The Leo Brouwer Chamber Music Festival held its first event in 2009, featuring performances of the maestro’s works. Tributes were made to prominent figures and musical groups, such as Alejo Carpentier, the Conjunto de Danza Moderna, and José Ardévol, among others.

In its second edition, in 2010, several works premiered, including Alejandro García Caturla’s Four Pieces for String Quartet and Hilario González’s Concertino in D.

The second and third concerts of this event were dedicated to Cuban female composers. They featured performances of works such as Cecilia Arizti’s Trio for violin, cello, and piano, considered one of the most important works of 19th-century Cuban music. Premieres of pieces by Tania León, Magaly Ruiz, Keyla Orozco, and Sigried Macías were also performed. Also featured were Ghetto, for flute and piano by María Álvarez Ríos, and Gisela Hernández’s Sonatina for violin and piano.

Tributes were paid to the Santiago Orfeón, the Cuban National Choir, researchers Zoila Lapique and María Teresa Linares, pianists Pura Ortiz and Rosario Franco, Mª Victoria del Collado (pianist) and Amparo del Riego (cellist), researcher Radamés Giró, and guitarist Jesús Ortega.

Among the foreign performers who were invited we can mention, among others, the Spaniards Rafael Martínez Guillén (trombonist) and Miguel Trápaga (guitarist), and the Argentine Víctor Pellegrini (guitarist).

Miguel Trápaga, Alí ​​Jorge Arango, Marcelo de la Puebla from Chile, and Víctor Pellegrini premiered Leo Brouwer’s Gismontiana for guitar quartet. Víctor Pellegrini premiered the maestro’s second sonata for guitar, Sonata del Caminante, in Cuba.

The festival also featured ensembles and choral groups, such as Vocal Sampling, which performed a version of Paisaje cubano with rumba. Some of Brouwer’s Rondas, refranes, and twisters were sung by the Entrevoces Choir.

Likewise, the music exhibited by the Ondina duo, the Concertante Trio, the José White Trio, the Havana String Quartet, the Habana d’Camara Duo, and the Promúsica Duo were enjoyed.