Wednesday, Dec 11 2024 Donate
A service of EWTN News

Musicians fulfill dying wish of Cuban composer by finishing his CD

A group of Hispanic Catholic musicians will hold on concert on October 26 in Miami to launch a new CD by Cuban composer Jorge Enrique del Rivero, who died before he could finish the recording.

“Yo quiero ser como El” (“I Want to be Like Him”) is the title of the album that features fifteen new songs by Rivero.  The arranger for the project was the renowned Chilean pianist Juan Salazar.

Rivero, who died in August of 2005, said one of his dying wishes was that the CD would be finished.  In order to fulfill his dream, a group of artists including Miguel Ángel Guerra, Orlando Ponce, Mary Beyra,  the band Mystika, Claribel Mercier, Rafael Herrera, Nora Dieseldorff and David Pedraza, came together to complete the project.

The artwork for the album was based on ideas Rivero had while he was working on the recording.  He wanted to use a stained-glass window from the Church of San Luis in Miami, where he served in music ministry for fifteen years, for the album cover.  The artwork also includes a painting of Our Lady of Charity, the patroness of Rivero’s native country of Cuba.

Rivero also wanted a portion of the proceeds from the CD to be donated to the lay missionary group “Amor en Accion” (Love in Action) of the Archdiocese of Miami, which works with the Church in Haiti and the Dominican Republic in reaching out to the poor spiritually and materially.

Jorge Enrique del Rivero was born in Cuba in 1959.  From a young age he was musically gifted, and under the guidance of his teacher, Francisco Javier Muller, a pianist with the Miami Philharmonic Orchestra, he was awarded a scholarship to attend the Music School at the University of Miami, where he studied piano and composition with the renowned pianist Ivan Davis.

Rivero discovered his calling to compose music for God at the age of 14.  Since then he participated in diverse music ministries in the Archdiocese of Miami and elsewhere for more than 30 years.  In 1980 he founded the group Soiree, which pioneered contemporary Christian music in southern Florida.  In 1983 he won the OTI Miami award for his song “Eres libre.”

More information about his new album can be found at www.musicoscatolicos.com/jorge 

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

At Catholic News Agency, our team is committed to reporting the truth with courage, integrity, and fidelity to our faith. We provide news about the Church and the world, as seen through the teachings of the Catholic Church. When you subscribe to the CNA UPDATE, we'll send you a daily email with links to the news you need and, occasionally, breaking news.

As part of this free service you may receive occasional offers from us at EWTN News and EWTN. We won't rent or sell your information, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Click here

Our mission is the truth. Join us!

Your monthly donation will help our team continue reporting the truth, with fairness, integrity, and fidelity to Jesus Christ and his Church.

Donate to CNA