Celebrating Latin America's Musical Heritage

October 2024, The Dominican Republic’s Bachata Academy band toured US schools and performing arts centers for Hispanic Heritage Month. The Academy band engaged in 20 performances and workshops in Indiana, Illinois, Massachusetts, Vermont, New York and New Jersey, with a program of interactive Dominican music and dance.
The tour was supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and included partnerships with Berklee College of Music, Lotus Festival, Jazzhouse Kids, International Latino Cultural Center of Chicago, Old Town School for Folk Arts, UMass Amherst, Middlebury College, Hamilton-Garrett Music and Arts Academy, Hyde Square Task Force, the St. Bernard’s School and Alianza Dominicana.
Grammy-nominated bachata percussionist Juan Abel Mendez (of Romeo Santos and Monchy y Alexandra) is directing the ensemble workshops. The group is accompanied by Bachata Academy founder Benjamin de Menil and professor Demmanuel Gonzalez, who together with leading bachata musicians are structuring the first bachata pedagogy.
The tour ran from October 4 to October 25. Many thanks to our local partners and supporters for arranging this tour for cultural exchange.
Date | Venue | City/State | Program |
Friday Oct 4, 6pm, 9pm | Bloomington IN | ||
Saturday Oct 5, 7:15pm, 10:30pm | Bloomington IN | ||
Tuesday Oct 8, 9am | Kehrein Center for the Arts | Chicago IL | Workshop |
Wednesday Oct 9, 10:30am, 6pm | Chicago IL | ||
Thursday Oct 10, 7pm | Chicago IL | ||
Saturday Oct 12, 3:30pm | Mozart Park Concert presented by Hyde Square Task Force & MetaMovements | Boston MA | |
Sunday, Oct 13, 7pm | Middlebury College, Wilson Café | Middlebury VT | Public Performance |
Tuesday Oct 15 | Amherst MA | Workshop | |
Tuesday Oct 15, 4pm | Amherst MA | ||
Wednesday Oct 16 | Boston MA | Workshop | |
Thursday Oct 17 | Boston MA | Workshop | |
Friday Oct 18 | New York NY | Workshop | |
Monday Oct 21 | New York NY | Workshop | |
Tuesday Oct 22 | Jazzhouse NYC, Trinity Bway | New York NY | Workshop |
Wednesday Oct 23 | Montclair NJ | ||
Thursday Oct 24 | Newark NJ | Workshop Performance | |
Thursday Oct 24 | Jersey City NJ | School Performance | |
Friday Oct 25 | Alianza Dominicana | New York NY | Workshop |
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