Just before taking off to our beloved Festival of Music in Santa Catarina, Brazil, we invited friends and family to preview a selection of music in a home setting. This proved to be a delightful evening for us and our friends.
Food prepared by Joanna included empanadas with three different types of fillings; chips and salsa; several cookies highlighting different regions of South America; and a powerful rum drink. In fact, as I write this my tastebuds are yearning for all the delicious foods.
To top it off we were able to share several selections of music. One most dear to us was Leyendas: An Andean Walkabout by Gabriela Lena Frank. This piece is truly like taking a walk through different regions of Peru. At times the music depicts the bustle of a city marketplace, folk dancing in the country, primitive ceremonies and sacred rituals. The extended techniques (using our instruments in non-traditional ways) to create unusual effects and unexpected sounds from different regions of Peru makes this piece so much fun to play.
Santa Catarina here we come.