The National Chamber Music Festival “A Tempo con Caturla” is organized by the Hermanos Saíz Association (AHS) and has been held in Cuba since 1996.

The event takes place in the cities of Santa Clara and Remedios, in the province of the birth of the memorable Cuban composer, violinist, and conductor Alejandro García Caturla. Its main objective is to evoke the innovative thinking of this exceptional musician and his authentic artistic approach, which has made him a must-see for young Cuban composers and instrumentalists.

The “A Tempo con Caturla” Festival is a prestigious event that showcases exponents of jazz, electroacoustic, Afro-Cuban, and classical music. Each year, choirs, orchestras, and groups perform, showcasing their talents to both specialists and the discerning general public. Caturla was an experienced researcher of folklore and deeply admired music, especially Afro-Cuban culture, and conducted important research in this regard.

The festival program also includes interactive shows, theoretical sessions, downloads, audiovisual presentations, and the sale of CDs produced in the city on this music. Elliot Porta, a talented musician with the Santa Clara Symphony Orchestra, is the current president of the festival’s Organizing Committee, and Isahily Pérez is the president of the AHS in Santa Clara.

Throughout its various editions, the festival has featured artistic groups and musicians from different generations, including the Solistas de La Habana orchestra, the Entre Cuerdas Guitar Orchestra, the Chalumeau quartet, maestro Pucho López alongside young pianist Ruy López-Nussa, the Trovarroco trio, the Chalumeau quartet, the Espirituano Clave Choir (the only one of its kind in the country), Ars Nova with bassoonist Abraham Castillo, and the Audinos Choir, among countless other figures. It has also featured maestros such as Teresa Núñez and María Elena Mendiola, the latter being director of the Solistas de La Habana Orchestra.

Every year, the “A tempo con Caturla” Festival has its main venues at the La Caridad Theater, the UNEAC Mansion, the Museum of Decorative Arts, and the Alejandro García Caturla House Museum in Remedios. In the provincial capital, the Manuel Ascunce Domenech School of Art Instructors, the Provincial Art Gallery, and the Samuel Feijóo Professional Art School warmly welcome the event’s ever-growing audience.

As every year in March, the 15th National Chamber Music Festival “A tempo con Caturla” took place in Santa Clara in 2011, this time as part of a series of celebrations for the 25th Anniversary of the Hermanos Saíz Association (AHS). The event began in the Caturla Room of the José Martí Provincial Library. During the various sessions, visitors could enjoy performances by pianist Ania Castillo, the Ars Longa Early Music Ensemble, the Lunas Duo, soprano Tahimí García, the Lautus Vocal Camerata, and the Alter Ego Trio, among other notable figures.