Hispanic Society Museum & Library
Join Spanish pianist Antonio Galera for the 2025 Hispanic Society Concert Series, which establishes relationships between the museum collections and artists from different fields, in continuous dialogue with the piano.
Thursday, February 27th, 2025 6 – 8 pm
Concert Series Part I: Cordes | American Academy of Arts and Letters Library
The richness of Hispanic classical music lies in its deep integration of folklore, guitar, and flamenco, creating a unique language that merges the popular with the academic. Composers such as Falla and Albéniz in Spain, and Ginastera in Argentina, drew inspiration from popular dances and songs, incorporating techniques like tremolos and strumming in their piano compositions to evoke the distinctive sound of the guitar.
In Falla and Albéniz, the cante jondo and flamenco styles, with their rhythmic and emotional depth, also influenced their works, adding expressive intensity and a distinctive cultural identity that enriched classical music and inspired contemporaries like Debussy. This influence continues to resonate in new repertoire, where echoes of these traditions remain present.
Antonio Galera delves into the music of composers from his hometown, Valencia, whose references to both local folk songs and the guitar are evident in an exercise of transcription. These pieces form the foundation of his upcoming album, set to be released this spring: Cordes, the Valencian word for “strings”, referring both to the guitar and the piano, as well as the connections that bind together the carefully selected pieces.
For this first project, Antonio has invited Lori Cohen, a member of the HSM&L board, along with curator and art collector Christopher Rothko. Together, they will introduce Antonio Galera and provide context for the pieces performed in the recital.
Thursday May 15th, 2025 6 – 8 pm
Concert Series Part II: Spanish Landscapes | Sorolla Gallery
For the second concert, SPANISH LANDSCAPES, violinist Leticia Moreno, acclaimed by critics for her profound interpretative strength, will join Antonio Galera in a program with pieces by Manuel de Falla, Enrique Granados, Pablo de Sarasate and Joaquín Turina.
Recognised as a truly exciting and versatile violinist, Leticia Moreno “captivates audiences and critics alike with her natural charisma, virtuosity and deep interpretative force”. Recently Leticia has performed in venues such as the Walt Disney Hall with Los Angeles Philarmonic and Gustavo Dudamel and with the National Symphony Orchestra from Washington D.C. Last June, she performed at Carnegie Hall with soloists from the Orquesta del Teatro Real.
The recital will take place in Sorolla’s Vision of Spain Gallery with the stage located in the center of the room to enjoy the canvases commissioned from Joaquín Sorolla by Archer Milton Huntington. Pianist Enriqueta Somarriba, Doctor in Music from Rutgers University, will introduce the performance and contextualize the repertoire, territorially and culturally linking these pieces with the different scenes represented by Sorolla.
Date TBA
Musica y Letra
As the third event in our series, MÚSICA Y LETRA, Antonio has invited celebrated writer Elvira Lindo. Together, they will share fascinating anecdotes and highlight musical references found in the correspondence of the HSM&L collection, as well as in letters from other renowned Hispanic artists who traveled to New York City throughout its history. Among these figures are Joaquín Sorolla, Concha Piquer, Zenobia Camprubí, Juan Ramón Jiménez, Enrique Granados, María de Maeztu, Amparo&José Iturbi, Julio Camba, Federico García Lorca, María Lejárraga, Blasco Ibáñez, Rubén Darío, Marcelino Orbés, and many others.
New York City—where Elvira Lindo lived for several years—has consistently inspired her work. Her journalistic articles carefully unravel the complexities of urban life, offering detailed portrayals of the vibrant Hispanic community, while her novels, such as Lugares que no quiero compartir con nadie, and film scripts like La Vida Inesperada capture the ever-changing essence of the metropolis.
We are proud to collaborate at this event with the American Academy of Arts and Letters, which will lend us their piano and host us in their beautiful library. We also wish to thank Dr. John O’Neill, whose invaluable help and dedication made the archives available.
Date TBA
Cuadros de una Exposición
The fourth and final concert, CUADROS DE UNA EXPOSICIÓN, will take place in the Main Court of the Museum. Throughout Antonio Galera’s residency at the Hispanic Society, both classical and contemporary music have been performed. This culminating event will feature works by Granados and Mussorgsky, as well as the world premiere of two solo piano pieces by Francisco Coll, commissioned by the Hispanic Society and Antonio Galera. The acclaimed Valencian composer has created two contrasting pieces inspired by Goya and Zurbarán, both represented in the museum’s collection.