Music of the Americas
Encyclopedia
The Music of the Americas concert series has been presented by Americas Society
since 1965 and seeks to showcase a wide range of artists and music from across the western hemisphere. In 2009, the series was renamed the MetLife Foundation Music of the Americas concert series. The music ranges from classical and folk to popular and contemporary in an effort to highlight the diversity of musical activity in the Americas. Since its inception in 1965, the Music of the Americas concert series has presented a wide range of internationally renowned artists, including Plácido Domingo
, the Spanish Harlem Orchestra
, Nelson Freire
, Inti-Illimani
, and Chango Spasiuk
, as well as music not often presented elsewhere in the area. The Music of the Americas program has been under the direction of Sebastián Zubieta since 2005.
The concert series is free and takes place at Americas Society
’s headquarters on the upper east side of New York City at 680 Park Avenue
. The building, which has served as Americas Society’s headquarters since David Rockefeller
created the organization, is a New York City landmark and listed in the National Register of Historic Places
, and was previously the home of Percy Rivington Pyne before serving as the Soviet Mission to the United Nations until its current usage. Along with the neighboring buildings of the Queen Sofía Spanish Institute
and the Italian Consulate General, the house constitutes one of the few remaining unified architectural ensembles on Park Avenue.
The primary venue in the building for the concert series is the Salon Simón Bolivar
, an expansive room in the building’s Neo-Federal style with wide windows, a 15-foot ceiling, and wood-paneled and silk fabric walls.
Music Notes is a series of online articles from the music department of Americas Society about the Music of the Americas concert series. The articles offer media from recent concerts and discuss issues and ideas brought up by the artists and music.
, and Eddy Marcano.
Americas Society
The Americas Society is an organization dedicated to education, debate, and dialogue in the Americas; established in 1965 by David Rockefeller. The Americas Society promotes the understanding of the economic, political, and cultural issues that define and challenge the Americas today, including...
since 1965 and seeks to showcase a wide range of artists and music from across the western hemisphere. In 2009, the series was renamed the MetLife Foundation Music of the Americas concert series. The music ranges from classical and folk to popular and contemporary in an effort to highlight the diversity of musical activity in the Americas. Since its inception in 1965, the Music of the Americas concert series has presented a wide range of internationally renowned artists, including Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo KBE , born José Plácido Domingo Embil, is a Spanish tenor and conductor known for his versatile and strong voice, possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range...
, the Spanish Harlem Orchestra
Spanish Harlem Orchestra
Spanish Harlem Orchestra is a Latin dance music orchestra based in the United States, founded by Aaron Levinson and Oscar Hernandez.Their debut album was released in October 2002...
, Nelson Freire
Nelson Freire
Nelson Freire is a Brazilian classical pianist.Freire began playing the piano when he was three years old. He replayed from memory pieces his older sister had just performed. His teachers in Brazil were Nise Obino and Lucia Branco, former students of a pupil of Liszt. For his first public recital,...
, Inti-Illimani
Inti-Illimani
Inti-Illimani is an instrumental and vocal Latin American folk music ensemble from Chile. The group was formed in 1967 by a group of university students and it acquired widespread popularity in Chile for their song Venceremos which became the anthem of the Popular Unity government of Salvador...
, and Chango Spasiuk
Chango Spasiuk
Horacio "Chango" Spasiuk is an Argentine chamamé musician and accordion player.Of Ukrainian grandparents, El Chango had a strong Polka music influence from his early days; Eastern European musical influences were also already present in the chamamé music of the region...
, as well as music not often presented elsewhere in the area. The Music of the Americas program has been under the direction of Sebastián Zubieta since 2005.
The concert series is free and takes place at Americas Society
Americas Society
The Americas Society is an organization dedicated to education, debate, and dialogue in the Americas; established in 1965 by David Rockefeller. The Americas Society promotes the understanding of the economic, political, and cultural issues that define and challenge the Americas today, including...
’s headquarters on the upper east side of New York City at 680 Park Avenue
Percy Rivington Pyne House
The Percy Rivington Pyne House is a neo-federal town house located at the corner of Park Avenue and 68th Street. Today the Americas Society uses the building as its New York City headquarters.- History :...
. The building, which has served as Americas Society’s headquarters since David Rockefeller
David Rockefeller
David Rockefeller, Sr. is the current patriarch of the Rockefeller family. He is the youngest and only surviving child of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. and Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, and the only surviving grandchild of oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller, founder of Standard Oil. His five siblings were...
created the organization, is a New York City landmark and listed in the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, and was previously the home of Percy Rivington Pyne before serving as the Soviet Mission to the United Nations until its current usage. Along with the neighboring buildings of the Queen Sofía Spanish Institute
Queen Sofia Spanish Institute
The Queen Sofía Spanish Institute is an organization in New York City founded to promote the Spanish language and the culture of Spain. It is located on 684 Park Avenue in the former Oliver D. Filley House.- History :...
and the Italian Consulate General, the house constitutes one of the few remaining unified architectural ensembles on Park Avenue.
The primary venue in the building for the concert series is the Salon Simón Bolivar
Simón Bolívar
Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Yeiter, commonly known as Simón Bolívar was a Venezuelan military and political leader...
, an expansive room in the building’s Neo-Federal style with wide windows, a 15-foot ceiling, and wood-paneled and silk fabric walls.
Music Notes
]Music Notes is a series of online articles from the music department of Americas Society about the Music of the Americas concert series. The articles offer media from recent concerts and discuss issues and ideas brought up by the artists and music.
Music of the Americas CD
The Americas Society music program produces a compilation CD that showcases artists from the past season. Artists on the 2010 CD include Larry Harlow, Inti-IllimaniInti-Illimani
Inti-Illimani is an instrumental and vocal Latin American folk music ensemble from Chile. The group was formed in 1967 by a group of university students and it acquired widespread popularity in Chile for their song Venceremos which became the anthem of the Popular Unity government of Salvador...
, and Eddy Marcano.