Teresita Fernández is a renowned Cuban singer-songwriter and author of beloved children’s songs. She was born on December 20, 1930, in Santa Clara, Villa Clara. She studied piano but, very early on, felt drawn to song, especially through the guitar, conveyed to children. Her first compositions appeared in the 1950s.

Deciding to explore her musical horizons as a troubadour, she began her artistic career with the Hermanas Martí trio in Havana. She made her debut in 1965 at the Sala Arlequín, one of the small venues on La Rampa; a performance attended by Sindo Garay and Bola de Nieve.

Months after her first recital, Bola de Nieve requested Teresita’s presence at the Monsigneur restaurant. After a season filled with unusual episodes alternating with Bola, Teresita began to occupy her own space at El Coctel, another venue located on Havana’s La Rampa, where a diverse audience of all ages attended without distinction.

He later toured with Portillo de la Luz and José Antonio Méndez. His Sunday peña, known as the “Peña de los Juglares” (The Minstrels’ Peña), or as many called it, “Teresita’s Peña,” held under the yagrumas (wooden trees) of Lenin Park, achieved an unprecedented level of attendance.

His works have enabled many generations to pay attention to the small details of life that, although sublime, are often overlooked. His vast repertoire, almost always associated with children’s songs, also encompasses boleros, musical poems, carols, and habaneras.

Her album “Teresita y sus canciones” (Teresita and her songs), released in the 1960s, included the songs: “Muñeca de trapo” (Rag Doll), “Dame la mano y danzaremos” (Give Me Your Hand and We’ll Dance) (with lyrics by Gabriela Mistral), “No Puede habrá soledad” (There Can Be No Loneliness), and “Más que triste” (More Than Sad).

Among his other pieces are: Song of the Sea No. 1; With Steel of Your Soul; When the Sun; Take Care of Me; The Cart; The Cricket with a Cold; The Hummingbird; The Ugly; Peppy (Clown); As Much as I Loved You; Puppeteer (To a Flower) and Vinagrito (My Kitten Vinagrito).

One of the most important examples of Teresita Fernández’s talent was her musical compositions for Gabriela Mistral’s Rondas and José Martí’s Ismaelillo.

He has performed numerous times since 1988 on international stages such as the Jornada Dariana in Nicaragua and the II Ibero-American Festival of Oral and Scenic Storytelling in Monterrey, Mexico, where he won the Chamán Award.

In 2011, one of the most distinctive events of the final day of the 20th International Book Fair in the capital was the tribute to the singer-songwriter in the Nicolás Guillén hall of the San Carlos de La Cabaña fortress.

Teresita Fernández has received numerous awards, including the 1988 EGREM Award, the Order for National Culture, the Rafael María de Mendive Order, the 10th Anniversary Medal of Nueva Trova, and a replica of Máximo Gómez’s machete, awarded by the FAR. In December 2009, the artist was crowned the 2009 National Music Prize winner, the most valuable award given annually by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Cuba and the Cuban Institute of Music.

The singer-songwriter expressed in an interview: “I’ve performed everywhere, from theaters to television, to the mountains to the poorest neighborhoods. I don’t really consider myself a singer, but simply someone who expresses her feelings.”