Pablo Cardenas Presents "Gershwin in Havana" featuring Ingrid Mapson and Leif Bradshaw
Fri. March 24th 2023 7:00 - 9:30 doors at 5:30
Livestream + In Person $30 plus fees/tax, walk-ins welcome
Online sales are closed.
Tickets are available at the door.
Tickets are available at the door.
World class Cuban pianist Pablo Cardenas is back to perform the best of Gershwin in Cuban style, recreating his music with modern harmonies and Afro Cuban rhythms, a perfect fusion you don’t want to miss. Pablo will be inviting two special guests, the outstanding Canadian vocalists Ingrid Mapson and Leif Bradshaw.
Gershwin was one of the most important pianists and composers in the history of music, he had the versatility to create for different genres and was well known in popular, Jazz and Classical music. He also gained a great recognition making the music for some of the best musical theater productions of all time like “Porgy and Bess”. George Gershwin’s music was influenced by Cuban music thanks to a trip to the Island. As he was aware of the international relevance of Cuban music, Gershwin traveled to Havana in 1932 to experience all he could from the music scene over there, as a result of those two weeks vacation in Havana he left inspired to create important pieces like the Cuban Overture.
Pablo Cardenas is one of the best pianists of his generation, his versatility and high technical preparation make his music very rich and full of different influences from Afro-cuban, Latin Jazz to Fusion, Jazz, Classical and more. He started taking piano lessons at the age of five at the Conservatory of Music of Matanzas, Cuba. His first recital was at the age of 10, after he went on to complete his Masters degree in classical performance with the prominent Cuban pianist Antonio Carbonell who studied at Tchaikovsky conservatory in Moscow. After his graduation he went on for higher studies in classical and Jazz at the Superior institute of Arts of Havana, where he had the opportunity to meet and take lessons with top American jazz pianists like Herbie Hancock and Danilo Perez. He went on to work as a piano teacher at the Conservatory and started a career as classical music performer and accompanist but shortly after he changed the course of his music career and embraced Jazz, creating his (Pablo Cardenas Latin jazz Quartet). Since arriving in Canada in 2010 he has been teaching at the Victoria Conservatory of Music for a few years until he started teaching privately at Alison pianos, and have led different projects like The West Coast Cuban All Stars, Pablo Cardenas Modern Jazz Trio, Pablo Cardenas Latin Combo and many more. He has participated in many Festivals in Canada and internationally, and constantly collaborated with several high class musicians over the years.
About the special guests:
“Ingrid has an instrument with a rich, round, warm, honeyed color, and is very much at home in a variety of styles”, says renowned American-Canadian Maestro Clyde Mitchell who has appeared with every major Canadian orchestra. She is widely admired for her soulful and soothing interpretations of popular adult contemporary favorites as well as her dynamic and playful renditions of jazz and Latin classics. Born in Argentina and brought up in Canada, she has enchanted audiences in various countries and provinces, singing in various languages. Her passion for orchestras has seen her singing for various symphonies. Her custom orchestrations were arranged by Roy Tan (Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Vatican, Beijing Olympics), as well as Ken Cormier (LiveEnt, Vancouver Arts Club), Maestro Clyde Mitchell and Devin Roth (Lego Movie, Hotel Transylvania II). Her album Rhythms of Your Heart featuring these songs was produced by Grammy-nominated Daryl Bennett, with some of Canada’s top musicians: Eli Bennett, Vince Mai, Dave Martone, Adam Thomas, and Rosemary Siemens. She also loves to collaborate with others such as Michael Hope (Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra), Miles Black, and Nic Kyle (London’s West End).
Leif Bradshaw has already made quite a name for himself. He plays five instruments: piano, trumpet, viola, cello and percussion; has carved out an acting niche and has already completed a number of professional composing projects. But what he is really known for is his voice. A cross between Gregory Porter and Kurt Elling. Growing up obsessively consuming music of nearly every genre, and participating in several musical projects in and out of school, Leif Bradshaw was particularly fond of jazz, possibly thanks to his parents choosing Vince Guaraldi as default lullaby music for their newborn son. After over half a decade of being a familiar face to the Victoria music scene, whether as a guest singer with some fabulous projects or leading his own project, Leif has become one of the top vocalists of his generation.
Gershwin was one of the most important pianists and composers in the history of music, he had the versatility to create for different genres and was well known in popular, Jazz and Classical music. He also gained a great recognition making the music for some of the best musical theater productions of all time like “Porgy and Bess”. George Gershwin’s music was influenced by Cuban music thanks to a trip to the Island. As he was aware of the international relevance of Cuban music, Gershwin traveled to Havana in 1932 to experience all he could from the music scene over there, as a result of those two weeks vacation in Havana he left inspired to create important pieces like the Cuban Overture.
Pablo Cardenas is one of the best pianists of his generation, his versatility and high technical preparation make his music very rich and full of different influences from Afro-cuban, Latin Jazz to Fusion, Jazz, Classical and more. He started taking piano lessons at the age of five at the Conservatory of Music of Matanzas, Cuba. His first recital was at the age of 10, after he went on to complete his Masters degree in classical performance with the prominent Cuban pianist Antonio Carbonell who studied at Tchaikovsky conservatory in Moscow. After his graduation he went on for higher studies in classical and Jazz at the Superior institute of Arts of Havana, where he had the opportunity to meet and take lessons with top American jazz pianists like Herbie Hancock and Danilo Perez. He went on to work as a piano teacher at the Conservatory and started a career as classical music performer and accompanist but shortly after he changed the course of his music career and embraced Jazz, creating his (Pablo Cardenas Latin jazz Quartet). Since arriving in Canada in 2010 he has been teaching at the Victoria Conservatory of Music for a few years until he started teaching privately at Alison pianos, and have led different projects like The West Coast Cuban All Stars, Pablo Cardenas Modern Jazz Trio, Pablo Cardenas Latin Combo and many more. He has participated in many Festivals in Canada and internationally, and constantly collaborated with several high class musicians over the years.
About the special guests:
“Ingrid has an instrument with a rich, round, warm, honeyed color, and is very much at home in a variety of styles”, says renowned American-Canadian Maestro Clyde Mitchell who has appeared with every major Canadian orchestra. She is widely admired for her soulful and soothing interpretations of popular adult contemporary favorites as well as her dynamic and playful renditions of jazz and Latin classics. Born in Argentina and brought up in Canada, she has enchanted audiences in various countries and provinces, singing in various languages. Her passion for orchestras has seen her singing for various symphonies. Her custom orchestrations were arranged by Roy Tan (Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Vatican, Beijing Olympics), as well as Ken Cormier (LiveEnt, Vancouver Arts Club), Maestro Clyde Mitchell and Devin Roth (Lego Movie, Hotel Transylvania II). Her album Rhythms of Your Heart featuring these songs was produced by Grammy-nominated Daryl Bennett, with some of Canada’s top musicians: Eli Bennett, Vince Mai, Dave Martone, Adam Thomas, and Rosemary Siemens. She also loves to collaborate with others such as Michael Hope (Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra), Miles Black, and Nic Kyle (London’s West End).
Leif Bradshaw has already made quite a name for himself. He plays five instruments: piano, trumpet, viola, cello and percussion; has carved out an acting niche and has already completed a number of professional composing projects. But what he is really known for is his voice. A cross between Gregory Porter and Kurt Elling. Growing up obsessively consuming music of nearly every genre, and participating in several musical projects in and out of school, Leif Bradshaw was particularly fond of jazz, possibly thanks to his parents choosing Vince Guaraldi as default lullaby music for their newborn son. After over half a decade of being a familiar face to the Victoria music scene, whether as a guest singer with some fabulous projects or leading his own project, Leif has become one of the top vocalists of his generation.
