Arturo O'Farrill Becomes Part of Universal Music Group's Blue Note Label, Set to Unveil New Musical Composition and Discloses Future Goals
Arturo O'Farrill Brings Afro-Latin Jazz to Washington D.C. and Announces New Projects
Arturo O'Farrill, a five-time GRAMMY Award-winning artist and global jazz studies professor at UCLA, is set to perform "Four Questions" with his GRAMMY Award-Winning Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra at The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. on October 30, 2021. This performance will include a collaboration with preeminent scholar, philosopher, and civil rights activist, Dr. Cornel West.
In addition to his upcoming performance, O'Farrill has an exciting lineup of projects. He has two vinyl projects, "The Centennial Suites" and "Love and Resilience", scheduled for limited release. Furthermore, O'Farrill's upcoming album is inspired by Ernest Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea". This album will be released on Blue Note Records.
O'Farrill is also working on an opera called Lucero. His latest commissioned work, "Mundoagua", will premiere at the School of the Arts in Columbia University in September.
Aside from his musical endeavors, O'Farrill plays a significant role in promoting diversity and inclusion in the music industry. He is the associate dean for equity, diversity, and inclusion at The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, and the Founder and Artistic Director of the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance (ALJA). The ALJA will operate the upcoming Afro-Latin Music and Arts Center (ALMA) in East Harlem, New York.
The ALMA project is a cultural hub designed to celebrate and preserve Afro-Latin music and arts, with a focus on the history and cultural contributions of Puerto Rican and Cuban communities in East Harlem. The center will provide a dedicated space for performances, education, and cultural events that showcase Afro-Latin music and art traditions, support local artists, and engage the community in maintaining East Harlem’s rich cultural heritage.
The new project will build a 16,000 square foot Afro-Latin Music and Arts Center (ALMA) and nearly 600 new affordable homes in East Harlem, New York City. The ALMA will also provide job training in the arts, including an anti-gun initiative. It will host professional music performances and offer free or affordable music education to people of all ages.
Meanwhile, the Anti-RacismAction Committee at UCLA, of which O'Farrill is a part, will issue a public report and recommendations, and work closely with the Dean's Office to implement them. The committee also plans to hold regular forums and monthly events for the UCLA community.
The Still Waiting Speaker Series, which addresses issues related to institutionalized racism in academia, particularly in higher music education, will continue. The series will feature recognised national leaders.
For more information about the ALMA Center, click here.
[1] This paragraph is a summary of the information provided earlier in the bullet points.
Books related to music and education can be found in the upcoming opera by Arturo O'Farrill titled Lucero. Additionally, his upcoming album is inspired by Ernest Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea", which can be categorized under both entertainment and education-and-self-development as it tells a profound story.
