Latin American Music Festival delighted the ears of Caraqueños"

Thanks to "Un festival con historia de cara al futuro" (Festival with a history looking at the future), between May 22nd and 29th, Caracas became a space for collaboration between composers and musicians, as well as a platform for the dissemination of new musical pieces that nourish the Latin American cultural heritage. 

Organized by the Fundación Circuito Sinfónico Latinoamericano Simón Bolívar (Simon Bolivar Symphonic Circuit Foundation), the first part of the XIX Latin American Music Festival included the participation of four international and fifteen national composers. The Centro de Acción Social por la Música (Social Action for Music Center), the Teresa Carreño Theater, and the Humboldt Cultural Association held eight concerts, several of them with the presence of the Simon Bolivar Symphonic Orchestra. 

In addition, eight master classes were held by the international guests, aimed at music students from different disciplines. 

Diana Arizmendi, Executive Director of the Simon Bolivar Symphonic Orchestra, stated, "The objective of the Festival is to highlight works from Latin American composers of every stripe, and gather them in Caracas so that they may meet and share; thus, we contribute to the dissemination of Latin American music and, through music, strengthen the ties between nations".  

Maestro Alfredo Rugeles, Artistic Director of the Festival, stated that the event "not only pursues to present the works and have the audience listen in a traditional manner, but rather invest on bringing the composers so that they can share with the people and among themselves. Due to the arduous work, this festival is a biannual meeting which is very appreciated in the region, and awaited by composers and the public". 

For the first time, this nineteenth edition received the support of CAF, Development Bank of Latin America as one of the main sponsors. According to Arizmendi, this represents a "timely and beneficial alliance, of which we hope to obtain great results, and we expect that it will be the beginning of a long and beneficial relationship" 

The Executive Director of The Foundation sated, "I firmly believe that between The Foundation and CAF, through its Music to Grow Program, we have many ties in common. Both institutions have made efforts to show the transforming power of music, and to serve as a platform to show the work developed in the region, multiplying knowledge and giving the works originated in Latin America the value they deserve.  

The first three editions of the Festival were held in 1954, 1957, and 1961. Later, the fourth edition was held in 1990. Since then, every two years it brings together composers, artists, and music fans. Since 2014, the Festival is divided into two parts due to the wide portfolio of activities, artists, and works that are presented. The second part of this XIX edition will take place between October 23rd and 30th.