The music of Camaguey during the colonial stage
Several institutions contributed significantly to the musical and cultural development of Camagüey at this stage. In 1842, the Philharmonic Society of Port-au-Prince was created, later, on February 2, 1850, the Main Theater was inaugurated, considered at the time as the second of the Island. Another relevant institution was the Popular Society of Santa Cecilia, founded in 1853. At this stage it is important to highlight the figure of Luis Casas Romero, cuban army soldier and musician, creator of important works and full of patriotic value, such as El Mambí.
The music of Camaguey during the Republic
There are many prominent figures in this stage of the musical history of Camagüey: José Marín Varona, initiator in Cuba of costumist zarzuelas, great composer and pedagogue, the eminent troubadour Patricio Ballagas and the black vedette Candita Batista, who walked his art through Several countries of Europe.
As an institution that gave Camaguey music luster in these years, the Camagüey Concert Society stands out; The one that allowed the locals to enjoy the most renowned artists.
In 1919 the Municipal Band of Music made its first presentation.
Important world-renowned theater companies and singers brought their art to Camaguey during the first five decades of the 20th century. The most famous was the tenor Enrico Caruso; Artists like Libertad Lamarque or Jorge Negrete, among others, were also applauded in our theaters.
You can not finish without mentioning the prominent composer Jorge González Allué, creator of what is considered the most recorded Cuban musical piece in the world: the famous Amorosa guajira.
The music of Camaguey nowadays
After the triumph of the Revolution, music production and music teaching reached a peak without equal, from these lands emerged figures such as Adalberto Álvarez, Manolito Simonet, Leoni Torres, Joaquín Betancourt, César López and Germán Velazco.
Several institutions in Camagüey are responsible for the teaching and dissemination of music among which are, the Conservatory of Music "José White", the Vocational School of Art "Luis Casa Romero", the subsidiary of the University of Arts and José Marín Varona Concert Hall.
Camagüey also has a Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Professional Choir, Provincial Concert Band, as well as numerous troubadours, soloists, concert performers, septetos, duos, trios, among others, which add more than 800 artists in various genres.
The Caonao recording studios were recently inaugurated, a modern facility that allows local artists as well as those from other areas of Cuba to record their works.