Guantanamo.- Music, sensitivity, and artistic excellence came together in “Notas del alma” (“Notes of the Soul”), the graduation recital presented by young Guantánamo-born lute performer Tailen Cobas Matos at the Antonia Luisa Cabal Salis Concert Hall, in eastern Cuba, as part of the completion of her studies at the University of the Arts (ISA).
The concert became a showcase of the richness and expressive power of the Cuban lute tradition, with Tailen accompanied by acclaimed local musicians Lisania González Rojas, Lisandra Porto, and Jesús Fernández Alfonso, whose performances added depth and elegance to the evening.
The repertoire traveled through diverse musical landscapes, featuring works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Claude Debussy, Efraín Amador, José Manuel Rodríguez, and Ariadna Amador, with arrangements by renowned Guantánamo maestro Conrado Monier.
Classical, universal, and popular music were combined in a performance marked by technical mastery and emotional interpretation.
Among the most celebrated moments of the recital were the performances of “Laúd Sentimental” alongside Quinteto La Luz, and “La Loma del Indio,” accompanied by the String Orchestra, pieces that earned warm applause from the audience gathered at the prestigious concert hall.
The recital was evaluated the highest average point from the academic jury, reaffirming Tailen Cobas Matos as one of the most promising young instrumentalists of her generation.
Following the performance, the Provincial Directorate of Culture in Guantánamo honored the artist for her dedication to music and for carrying forward the legacy of the Cuban Lute School, founded and promoted nationally by maestro Efraín Amador and strengthened in Guantánamo by musicians Jesús Fernández and Lisania González.
Students and professors from the Antonia Luisa Cabal Salis Professional School of Music — where Tailen received her artistic training — attended the event, along with provincial cultural authorities and representatives from the Provincial Music Center Lilí Martínez Griñán, the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (UNEAC), and the Hermanos Saíz Association (AHS).
Originally from the municipality of San Antonio del Sur, Tailen Cobas Matos has steadily built a distinguished artistic career. Her achievements include first prize at the Antonia Luisa Cabal Salis Music Competition in 2019 and top honors at the 11th Philosophy and Aesthetics Event held in Havana in 2024.
She also took part in Proyecto Génesis between 2025 and 2026, receiving additional recognition for her artistic development and contributions during her university years.
With “Notas del alma,” Tailen Cobas Matos not only concluded an important stage of her academic training, but also reaffirmed the vitality of the Cuban lute tradition and the emergence of a new generation committed to preserving and enriching the nation’s musical heritage.
