This CD is a culmination of our artistic approach towards teaching and performing Afro-Cuban music and culture at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. The evolution of these works began in 2008 with the creation of the Afro-Cuban Folkloric Ensemble as part of the World Percussion Program. Within three years the musical quality of the ensemble had reached an exceptional level, winning first place in the 2011 International Percussive Arts Society World Music competition. The caliber of the ensemble’s performances has remained at the highest level ever since, and among the many factors that contribute to the ensemble’s artistic excellence are the nature and sophistication of its musical arrangements. Afro-Cuban folkloric music is rich with sonic palettes and tonal variety. But rarely does one have the opportunity to appreciate this diversity of sounds and textures together in a traditional setting, because each genre is customarily per...