“The music of Guastavino is genuine and warm.” – Alejandro Cremaschi, Executive Director of SONUS.

We spoke with Alejandro Cremaschi, pianist and Executive Director of the Sonus International Music Festival, about the creation of this festival dedicated to the music of Carlos Guastavino and other composers influenced by folkloric traditions. He shared details about the concerts that have taken place, the recent International Composition Competition, and the six new works that will be presented at the upcoming event on October 22, where several artists will perform these compositions alongside works by Guastavino.

Virginia Chacon Dorr

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Cremaschi has developed a notable career as a pianist, educator, and promoter of Argentine music. As a professor at the University of Colorado Boulder and research director at the Frances Clark Center for Keyboard Pedagogy, his work focuses on piano pedagogy and the promotion of classical composers influenced by folklore. Since 2020, he has led the Sonus International Music Festival, an initiative that has grown with new proposals, which we discuss in this interview, including international competitions and live concerts that highlight the richness of this repertoire.

What do you remember about the initial steps in creating SONUS?

SONUS and the idea of producing online festivals emerged during the height of the COVID pandemic, in June 2020. The initiative began as a way to continue our artistic musical work, which was severely impacted by the COVID emergency. It was also an attempt to share a small “ray of hope” with a world facing the uncertainty and anxiety of the pandemic. As we all remember, the first months of COVID and the forced lockdowns wreaked havoc on all activities that involved community gatherings, such as concerts. Due to the restrictions, there was a notable “explosion” of creative online activity during those months. I remember that, in conversations with SONUS’s current artistic director, Nancy Roldán, who was my piano teacher in the ’90s, we realized that all these new online initiatives opened the door to new possibilities: inviting musician friends to record and share the music of Guastavino and other Latin American composers through a virtual festival. This idea took shape during those months; the goal was to go beyond simply “uploading” new recordings to YouTube. We wanted to create complete programs that were carefully planned, produced, and edited, so that the audience could learn about and enjoy this music in a richer experience than that of a traditional recital. That first year, in October 2020, our team of four (which included Nancy, Alberto, Gabriella Cavallero, and myself) produced a seven-day festival featuring a significant number of works for piano and voice, and Guastavino’s piano music, performed by guest artists, along with a live talk with Nancy, who knew Guastavino in person. Since then, we have continued producing programs that have premiered in April and October of each year, all featuring presenters, musicologists, instrumentalists, and guest singers. Over the years, we have added initiatives related to classical music inspired by folkloric traditions, leading to the two composition competitions (2021 and 2023) and the new virtual international piano competition “Carlos Guastavino,” which will take place in 2025.

What can you tell us about the six new works from the Guastavino International Composition Competition 2023 that will be part of the concert on October 22?

The composition competition organized by SONUS in 2023 was a complete success: we received over 70 compositions from all over the world. The premise of the competition was very simple: the works had to be inspired by folkloric traditions. This allowed for an enormous variety of compositional styles. The six finalists of the 2023 competition were: Zixi Xiong from China, a talented 21-year-old composer, with a piece for voice and piano in Mandarin; Cristian Basto from Argentina, with “Surera,” a work for double bass and piano inspired by gaucho traditions and malambo; Derek Jenkins from the United States, with a piece for trombone and piano inspired by the ancient Christian hymn “Beautiful Savior”; Daniel Álvarez Veizaga from Bolivia, with the song “Para” (“Rain”), featuring a traditional poem in Quechua; Hao Ma, a Chinese composer residing in Germany, with “Tsing Ya,” a work for violin and piano, perhaps the most avant-garde piece among the finalists; and Fernando Altube, an Argentine based in Portugal, with “Tik, Tik, Tik,” a work for piano inspired by Lebanese melodies that the composer learned about through his immigrant grandmother. These six works will be performed live, along with some works by Carlos Guastavino, at the concert on October 22 at the University of Colorado in Boulder, USA. The concert will be streamed live via the university’s website at: https://cupresents.org/performance/1714106188/cu-music/faculty-tuesdays/

There are many names associated with Argentine music in the upcoming SONUS concert, as well as others we are seeing for the first time. How was the list of artists for this concert formed?

For this live concert on October 22, we have invited several performers. Among them are several of my colleagues who teach at the University of Colorado in Boulder. Some of them have participated in previous SONUS festivals; others are approaching this initiative for the first time. In many cases, I simply invited them and explained what the concert was about; the response was very positive, and they were very enthusiastic about the opportunity to perform and share these six beautiful and varied new works. In addition to my colleagues from the university, we also have the participation of pianist Nancy Roldán (artistic director and founder of SONUS) and violinist José Cueto, who reside in Maryland and will travel to Colorado for the concert. Additionally, Gabriella Cavallero, an actress residing in Denver, and Santa Fe pianist Lilia Salsano, who has collaborated on SONUS projects in the past and is currently part of the association’s steering committee, will also participate. Lilia, known for her deep commitment to Guastavino’s music, will travel to the USA for this concert and for other activities in the Washington D.C. area. It will truly be a top-level event, and it will be streamed live.

“The goal, continuing with our line of work at SONUS, is to encourage pianists of all ages and levels (and their teachers) to discover the music of Carlos Guastavino and other composers from the American continent.” – Alejandro Cremaschi

How do you perceive the current situation regarding the dissemination of Argentine music worldwide?

I believe there is a lot of interest in Argentine music, both among the general public and musicians. Sometimes the knowledge is a bit limited; Argentine music is often associated only with tango, or people might only be familiar with a few works by Piazzolla and Ginastera. However, gradually, people are discovering other composers, such as Guastavino. One of SONUS’s primary objectives was to raise awareness of Guastavino’s music. This decision was made not only because of the quality and beauty of his music but also due to the strong ties between Carlos Guastavino and the founder of SONUS, Nancy Roldán.

For the online festivals, we had the opportunity to invite excellent musicians who were not familiar with this composer’s music. The response has always been extremely positive; audiences and performers are amazed by the quality, richness, and human warmth of his music. In that sense, we feel very satisfied with our work since 2020. All our festivals are available as documents on our YouTube channel, where they have garnered thousands of views. Starting in 2021, we decided to organize two composition competitions (in 2021 and 2023) to encourage contemporary composers to write music with the special “spirit” that characterizes Guastavino’s creation: music that touches the soul, inspired by genuine human experience, without artifice.

Currently, the registrations for the 2025 Guastavino International Piano Competition are open. What is the main purpose of this competition? What profiles of performers does it call for?

The purpose, continuing with our work at SONUS, is to encourage pianists of all ages and levels (and their teachers) to discover the music of Carlos Guastavino and other composers from the American continent. The rules of the competition are flexible and inclusive: one of the categories is for young pianists up to 18 years old, and the list of possible works includes pieces of moderate difficulty. The more advanced category includes options such as Guastavino’s Sonata, a significant work that requires maturity and developed technique. The competition will be held online through videos. The rules can be found on our website: https://www.sonusinternationalmusicfestival.org/2025-piano-competition.

“When I present Guastavino’s music in my concerts, I describe it as genuine and warm music that evokes feelings common to all human beings, regardless of their origin or cultural heritage.” – Alejandro Cremaschi

How has the reception of Argentine music been among American audiences, both in your concerts and at SONUS events?

In my personal experience, the reception has always been very positive, although this music often feels unfamiliar to many. What I notice is that people “connect” better with this music if I share a bit of information about the piece and the composer with the audience. That’s why I make it a habit to talk about each work during my concerts. This creates a different dynamic; it’s something that performers should always do, not just with this music, but also with composers from the European canon. Regarding the SONUS festivals (both virtual and live), we follow the same philosophy: we carefully plan the programs, create a “script” to provide a rich experience, and invite our performers to share their impressions of the music. These concerts then transform into a distinct experience, with a much more personal significance than a traditional recital.

If you had to introduce someone to Guastavino’s music, how would you describe it? What makes Guastavino a unique creator within the Argentine repertoire?

When I present Guastavino’s music in my concerts, I describe it as genuine and warm music that evokes feelings common to all human beings, regardless of their origin or cultural heritage: sincerity, emotion, nostalgia, and a strong sense of what is called “belonging.” It is music that directly touches that human fiber that connects us to a certain place, to a certain community, to a certain physical, emotional, and human environment. While the connection to Argentina is evident for someone who has grown up in our country, this connection is, in a way, universal. I clearly remember the first time I played Guastavino’s music for my teacher, Lydia Artymiw, at the University of Minnesota during my graduate studies. Lydia, a wonderful pianist, is American, with Ukrainian parents. She instantly fell in love with Guastavino and “understood” him from the very beginning, despite never having heard a single note of the Argentine folklore that inspired him. For her, as for almost everyone I’ve presented this music to, it resonates deeply with universal emotions of memory and connection to the land and to people.

For more information, visit the official festival page:
Piano Competition — Sonus International Music Festival

SONUS International Music Festival


Read also:

Nancy Roldán: “Getting to know Guastavino in person was one of the most uplifting experiences of my life”

“The Guastavino International Piano Competition aims to empower pianists and highlight the richness of Latin American music” – Interview with Lilia Salsano

 

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