North/South Chamber Orchestra marks Aurelio De La Vega centennial with New York concert

By AI, Created 5:04 PM UTC, May 18, 2026, /AGP/ – The North/South Chamber Orchestra will present a May 19 concert in New York City honoring late Cuban-American composer Aurelio De La Vega with five works spanning 50 years. Soprano Anne Marie Ketchum and pianist Martha Marchena will join Max Lifchitz for the 7 p.m. performance at the DiMenna Center.

Why it matters: - The concert puts Aurelio De La Vega’s music back in front of New York audiences during his centennial year. - The program highlights a composer whose work bridged Cuban and U.S. musical life and drew major honors over decades. - The event also spotlights performers with deep ties to contemporary and Latin American art music.

What happened: - The North/South Chamber Orchestra, directed by Max Lifchitz, will present a special concert on Tuesday, May 19, in New York City. - The performance will feature music by Aurelio De La Vega, who died in 2022. - Soprano Anne Marie Ketchum and pianist Martha Marchena will appear as guest soloists. - The concert starts at 7 p.m. and is expected to end around 8:30 p.m. - The venue is the DiMenna Center for Classical Music, 450 West 37th Street, New York, NY 10018. - Seating is limited, and reservations can be requested by email at ns.concerts@att.net.

The details: - The program includes five De La Vega works written across a 50-year span: Danza Lenta, Antinomies, Extrapolations, Tropimapal, and Recordatio. - De La Vega received the Kennedy Center’s Friedheim Award twice, in 1978 and 1984. - De La Vega also received the Cintas Foundation’s William B. Warren Lifetime Achievement Award, the Ignacio Cervantes Medal for Lifetime Achievement and four Latin Grammy nominations. - In 2018, De La Vega was inducted into the Imperial Spanish Order of King Charles V as a Comendador. - De La Vega studied composition with Fritz Kramer in Havana and later with Ernst Toch in Los Angeles. - In the 1950s, De La Vega served as president of the Cuban National Music Council and chaired the Music Department at the University of Oriente. - De La Vega lectured throughout the United States in 1959 before moving to Los Angeles. - De La Vega became a U.S. citizen in 1966. - De La Vega taught composition for 34 years at California State University, Northridge, where he was Distinguished Professor of Music. - De La Vega received the Outstanding Professor Award for the entire California State University system in 1971. - After becoming a U.S. citizen, De La Vega became an outspoken critic of the Castro regime and its treatment of dissident artists and intellectuals. - His international acclaim was largely overlooked in Cuba until 2009, when the Cuban National Orchestra performed Intrata in Havana. - The documentary Aurelio: Rebel with a Cause, narrated by Andy García, was released in 2014. - Two books on De La Vega’s life and works were published after the documentary. - Three new books were released this year, and a new biography is expected this fall.

Between the lines: - The concert is more than a tribute. It is also a corrective, framing De La Vega as a major 20th-century voice whose recognition was delayed in Cuba. - The selection of works across five decades suggests the program is meant to show range, not just nostalgia. - North/South Consonance has built its identity around music from the Americas and beyond, which makes the tribute consistent with its broader mission. - More information is available on the North/South Consonance website.

What’s next: - Attendees are being directed to reserve early because seating is limited. - Additional North/South Consonance programming is available through the organization’s website and social channels. - A new biography of De La Vega is expected to be published this fall.

The bottom line: - New York’s May 19 concert turns Aurelio De La Vega’s centennial into a live showcase of his legacy, with longtime interpreters bringing his music back into public view.