Choral Songs from the African Diaspora in Latin America
Session Abstract: From the 16th to the 19th centuries, African people were involuntarily brought to the “New World.” After their arrival, their African cultures mixed with the local cultures in which they landed and new forms of music sprouted from these interactions. With the recent reckoning in our music and choral education circles, it is time to start acknowledging and celebrating the significant contributions of the African diaspora in Latin America in our choral world. In this lecture/reading session, participants will learn different choral arrangements and about the cultures that contributed to the creation of the music, its sounds, and musical instruments.
Diana Sáez
Towson University
Dr. Diana V. Sáez is the Director of Choral Activities at Towson University. A leading specialist in Latin American music, Dr. Sáez is a frequent guest conductor, adjudicator, and lecturer in the United States and abroad. In the past five years, she has presented at national and regional ACDA conventions, American universities, and various other engagements in North and South America. Prior to that, she served for 25 years as artistic director of Cantigas, the award-winning chamber choir of Latin American and Spanish music. Her compositions are published by Hal Leonard, Boosey and Hawkes, and the Roger Dean Publishing Company.
Suzzette Ortiz
Artistas y Musicos Latino Americanos (AMLA)
Suzzette Ortiz is an accomplished pianist, composer, arranger, choral conductor and music educator. During her 32 years of teaching, her work was recognized with countless awards and commendations, and her choirs achieved first and second place awards in Italy, Prague, Puerto Rico and Ghana, among others.
Suzzette holds a Bachelors degree in piano performance with a minor in composition from the Conservatory of Puerto Rico, and a Master Degree in music education from Temple University in Philadelphia.
Her arrangements and compositions are published by Hal Leonard, J.W.Pepper, GIA, Oregon Catholic Press and World Library Publications.
Juan Tony Guzmán
Luther College
A conductor, composer, arranger, and music educator from the Dominican Republic, professor Juan Tony Guzmán is director of the Luther College Jazz Orchestra and Jazz Program, and holds the Weston Noble Endowed Chair in Music.
Guzmán is a sought-after conductor of all-state and honor choirs, concert bands, jazz bands, and symphony orchestras across the United States and abroad.
An active arranger, Guzmán is known for his choral arrangements of Caribbean and Latin American music, some of which are published by Boosey & Hawkes and Oxford University Press.
Guzmán holds a Ph.D. in music education from Florida State University.
