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photograph by Andrew Putler

J. R.  MONROY

Founder and President of the Latin American and Caribbean Cultural Society

© 2004 LACCS-UK


PHOTO ARCHIVE 1987-2003

The Latin American and Caribbean Cultural Society
has many highlights in its illustrious twenty year
history, some of which are recorded in these
pages with photographs and reviews.

jrm.monro@gmail.com
info@LACCS.com

There are many notable artistes who have had associations with LACCS-UK, including:
Laurindo Almeida
Angelo Gilardino
Charlie Byrd
Carlos Guastavino
Ernesto Cordero
Mariano Mores
Alirio Diaz
Marlos Nobre

J R Monroy with
Eduardo Falu
Buenos Aires, Argentina
December 2003

J R Monroy with guitarist
Romilio Orellana
Santiago, Chile
December 2003

J R Monroy, President LACCS-UK
Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer, RFH
Concert: Fabio Zanon
May 2003

J L Sylvester
LACCS-UK Executive Director
Foyer Queen Elizabeth Hall
RFH, London May 2003

Juanita Sylvester,
Prof. J.R. Monroy,
Timo Korhonen (Finland)
Anna-Maria Liukko
2nd Secretary, Press &
Cultural Affairs, Embassy of
Finland at the Royal
Festival Hall - March 2003

Andrzej Mokry (Poland) in the
Polish Cultural Institute
London - Feb. 2003

Adrzej Mokry (Polish guitarist), Heiner Reitz (Swiss composer) J.R.Monroy (President LACCS-UK) after a Concert at the Purcell Room 26th February 2003


Carlos Barbosa-Lima
with Prof. J.R. Monroy
and the statue of Segovia
in Linares, Spain
July 2002

Turkish Television in Ankara hosted in 2002 a performance by Carlos Barbosa-Lima, presented by Ahmet Kanneci


Charlie Byrd of the USA and Carlos Barbosa-Lima from Brazil in rehearsal for a concert in the Purcell Room, London


PHOTOS FROM LACCS-UK ARCHIVE
FOR GENERAL INFORMATION

On the 24th July 1997, Mariano Mores and his Orchestra from Buenos Aires gave his first performance in the United Kingdom and at the Royal Festival Hall.

"MARIANO MORES and his orchestra of forty-two musicians, dancers
singers, together with the English Chamber Choir, delight us for the first time in London at what we can considered the celebration of hundred years of tango"

................................................................

We can proudly say that MARIANO MORES is a legendary living personality in the history of the Argentine tango. His music is well known in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Japan and Europe. One of this greatest achievements has been to transform the "orquesta tipica" (small ensemble), into a symphonic orchestra".

MARIANO MORES
in the Foyer of the
Royal Festival Hall
a day before his
performance at the RFH (Photo J R Monroy)

MARIANO MORES
was interviewed by
RADIO SPECTRUM
in London - July 1997

From left to right:

Leticia Agudelo, Journalist
Mariano Mores, composer and
pianist
Prof. J R Monroy, Chairman of the Latin American and
Caribbean Cultural Society (LACCS-UK)


Gabriela Elias and Eduardo Perez, stars of the Buenos Aires Tango Ballet performing at the Royal Festival Hall, London in 1997


From left to right:
J.R.Monroy, Carlos Barbosa-Lima, Charlie Byrd, Juanita Sylvester, HE Senior Rubens Antonio Barbosa at the Ambassador's residence in London in 1996 on the occasion of a concert at the Purcell Room paying tribute to Laurindo Almeida


J.R.Monroy with composer Carlos Guastavino in Buenos Aires 1996


A missing story of my second visit to Hanoi in 1995!

I found recently in my personal photo-archive some interesting photos related to my visit to Vietnam in 1995. Suddenly a set of them attracted my attention because of the importance of the momentum I had when talking to one of the greatest Vietnamese composer of the 20th century.

Ten year have passed since I met VAN CAU composer, pianist, and painter in Hanoi. I still remember when I was invited to see him at his home in a neighbourhood far away from my hotel in Pho Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem district.

I was very nervous and at the same time with intellectual curiosity to introduce myself to the author of the Vietnamese National anthem. I knew for writing references that he was a free-thinker, an educated man, and admirer of non Asian philosophies and ideas which served him as a great source of inspiration which challenged his inquisitive mind.

It took me some time - in a three wheeled vehicle pulled by a local man to arrive to the composer's house. It was a sunny day, and I was full of excitement for I was going to meet such an important personality.

I introduced myself, and have the privilege to talk to someone who I know was one of the greatest musicians of Indo-China, now he was an old man suffering from an incurable illness however he accepted to talk in French for more than one hour.

He talked of his experiences living in Paris in later 1920's.
He said he knew Heitor Villa-Lobos (Brazil), with whom in the 1920's he discussed his own music. This great musician also remembered Pablo Neruda, Chilean Nobel Prize amongst many others writers and Latin American intellectuals of his own generation.

My conversation with him was interrupted by romantic sounds from a cassette recording. I was lucky to listen several of his beautiful pieces composed for strings orchestra. I thought to myself how could be such as similarity between the music of two geniuses:
Villa-Lobos and Van Cau?

I tried to find my own explanation: both personalities in music served the inspiration of their own ideas, whether revolutionary, avant-garde, romantic or pacifist.

* Van Cau died in July 1995 three months later of my visit to his home in Hanoi.
*********************************************

VAN CAU PAINTING
an illustration of his book, A selection
of Vietnam Songs, 1993.
Van Cau and his piano, an interesting
photo printed in the back cover of this book.
Van Cau signature, dedicated to
Juan R Monroy
Van Cau own cartoon
Hanoi, April 1995 - Prof. J R Monroy
On my way to meet the composer
"Listening to my music" said composer VAN CAU to Prof. J R Monroy
It is a symphonic piece
Still a remember Heitor Villa-Lobos...
Left: Hoang Bich Son
Member of the Standing Committee
Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee S.R. Vietnam National Assembly and Prof. J R Monroy
1995
Vietnam's Song, Dance and Music Theatre at the Queen Elizabeth Hall. 1995 Presented by LACCS-UK in association with the Embassy of Vietnam in London and the Ministry of Culture.


J.R.Monroy with Venezuelan guitarist Alirio Diaz on the occasion of a concert at the Purcell Room, February 1995


J R Monroy presents the LACCS-UK Award 1992 to Laurindo Almeida of Brazil, at St John's Smith Square, London on the 3rd April, during a concert in Almeida's honour given by Carlos Barbosa-Lima


From left to right:
Laurindo Almeida, J.R.Monroy, Carlos Barbosa-Lima, Thiago de Mello at St John's Smith Square, London, April 1992


Centenary of the birth of Heitor Villa-Lobos, Concert and Reception at St John's Smith Square, London, 28th April 1987.  
Left to right:
Prof.J.R.Monroy (President LACCS-UK), Mrs Maria de Souza e Silva, His Excellency the Brazilian Ambassador, Senor Celso de Souza e Silva, Juanita Sylvester (LACCS-UK)


PHOTOS:
2008
2007
2006
1987-2003
2004
2005

HOME PAGE About LACCS-UK J. R. Monroy 33 years
on
Composers Page English & Spanish Reviews Articles &
Bibliography
Photo Archive Contacts