Orchestra conductors play a vitally important role in Cuban music, as they select the music to be performed, stage, and arrange the musical numbers, most of which are their own compositions. Many of them are prominent instrumentalists, such as José Loyola Fernández, César de las Mercedes Pedroso Fernández (César “Pupy” Pedroso), Alexander Abreu Manresa, Maykel Blanco, and Dairán Perdomo Mariño.

José Loyola Fernández, a distinguished Cuban musicologist, flautist, and composer, has spent decades as a member of or leading prominent groups such as the Efraín Loyola Orchestra, the Revelación Orchestra, the Jazz Band of the Cuban National School of Art (120th Street between 9th and 13th Streets, Cubanacán, Playa, Havana), and the Fryderk Babinski Quartet in Warsaw, Poland, where he worked as a flautist and arranger.

He recently created the musical group Charanga de Oro, which primarily performs danzones. It was originally composed of a flute, violin, piano, double bass, timbale (paila criolla), and güiro. It later incorporated two more violins, a tumbadora, and three singers. The orchestra has also ventured into highly experimental works, incorporating opera singers from the National Opera.

This talented Cuban musician and composer has won several national awards in composition competitions, as well as other accolades, including the Annual Recognition Award for his entire creative body of work (the highest award given in Cuba), the “Juan Marinello” Order (1996), and the “Alejo Carpentier” Medal (2001).

César de las Mercedes Pedroso Fernández, popularly known as César “Pupy” Pedroso, is a Cuban composer, arranger, pianist, and conductor. He was a member of various Cuban groups such as Cuba Nueva, Sensación, Chapottín, Fascinación, and Elio Revé’s Charangón. He served as pianist and musical director for the latter, and it was there that he first gained fame in Cuban music.

In December 1968, he joined Juan Formell and formed the legendary Cuban orchestra “Los Van Van,” with which he remained for 32 years. In 2001, César “Pupy” Pedroso founded his own popular dance music group, named “Pupy” y Los que Son Son.

The instrumental format of Pupy y los que Son Son is nothing more than the basis of the mixture of various instrumental formats, such as that of Charanga, since it maintains the violin and the pailas, performs an Conjunto treatment by adding the trumpets and the trombones are also present, characteristic of the modalities derived from the Jazz band.

The lyrics of the songs that make up their repertoire address themes such as romantic relationships and women as the main figures within them, and have social content, where typical characters from the Cuban social sphere are showcased, such as the boastful, the gossipmonger, and the town crier.

César “Pupy” Pedroso has received numerous awards throughout his successful career, including the 1999 Grammy Award and the 2008 French Award for Best Album of the Year.

Alexander Abreu Manresa is a distinguished Cuban trumpeter and orchestra conductor. In 2000, he was awarded First Prize for Best Timba Trumpeter, as a result of a competition held on one of the most important salsa websites in the world (www.timba.com).

He founded his own orchestra, Havana D’ Primera, in late 2007, in which he shares the direction with trombonist Amaury Pérez. His group’s first album, “Haciendo historia,” was produced by the Cuban label EGREM and nominated for the 2010 CUBADISCO Award. Since beginning his artistic career, he has been a member of various Cuban orchestras and has shared the stage with leading figures in our music.

Throughout his professional career, he has not limited himself to playing the trumpet, but has also worked as a teacher at the National School of Art (120th Street between 9th and 13th Streets, Cubanacán, Playa, Havana), where he served as a trumpet professor. He has produced countless productions and recordings in Cuba and abroad, making him one of the Cuban musicians with the greatest record of recordings in Cuba. Many of these works have been nominated for Latin and American Grammys.

Alexander Abreu Manresa is currently considered one of the best trumpet players in Cuban music, thanks to his hard work, having played and recorded with countless artists and orchestras.

Among the awards this young Cuban musician has received, we can mention: Latin Grammy, for the CD La Rumba soy yo and the First Prize for the best Timba trumpet player (2000).

Maykel Blanco, a prominent Cuban orchestra conductor, began his professional career at the age of 17, forming the orchestra La Constelación. In 2004, he joined the Salsa Mayor orchestra, which was lacking a conductor, and took over the position. He made several changes, such as changing the name to Maykel Blanco and Salsa Mayor, transforming the musical concept, and incorporating new artists.

His musical group is one of the most popular Cuban dance music orchestras, and has also been featured on Cuban radio’s Hit Parade with the song “Se acaba el amor” (Love Is Over). Despite his young career, he has produced numerous albums, totaling twenty to date. Among his Salsa Major hits are “Recoge y vete” (Collect and Go) and “Ya llegado los cubanos” (The Cubans Have Arrived).

His musical group is one of the most popular Cuban dance music orchestras, and has also been featured on Cuban radio’s Hit Parade with the song “Se acaba el amor” (Love Is Over). Maykel Blanco is considered by critics to be one of the emerging talents of salsa and Cuban music.

Dairán Perdomo Mariño is a young Cuban singer and orchestra conductor. In 1997, he founded a group called “Nueva Imagen,” of which he was the vocalist and director. A year later, he was considered to join the “Adolfo Guzmán” company. Also in 1998, he won first prize at the “Joseíto Fernández” Festival.

He currently serves as the director and lead singer of the Los Ángeles de la Habana orchestra, founded in 2002. The orchestra has already released three albums, accompanied by five music videos and a DVD. In 2004, they participated in the Cubadisco Festival, nominated for their album “24 kilates.”

Dairán Perdomo is a young Cuban musician who, with his great talent, has earned the respect and admiration of the Cuban public.