CharangaSue.com

Sue Miller – Cuban Flute Improviser, Writer & Academic

Content tagged with: improvisation

New Charanga Video

Here’s a track from Charanga del Norte’s new EP Charanga Time: Que Maravilloso (How Marvellous) The EP  launch is at Seven Arts , Leeds on Saturday 28 October.        

Recontextualising Ragtime: Connections, Influences, Perspectives A two-day symposium 6&7 May 2017

Recontextualising Ragtime: Connections, Influences, Perspectives

A two-day symposium
6&7 May 2017

Location: Heritage Quay at the University of Huddersfield, UK
Organised by: Prof. Rachel Cowgill (University of Huddersfield) and Dr Sue Miller (Leeds Beckett University) in association with Heritage Quay at the University of Huddersfield

Cuban Flute Style: Interpretation and Improvisation review in Latin American Music Review Journal

Review by Sunni Witmer of ‘Cuban Flute Style: Interpretation and Improvisation’ by Sue Miller in Latin American Music Review, Volume 37, Number 1, Spring/Summer 2016, Published by University of Texas Press
https://muse.jhu.edu/article/619638

‘All in all, Miller’s book is a valuable contribution to the scant research on charanga, and it is especially informative for those interested in improvisation, performance practices, analysis of popular music, flute performance, and, of course, Cuban music.’

Review in Flute Journal

Book Review: Cuban Flute Style: Interpretation And Improvisation, By Sue Miller. Book Review by Jessica Valiente Cuban Flute Style: Interpretation and Improvisation, by Sue Miller (The Scarecrow Press, 2014), holds the distinction of being the only scholarly work published in English devoted exclusively to the study of the Cuban charanga. Read more here: Book Review in Flute Journal […]

Charanga del Norte Gig 22 November, Cambridge Jazz Festival

Sue Miller is giving a pre-concert talk on Cuba-based and New York-based charanga music and then her band Charanga del Norte are performing that night at Churchill College, University of Cambridge – tickets from the Cambridge Jazz Festival site.

Charanga del Norte at Cambridge Jazz Festival 22 November

Charanga del Norte are performing at Cambridge Jazz Festival on 22 November preceded by a talk by Sue Miller on Cuban music in New York. There’s support from Vesperados and a wine reception. Room for dancing at the venue is at the back (Churchill College)

ARSC Journal Review of Cuban Flute Style by Nestor Torres

I am honoured that the multi-talented flute player Nestor Torres has reviewed my book for the Association of Recorded Music Sound journal (ARSC):
‘I declare that Cuban Flute Style is brilliant and without precedent. The research work is thorough and meticulous. The historical narrative of the flute styles and its protagonists is comprehensive, consistent and most importantly, respectful of the music’s tradition and filled with palpable affection. Her improvisation transcriptions and music samples from a wide selection of recordings (most of them commercially released) are accurate and accessible. . . .Sue Miller has created a work that celebrates and guarantees the perpetuation of Charanga and its Cuban Flute Style Tradition for many generations to come. Its historical, cultural, and pedagogical value cannot be overstated.’ (ARSC Journal)

‘Activating Improvisational Creativity in the Performance of “World” and “Popular” music’ has a new review in the Journal of Music, Technology & Education

Sue Miller’s chapter on improvisation in university music education has a review in the Journal of Music, Technology & Education:
‘As in Part 2, the arrangement of chapters in Part 3, Experiments in Teaching, brings out their thematic connections. Improvisation, composition and the experience of diverse musical cultures are prominent in this section. Sue Miller describes using her practice-led research in Latin improvisational styles to inform research-led teaching (Chapter 6, ‘Activating improvisational creativity in the performance of “World” and “Popular” music’). She argues for the positioning of improvisation at the centre of musical education, and against the cultural imperialism of most university music curricula.

Charanga del Norte at Cambridge Big Festival 10 July

Charanga del Norte perform at The Big Weekend in Cambridge on 10 July 2016. Featuring Guillermo Monroy on vocals the band will play as part of a 3 day world music festival  and it’s FREE! Held on Parker’s Piece, Cambridge.

New Review in the British Journal of Music Education

Sue Miller provides an intricately argued call for the study of both theoretical and practical improvisation to take centre-stage in higher music education (Chapter 6), a point pursued by Esmée Olthuis, who posits that improvisation can foster musical leadership and critical skills of self-reflection.