What’s an “aguinaldo?”

An aguinaldo is a genre of Venezuelan Christmas carol. Our concert of Latin American music features three of these. Luna Decembrina (“December Moon”) is an instrumental version of a choral setting by Gilberto Rebolledo, and is especially catchy with its hemiola rhythms (3/4 figures in a 6/8 meter).  Our long-time collaborating composer Efraín Amaya arranged two more for this program, Niño Lindo (“Pretty Child”) and Cantemos, Cantemos! (Sing, Sing!). In Venezuela, the musicians are typically rewarded with food and drink, but at our concert the audience gets treated to the reception as well, not to mention the tour of the toy train museum afterwards!

Efrain-Amaya

 

 

Venezuelan/American composer Efraín Amaya. The program also includes his Kaleidoscope, written for the Winds through the Pittsburgh New Residency.