Join Yuri Klaz conducting the Winnipeg Singers on Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024 • 7:00 pm for our newly created and exciting Feliz Navidad A Latin American Christmas celebration featuring our special guest artists:
Winnipeg Sonora Voices Ragazzi Boys Choir (formerly part of Pembina Trails Voices)
Deena Grier, internationally acclaimed pianist, recitalist, and music director
Cameron Denby, percussion, accomplished Manitoba Métis musician and international performer
Carlos Ecos, a Peruvian-born singer and musician on the cajón, a traditional Peruvian percussion instrument
Luis Hermida, guitar and special international Latin American performer
Tickets are online Adult $40, Senior $35 (65+), Under 30 $20 here https://www.winnipegsingers.com and are selling fast.
Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024 • 7:00 pm at Crescent Arts Centre, 525 Wardlaw Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3L 0L9
Concert Sponsor: HUB International. Feliz Navidad A Latin American Christmas program online now https://www.winnipegsingers.com/concerts
– more about our special international guest guitarist Luis Hermida:
A Bogotá-born Colombian artist, this guitarist and songwriter began his musical journey with classical and popular guitar training at Casa de la Cultura in Garzón-Huila. Composing started at age 16 and since then Luis has received five national composition awards, including two at the esteemed Mono Núñez Colombian Andean Music Festival. His song “Por el borde del camino” was featured at the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro.
As a performer, Luis has toured widely with the award-winning group OÍ, appearing at top Colombian venues and international festivals such as the Cartagena International Music Festival and Argentina’s International Folklore Festival in Cosquín.
– more about our special international guest artist Carlos Ecos
For Carlos, the cajón symbolizes both a connection to his roots, and the resilience of the human spirit. This wooden box, a traditional Peruvian percussion instrument, once used to transport fruits, was transformed in colonial Peru into a musical instrument, turning adversity into creativity. The cajón’s history reflects African slave immigrant experiences, where music becomes a way to stay connected to home, even at great distances.
Carlos explains how the cajón, born out of necessity during the colonial era, evolved when traditional African drums were banned by the Spanish. Attempting to keep their music alive, slaves used everyday objects, such as fruit boxes, to create rhythm, and over time, this box evolved into the cajon known today. For Carlos, playing the cajón is more than just making music: it's a tribute to those who used music to cope with oppression. "When I play the cajón, I (Carlos) feel connected to these people who, despite their suffering, found joy and comfort in music. That's the immigrant experience today: music helps us stay connected to our roots."
Since moving to Winnipeg, Canada, Carlos has worked tirelessly to preserve and share his beloved Peruvian culture. Winnipeg’s vibrant and multicultural community continues to offer him performance opportunities for the cajón and other traditional Peruvian instruments, such as the cajita and the quijada de burro, to new Canadian audiences. Winnipeg’s diverse cultural scene has embraced these instruments, allowing Carlos to enrich many local performances.
Read more about our other special guest artists bios at https://www.winnipegsingers.com/concerts
