I have taken 10-hour guitar and 5-hour salsa lessons with Marcos and Yaimara who are both versatile, patient and organized during my one-week stay in Havana.
Mr.Miguel... read more coordinated with me from the initial booking to the end of my journey. His instant and informative communication enables me to experience the rich Cuban’s music landscape within a short period of time.
Havana music school sits in the music neighborhood Vedado, which is 25min’s bike to Habana Vieja and 5 min’s walk to F.A.C, the famous cultural headquarter of Cuban art, music and the coolest people. The casa of music school itself is an oasis to escape from the life material scarcity and other real difficulties that the country is facing after the pandemic. Selfishly, I wish this place could be my secret music garden always as what it is
Guitar Course
I myself is an amateur living-room guitar player who hasn’t taken any formal music training after primary school. With Marcos’ eye-opening guitar lessons,
- I am able to learn to play 3 genres : Son, Danzon and Bolero within 4 days ;
- As a composer and producer, Marcos opens a door of Cuban percussions and vocal music for me. He even patiently corrects my Spanish, a language that I have never had any interest of learning before ;
- As a band director, Marcos rearrange the music sheets adapting to my playing and singing style, and I have been able to progress everyday with the course content that tailored to my interest and needs.
- 10-hour class is definitely just an entree, I sincerely wish the country could prioritize on advancing its internet infrastructure, so I can come back to work remotely and study with Marcos for a longer period of time.
Salsa Course
I took an hour salsa class prior to joining Yaimara’s classes, and this concluded my brief personal history of dance. With Yaimara’s progressive salsa lessons,
- I am able to learn the movement of four steps, different hand gestures and half/full/under/above turns ;
- As a experienced teacher and great dancer, Yaimara delivered her class within a systematic structure, which allows beginner like me to follow up and progress quickly;
- As a great person, Yaimara’s class is filled with good laugh and joy, which itself constitute the reason for a Havana revisit
I can continue writing another 19784 words about my music journey in HMS, but I highly recommend those who is patient and curious enough to read my comments till here just come to Havana, meet the musicians in HMS, and write your own story.
As said, Havana is a place with no precedent. You might come home with more questions than answers. I am only here to assure you that those will be the really good ones 🙂
