Una Corda is a non-profit, volunteer organisation, founded and funded by members of Ireland’s music community, that works to train and equip the young Cuban piano tuners and technicians that Cuba badly needs.
As an organisation, Una Corda has been gathering strength since 2006 and enjoys the support and endorsement of important figures in the music communities of both Cuba and Ireland. In that time, hundreds of ordinary Irish people have volunteered to bring piano supplies or tools with them on their visit to Cuba, a few kilos at a time. To date, nearly 250kg of supplies have been delivered, all paid for with money raised through benefit concerts in Ireland.
In order to attract the broadest possible support, Una Corda is entirely independent and apolitical. We are not affiliated with any lobby groups or campaigns, nor are we aligned with any trade union or political party.
Una Corda is recognised by the Centre of Coordination for International Collaboration of the Cuban Ministry of Culture and by Del Instituto Cubano de Amistad con los Pueblos (ICAP) in Havana, as an international co-operation programme. It is formally partnered with La Direccion Provincial de Cultura Ciudad de La Havana. This organisation has direct responsibility for a number of important music schools and art schools in Havana and it’s surrounding province, and is also responsible for the city’s National Workshop for Musical Instrument Repair.
We believe that by patiently developing links with the Cuban music community, and working in partnership with the Cuban authorities, we have created a realistic and effective project that can attract a broad range of support in Ireland and Cuba. Plans for the future include developing and expanding our programme of piano tuner training for young Cubans, both in Cuba and here in Ireland, and to establish an exchange programme for young Irish musicians to study in Cuba. |
May 2006 Irish piano tuner Ciaran Ryan travels to Cuba to work as a volunteer in a music school in Havana. He believes it would be more worthwhile to train Cubans to tune and repair their own pianos rather than do the work for them. Returns to Ireland, and with the help of a large number of people in the Irish music community, starts organising fundraising.
December 2006 Two fundraising concerts in Dublin and Galway, raise nearly €30 000 for piano materials and tools. Performers at the concerts include Barry Douglas, Joanna McGregor, Micheal O’Suilleabhain, Mel Mercier, Ronan Guilfoyle among many others. Concert is MCed by John Kelly from RTE Lyric FM, and is broadcast in it’s entirety some weeks later.
February 2007 A team of three Irish piano tuners-Ciaran Ryan, Paul Wade and Alex Jeffers- visit Cuba to work with and train young Cubans. While there, contact is established with the Centre of Coordination for International Collaboration of the Cuban Ministry of Culture, and discussions begin on how best to assist Cuba’s young pianists.
Back in Ireland, Una Corda-the Irish/Cuban Piano Project is established with the aim of training and supplying young aspiring Cuban piano tuners.
With the co-operation of the Cuban Embassy in Dublin and the Ministry of Culture in Cuba, Irish citizens begin volunteering to bring piano supplies and tools to Havana in small amounts. This initiative is on-going.
March 2008 Una Corda is formally partnered with ‘La Direccion Provincial de Cultura Ciudad de La Havana’. This organisation has direct responsibility for a number of Music Schools and Art Schools in the greater Havana area, and also for the National Workshop for Instrument Repair.
September 2008 A group from Una Corda visit Cuba to continue developing the project. After a series of meetings with both the International Collaboration office, and La Direccion Provincial it is agreed that Una Corda will become a partner in the restoration and development of the National Workshop. This will be where future training programmes will be held, and the workshop will be responsible for maintaining the pianos of all of the music schools in the Havana area.
October 2008 Sra. Leonor De La Rosa Álvarez from the International Collaboration office visits Ireland with a view to meeting arts organisations that could potentially be ‘twinned’ with similar organisations in Cuba. Una Corda arranges meetings with a wide variety of Irish arts organisations, including Newpark Music Centre, Dublin, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council Arts Office, Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology, Cork School of Music, The National Sculpture Factory, Cork, Irish World Music Centre, Limerick and the Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin
February 2009 To coincide with the historic visit to Cuba of Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin TD, a group from Una Corda travel to Havana. During a visit to the National Workshop of Musical Instrument Repair, Minister Martin comments “I think this a good example of the cultural bonds existing between the two nations, which can be developed even more, particularly in the sphere of music.”
During this visit, the legendary Cuban pianist, Chucho Valdés, a long term supporter of the project, announces that he will visit Ireland to perform two fundraising concerts in support of Una Corda.
July 2009 Chucho Valdés plays to sold out houses in Cork and Dublin, with all proceeds going to support Una Corda. At the Cork School of Music, he plays a solo concert, recorded by RTE Lyric FM, which mesmerizes the capacity audience. Introducing the concert, Minister Micheál Martin thanks Chucho for visiting Cork and reaffirms his support for the project.
And in Dublin, over a thousand people fill Vicar Street to overflowing to see Maestro Valdés and his band play for two hours non-stop. For more, click here.
August 2009 Una Corda is awared full charitable status by the Revenue Commissioners
February 2010 Restoration work on the building which houses the National Workshop of Instrument Repair in Havana begins in earnest. The workshop will be the focus of Una Corda's activities in Cuba and its storeroom is now stocked with parts and materials brought from Ireland by friends and supporters of the project.
In recognition of his great contribution to the project to date, Maestro Chucho Valdés becomes official patron of Una Corda.
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