P R O J E C T A H I M S A

Cuba is a place that is very close to us.  It is closer to Florida than Angelenos are to Santa Barbara.  During the first half of the 20th century, American and Cuban culture shared a very close relationship.  George Gershwin, Aaron Copland, Nat King Cole, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Chano Pozo, Ernest Hemingway, Walker Evans, and two members of the I Love Lucy company, Desi Arnaz and Marco Rizo, were a few of the many Cuban and American artists who used to travel back and forth and collaborate together.

Today, however, people call Cuba “the Closest Farthest Away.” After 50 years of political and economic warfare, Cuba has become one of the most distant islands on earth.

Utilizing cutting edge audio/video technology, children in Havana, Cuba were able to musically collaborate with chior children in the USA. On July 17 and 20, 2011 Coro Diminuto will perform Far Away live in Havana at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes and the Teatro Mella to celebrate National Children’s Day.  The project’s long-term goal is to have the two choirs be able to visit each other in both countries and perform the work live without needing projections.

Project Ahimsa provided support by helping purchase high quality microphones used in the performances and recordings of the children. We are thrilled for Sage Lewis, director of the Project, in leading the evolution of this remarkable project. Read more at

http://www.lastagetimes.com/2011/06/far-away-builds-a-bridge-to-cuba-at-maldef/