedagogical, competitive, sociocultural moments that will transfer original Cuban music, through percussion and dance workshops, interaction with the community, as well as shows of this genre, intangible heritage of the humanity, the evident and permanent need to rescue Cuban roots, and the representation of the name Tata güines, a national and international figure. Following this trilogy as a cultural line, the president of the festival Arturo Soto Martínez advocates for this event.
Carrying out research, it is verified that this festival has a high tourist level, which causes a useful strategy to penetrate tourists about our idiosyncrasy and traditions, in addition to giving an unforgettable moment to all those who are present at that moment.
If we observe the social gaze, we realize the motivation of society in general since we encourage in the community a hope of cultural revival, a festival of inclusion in all senses since people of all ages and disabilities participate. Achieving a mutual interaction that achieves as a result an inclusion of this musical genre in daily life and in the tastes of all the people who enjoy it.
It is emphasized that times are changing, however it is important to take actions so that the celebrations of our origin are not forgotten, it is about looking for very frequent actions that work with everyday life, exclusivity, professionalism and good taste that keep this celebration alive. choice for youth not only in our country but around the world
For all the above, the need for this culturally artistic project becomes evident, specifically in these places where a large foreign crowd is concentrated, since it is unaware of Cuban culture. Relying on the battle of ideas that we have daily for the rejection of national identity, this project that settles the roots, that remembers the past, that discloses our present and that above all that is written increases love is evident, permanent and necessary. for Cuban culture.
DEVELOPING
- Goals:
- Honor the memory of Tata güines
- Stimulate the artistic creation of rumba groups from the community
- Encourage children’s projects based on the folkloric and musical genre.
- Highlight the social value of the rumba as intangible heritage of humanity
Themes:
- Cultural educational practices
- Potential value of transformation of the percussive theory of Tata güines.
- Main factors that slow down or facilitate the descending of the Rumba genre as a form of percussion.
- Ethical and aesthetic values promoted by the practice of percussion
- Challenges to perfect percussive techniques
- Creation and promotion of Cuban art
- Young rumbero, possibility of cultural advancement. Harvested experiences and challenges for the present and immediate future.
- Others
PARTICIPATION METHOD
- Delegates
- Student
- Musicians
- Guests
REGISTRATION FEES: DELEGATES
Foreigners………………50 cuc includes participation in the event, certificate and/or credits.
Cubans …………………….250 cup includes food, participation, certification and/or credits
Cuban students ……………..125 cup includes food, participation, certification and/or credits
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
GENERAL OBJECTIVE
Carry out an international rumba festival based on the artistic value of the figure of tata güines in the world on the basis of the Rumba proclamation as Intangible Heritage of Humanity
Goals:
- Honor the memory of Tata güines
- Stimulate the artistic creation of rumba groups from the community
- Encourage children’s projects based on the folkloric and musical genre.
- Highlight the social value of the rumba as intangible heritage of humanity
Specific Objectives | Actions | Indicators | Participants | Responsible |
Honor the memory of Tata güines | Hold the Cubarumba Tataguines Festival in memoriam | Conciliation Company, Sponsors, | Organizing Committee | Event Leader |
Stimulate the artistic creation of rumba groups from the community | Theoretical-practical dance and percussion workshops, presentation of youth groups in event activities | Conciliation with Artex, Egrem. | Cuban and foreign population | Org Committee |
Encourage children’s projects based on the folkloric and musical genre.
|
Activity in the National Folkloric Ensemble of Cuba, headquarters for the socialization of children’s projects | Address of Palenque, Production | Org Committee | Event Leader |
Highlight the social value of the rumba as intangible heritage of humanity | Activity the woman in the rumba, the longest rumba, the rumba and its youth, the rumba does include you | Group Directors | Production | Event Leader |

Beneficiary population:
Directly, the population that benefits is Cuban and foreign, since in some way the project is aimed at educating, including, transforming the culture of these times that affects this population.
For this, their full participation is needed, in the first order the attention that is very important, then the interest in dance and percussion and the decline that forms the taste for this musical genre.
Also highlighting the importance of the social inclusion of people with disabilities, we can mention that the festival has the honor of promoting groups with different disabilities. Example of the incursion of culture in Cuba.
Nicky Marrero one of the best timbaleros of all time.
North America / USA / New York
Nicky Marrero, an Award Winning Master Percussionist, Innovator and Educator.
Nicky Marrero born in the Bronx, in 1950; recorded his first album “El Malo” with Willie Colon in 1967.
Still in High school, he joint Eddie Palmieri, performed and recorded with the Fania All Stars, Dizzy Gillespie, Machito, Ringo Starr amongst so many more.
His unique talent left a mark on sound in style through his creativity and boldness of breaking with tradition and creating his own to this day.
The most recorded, versatile and dynamic Puerto Rican Percussionist of his time.

Exciting News!!
Latin Master Percussionist Nicky Marrero is taking on a few more private students.
How about you?
Do you share the passion and dedication to reach a higher level as a professional, student and or serious hobbyist with one of the best?
So email your details to [email protected] do not miss out on this unique opportunity to broaden your knowledge and advance your own skill and technique under the guidance of a true, World class Award winning Master of his Craft.