[José Silvestre White (1835-1918), shown here after he received the 1st prize for violin at the Conservatoire de Paris in 1856. Bibliothèque Nationale de France]
José Silvestre White (1835-1918) was an Afro-Cuban violinist who became a composer and professor after graduating from the Paris Conservatory. He is profiled at AfriClassical.com:
Radio Cadena Agramonte
“Cuban and Canadian Musicians Give Concert in Eastern Cuba
LAS TUNAS, Cuba, Apr 4.- Students from the art school “El Cucalambe” from Las Tunas, Cuba and from Quebec’s art school La Seigneurie, Canada gave a concert Sunday as closing of a trip for cultural exchange between the two schools. The students from both countries came together in a choir and a chamber orchestra to give the concert in which they interpreted songs from both countries, like La bella cubana by Jose White, and the Spring Anthem by Felix Leclerc.
“La Seigneurie’s director Gills Tetreaut said the concert was very good in spite of the few days the young musicians had to prepare it and rehearse and also the complexity of the repertoire. The group of 17 students of music and dance, and two professors from the Quebecois school has been in Cuba since March 26 on a program for cultural exchange that included visit to historical places, lectures about Cuba and exchange with students from Las Tunas, located in the eastern region of the island.”
