ICMC 2001

Why the ICMC in Havana?

The 2001 ICMC will be in Havana, Cuba in September. This will be a landmark conference for several reasons:

• It will be presented for the first time in its history in Latin America.

• We have extensive use of the facilities in Havana, including the elegant Teatro Amadeo Roldán, which has just been extensively renovated, 23 years after a devastating fire in 1976. Heifetz, Caruso, Rubenstein and other legendary artists have all performed there since the 1920's. We are also able to reserve the Casa de las Américas, the Karl Marx Theater, and several other major venues in the area. In addition, we are collaborating with representatives from the Hotel Melia Cohiba,which is the largest and most well-equipped hotel in Cuba. The Melia Cohiba has extensive facilities for conference activities, such as conference halls, simultaneous translation, as well as numerous restaurants and shops. The Hotel Melia Cohiba and the Teatro Roldán are both located in the Vedadodistrict, one of the most historic and central areas of Havana, which is Cuba's business and cultural center. This area overlooks the sea wall called the Malecón,a famous promenade for Cubans and tourists alike.

• La Habana Vieja, an historic region of Havana, has been deemed an official heritage site by UNESCO, "Patrimonio de la Humanidad," meaning "World Heritage Site."

• This project has extensive support from the Cuban Government, the Ministry of Culture, the Cuban Institute of Music, and the Laboratorio Nacional de Música Electroacústica in Havana.

• Cuba's musical heritage is tremendously rich; we have made important contacts throughout a wide range of the Cuban musical scene, in classical, folkloric and popular idioms. The potential for projects that expand beyond the usual ICMC programming is quite exciting.