2024-2025 Iber Exchange Tours
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Image: Heloisa Fernandes Quartet. Credit: Paulo Rapoport.
Heloísa Fernandes Quartet (Brazil)
Brazilian pianist and composer Heloísa Fernandes encapsulates the essence of freedom in her music, a harmonious blend of literature, poetry, nature, classical music, jazz, and Brazilian rhythms that mold her distinct identity, seamlessly flowing into her compositions. Her creations, described as both strong and original, effortlessly bridge ancient and modern influences, blossoming with rhythmic vitality and melodic delicacy. She is a Visa Brazilian Music Award recipient and a celebrated finalist, known for critically acclaimed albums like “Fruto,” “Candeias,” and “Inzu.” With a rich repertoire, collaborations, and contributions to award-winning projects like the Ms Mozart initiative, recognized at D&AD in London in 2021, Fernandes continues to make a profound impact on the world stage.
Grantees include:
- Americas Society, Inc., New York, NY
- Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA
- Lafayette College, Easton, PA
- The Forum, Inc., St Thomas, VI
- Washington College, Chestertown, MD
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Image: Pascuala Ilabaca. Credit: Courtesy of the artist.
Pascuala Ilabaca y Fauna (Chile)
With an accordion in hand and her band Fauna in tow, Chilean singer-songwriter Pascuala Ilabaca brings an anthemic power and an air of socially conscious solidarity to every stage she graces. Recently signed to Warner Music, Ilabaca’s music is representative of a unique and contemporary take on the Chilean musical tradition.
Chilean and Latin American folkloric sounds are the foundation of Pascuala Ilabaca & Fauna’s music, but the wide breath of their musical talent is explored through fusion with rock, jazz, pop, funk, and even Indian classical music, which Pascuala has studied for years in India. With a repertoire that is moving, joyous and oh-so-danceable and an electric stage presence, the band embodies the spirit of current Latin American and global music. The excitement for this powerhouse band has been felt at festivals and venues across the world, including the Montreal Jazz Festival, WOMAD, Lollapalooza Chile and the Berliner Philharmoniker.
Grantees include:
- City of Asylum Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
- City of Frederick/Weinberg Center for the Arts, Frederick, MD
- Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA
- Maryland Hall for The Creative Arts, Inc., Annapolis, MD
- Norwood Village Green Concert Series, Norwood, NY
- Park Theater Foundation, Inc., Glens Falls, NY
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Image: Rancho Aparte. Credit: Courtesy of the artist.
Rancho Aparte (Colombia)
Rancho Aparte – hailing from Quibdo, the capitol city of Colombia’s Chocó Department Pacific region – is considered to be Colombia’s foremost Chirimía brass band. The ensemble’s rousing stage show is a favorite throughout Colombia and the world-over and has excited audiences at the recent Petronio Alvarez Festival in Cali, Colombia and as far away as Japan’s FujiRock Festival and the WOMEX Festival in Budapest, Hungary. Rancho Aparte’s 2024-2025 tour will bring their abozaos, polkas, danzas, rebulú, Contradanzas, Jugas, and other indigenous rhythms to the USA and Canada, and will mark a rare opportunity to present Colombia’s chirimía brass band music to North American audiences.
Grantees include:
- Fells Point Creative Alliance, Inc., Baltimore, MD
- Fire Museum Presents, Philadelphia, PA
- Mount Pleasant Library Friends, Washington, DC
- National Council for The Traditional Arts, Silver Spring, MD
- New York Shakespeare Festival, New York, NY
- Wayne Theatre Alliance, Inc., Waynesboro, VA