UIU and Fayette to celebrate Puerto Rican music and culture

Two signature events showcasing Puerto Rican culture are being sponsored by Upper Iowa University and the City of Fayette on Saturday, October 6.  The UIU community will host a nine-member ensemble from the Chicago Cuatro Orchestra (CCO), a musical group directed by Orlando Rivera. The orchestra highlights the cuatro, Puerto Rico’s national musical instrument.

The island’s music and culture will first be discussed at 2 p.m. in the Fayette Community Library. The festivities culminate with a concert at 7 p.m. in the Fayette Opera House, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. The October 6 discussion and concert both will feature the orchestra ensemble and are free and open to the public.

This exploration of Puerto Rico’s heritage is a collaboration spearheaded by UIU’s School of Liberal Arts in commemoration of Hispanic Heritage month, with additional support from UIU’s Center for International Education, Fayette Community Library, Fayette Opera House and Friends of the Fayette Community Library.

The Chicago Cuatro Orchestra was founded in 1996 with the purpose of creating a cultural program to preserve the cuatro, and to educate the broader public about Puerto Rico.  For more information about the CCO, its music, and its mission, visit www.theccoproject.org.

Upper Iowa University has received a grant award of $2,592 from Humanities Iowa, a state-based affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, in support of the project “Cuatro: The Spirit and Music of Puerto Rican Identity.”  The views and opinions expressed by this program do not necessarily reflect those of Humanities Iowa or the National Endowment for the Humanities.