Jazz Great Michel Camilo Chosen by Program “Dominican Musicians Distinguished Abroad” Sponsored by the Dominican Cultural Commission in the United States

New York, February 11, 2020 – The Dominican Cultural Commission in the United States, through its Music Department, chose renown jazz musician and pianist Michel Camilo as one of the country’s most distinguished musicians living in the United States.
 
The program has the objective of promoting the artistic work and contributions made by musicians of Dominican origin living in the United States. The program chooses, on a weekly basis, a distinguished musician or musical group of Dominican origin. Throughout that time period the Commission coordinates presentations and highlights the contributions made by the individual or organization. The information is publicized through the Commission’s social media network, such as Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.
 
“We consider it very important to recognize the work carried out by Dominican musicians in the United States because they represent an important part of our culture and contribute to the diversity of musical rhythms that exist in the Dominican Republic,” explained Maestro Miguel Andrés Tejada, director of the Commission’s Music Department.
 
At the same time, Cultural Commissioner Carlos Sánchez highlighted the role the institution plays in favor of the various cultural manifestations of Dominicans who live abroad. “An important part of this tradition is our music,” stated Commissioner Sanchez.

The Commission chose jazz great Michel Camilo Redondo. Born on April 4, 1954 in Santo Domingo, at a very young age one of his favorite games was to compose songs. He studied in the country’s National Conservatory of Music, where he received his Teaching degree and, as an adolescent, he played on occasion with the National Symphony Orchestra of the Dominican Republic.

In 1979 he moved to New York City where he continued his musical career at the Mannes and Juilliard School of Music. Four years later he began his successful career as a pianist, a career that has taken him throughout the world as an interpreter of Latin music through Jazz. In 1983 his record Why Not became a total success when it was recorded by the group Manhattan Transfer. The song received a Grammy.

In 1985 he made his debut in Carnegie Hall with his trio and, in 1986, he embarked on a successful musical tour in Europe, which concluded with the highest praise from well-known music critics, especially his last presentation at the Berlin Jazz Festival. In 1987 he performed in the Milan and Barcelona Jazz Festivals, as well as in the North Sea Jazz Festival and in Madrid’s Jazz Festival. At the end of that particular year he made his debut with the Dominican National Symphony Orchestra, in a special program that included works from Korsakoff, Dvorak, Beethoven and one of his compositions, composed for the Goodwill Games, a piece that earned him another Grammy.
 In 1988 Michel Camilo he again participated in various jazz festivals throughout the world, such as the Jazz & Blues Festival in Wolftrap, the Jazz Festival in New York and the Newport Jazz Festival. He also successfully performed in Sweden, France, Denmark and Spain.
In 1997 he performed as a soloist with the Copenhagen Philharmonic Orchestra, and with the Symphony Orchestra of Queens, interpreting Gershwin’s Concerto in F. In Japan he played with Flamenco guitarist Tomatito. He also produced the album Innu Nikamau for the singer-songwriter Nilda Fernández.
The Duke Ellington School of Arts, in Washington, D.C., honored him by issuing a special Michel Camilo Piano Scholarship, given to the best student chosen by the School’s Music Faculty.
In 1988 he made his debut with his Concerto for Piano with the U.S. National Symphony Orchestra. In 1998, with the same Symphony, he debut with his Concerto for Piano. He was invited by the U.S. Symphony Orchestra, directed by Leonard Slatkin. He was also the invited soloist at the Long Island Orchestra, directed by David Lockington.
He also produced the album “Lorquiana” for famed Spanish singer Ana Belén.
En 1999 he brought his Concerto for Piano to Santo Domingo, where he presented it to the country with the National Symphony Orchestra under the leadership of Maestro Carlos Piantini. He performed as a soloist with the Málaga Orchestra, in Spain, and toured with guitarist Tomatito.
The brilliant career of Michel Camilo continues to lead him on the road to success. He recently presented his third Concerto for Piano, Trio and Orchestra in an album titled Essence, a collage of some of his big hits, “big band” style.