A group of forty six teachers visiting Cuba in July took 1kg packages of spare parts for musical instruments to the “Una Corda” workshop in Havava. ‘Una Corda’ is an Irish-Cuban project that helps train and equip piano teachers so that old pianos can be restored and released to schools of music in Cuba. Nadine Connell, Kildare was the inspiration behind the Irish teachers group volunteering as couriers.
The term “Una Corda” is a musical direction for the depression of a soft pedal on the piano. Its literal meaning is “one string”. So far the organization has sent a small number of piano tuners to Cuba to tune pianos and train people locally. The workers work in a massive decrepit warehouse. As you enter an Irish flag stands
on one side and the Cuban flag on the other side. On our visit there were carcasses of pianos everywhere – everything from upright pianos to baby grands. The Cubans were so delighted to meet us and they gave us a tour of the ground floor and the store room which is situated at the top of a narrow stairway. Here the precious parts carried by the Irish travellers are stored –felt, nails, piano wire, hammers, nuts and bolts. We were all so delighted and privileged to have made a contribution to the tremendous work carried out in this back street of Havana.
The workshop itself is in need of restoration. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin has visited the workshop and spoke about how the Una Corda Project was ‘a good example of the cultural bond existing between the two nations which can be developed even more particularly in the sphere of music’.
The Cuban people don’t have many material things so they celebrate through music. Music is at the heart and soul of every Cuban. As you stroll down the streets of cities or the cobbled walkways of small villages a cacophony of sounds emanates from several sources – music is everywhere. The sound is unique, true and pure.
If you want to support the “Una Corda Project”, a truly worthy cause you can do so through the Una Corda.org web site or attend the forth coming concerts of famous Cuban jazz pianist Chucho Valdes in Cork and Dublin at the end of July or view “88 Strings Attached” a short documentary on the project as part of the Galway Film Fleadh.
Mary Kyne