Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Professional flute player, Musical Director and academic set to perform at international jazz festival
Following a presentation from 8pm-8.30pm on Tuesday 22 November, she will also perform with Charanga del Norte, the UK's only full charanga orquesta, which she founded in 1998.
Dr Miller, said: “I am giving a talk about my research on Cuban music and Latin music in New York focusing on improvisational style. This links to both my written and practice-based research in that the repertoire of the band is analysed in my PhD, in my first book Cuban Flute Style: Interpretation and Improvisation (Scarecrow Press 2014), and in my forthcoming book on Latin music in New York. We will be performing new arrangements I have made in homage to the New York charangas including the styles of bugalú and pachanga alongside a set of Cuban mambos, sones, danzones and chachachás.”
A 12-piece-band, Dr Miller founded Charanga del Norte in 1998. It consists of flute, violins, viola, cello, bass, piano, singers, timbales, congas and güiro. They have toured the UK and performed at many venues including the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester and at festivals as diverse as Harrogate, Sidmouth, Cheltenham and Trowbridge.
Dr Miller is currently writing a book about Afro-Cuban dance music in New York and recording an album with Charanga del Norte featuring the music analysed in the new book. Both are due to be published in 2018.
Dr Miller received a PhD in Cuban flute improvisation in charanga performance at the University of Leeds in early 2011 and was Senior Lecturer in Music and course leader for the BA in Popular Music at Anglia Ruskin University from 2012 until joining Leeds Beckett in 2015, teaching on the BA (Hons) Production and Performance course and the MA in Popular Music and Culture.
For more information on the band visit www.charangadelnorte.co.uk.
For further information on Sue’s research visit www.charangasue.com.