Harmony and Normalization

Cuba–so long a political and cultural enigma to much of the world–remains a vibrant, bubbling cauldron of musical delights unprecedented in the Western hemisphere. Travel with ethnomusicologist Timothy P. Storhoff into the heart of the world’s largest and most intriguing island of music and see how music’s power as a universal language of diplomacy is helping transform Cuban-American relations. Feel the beat of the island’s storied love of music festivals, its unique and astonishingly creative contributions to the world’s musical canon, and its valiant struggle to preserve an unparalleled musical heritage in the face of a changing political landscape that presents Americans with their best chance of personally enjoying the Cuban music experience in more than six decades.–Jan DeCosmo, professor of humanities in the Department of Visual Arts, Humanities and Theatre at Florida A&M University

Timothy P. Storhoff is an ethnomusicologist and arts administrator. He currently works in the field of orchestra fundraising, and his research focuses on how government policy impacts music making in the United States.