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An electrifying night of music is set to captivate the CSUN community as ten-time Grammy-winning Cuban jazz musician Arturo Sandoval performs with CSUN’s Jazz “A” Band and Strings with guest conductor Angel Velez.
On Wednesday, Sept. 24 at 7:30 p.m., the free film-to-live concert at The Soraya will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the HBO film “For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story” and is part of Hispanic Heritage Month, presented by the CSUN Department of Music.
Sandoval defected from Cuba in the ’90s, pursuing musical freedom with the support of jazz artist Dizzy Gillespie. The movie depicts his life, showing his desire to escape Cuba’s repression, where jazz was restricted under the Castro regime. His journey reflects his deep passion for music and the personal sacrifices that touch on his personal life.
Director of Jazz Studies Tina Raymond not only prepared the student performers but also interfaced with the guest conductor and The Soraya to sort out the logistical details. She shared her experience working with Sandoval.
“I actually have worked with Arturo when I was their age,” Raymond said. “So, when this opportunity came up, I was very excited to be able to do something like this for my students. We haven’t met him yet on campus, so it remains to be seen how that will go. I do know that he’s very charismatic and very intense, and so it’s going to be a major learning experience.”
Raymond said the students are learning to play with a click track, which is the tempo played in their ears while making music, a method that is not typically used in jazz bands. However, for studio musicians, playing to movies has to be very precise.
The concert aligns with Hispanic Heritage Month, offering CSUN students and the audience a chance to experience world-class jazz while highlighting the impact of Latinx music and heritage.
Lorenz Gamma, professor of violin and former music department chair, explained that organizing a project of this complexity required careful planning.
“The challenges for a project of this complexity is always time, because you want to get everything going, including, for example, publicity and so on, but then you realize that you can’t do B before you have A, and you can’t do C before you have B, before you have A,” Gamma explained. “So, time is always the most challenging thing, because there are so many answers that one is constantly waiting for. And while you’re waiting for answers, you can’t really move ahead to the next, you know, to the next puzzle piece.”
The event involved coordinating multiple elements, including screening the film, licensing agreements with HBO and Warner Bros. Discovery and talks with other rights-holding agencies for some of the film’s materials.
Gamma said the logistics also included coordinating an outside music director with their own jazz band, as well as an additional string section hired from all alumni.
With all the planning and preparation in place, the anticipation for the concert is rising. The event is described as a once-in-a-lifetime experience for both students and the audience.
“Arturo Sandoval is, like, one of the most well-known trumpet players in the world of all time, and to hear someone play at that level right next to you is very inspiring,” Raymond said.
Tickets for the event are free, but an RSVP is required. Spots can be reserved on The Soraya’s website.
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