Imaginación Folklórica (2026) – for Guitar, Piano Accordion & Orchestra
(My Folkloric Imagination)
Darwin Aquino (DrwAq), composer & conductor
Lydia Schmild, Piano Accordion
Celso Cano, Guitar
St. Louis Philharmonic Orchestra
Skip Viragh Center for the Performing Arts
St. Louis, MO, USA – April 2026
Read article (in Spanish):
Darwin Aquino: “Nuestro arte debe estar al lado de las grandes obras sinfónicas”
El compositor y director dominicano Darwin Aquino convierte un icono universal de la violencia y el dolor colectivo en dramaturgia sinfónica.
The USA premiere of Darwin’s “Imaginación Folklórica” for Piano Accordion, Guitar, and Orchestra closed the 2025-26 season of the St. Louis Philharmonic Orchestra with the Lux Nova Duo (Germany) as guest soloists.
This work draws inspiration from the 2024 Hamburg Dialogues V Festival’s homage to one of the most important paintings of the 20th century: Pablo Picasso’s Guernica. As a Caribbean creator, I could not stop thinking of what would have happened if Guernica had visited the island where my country, the Dominican Republic, resides, with its anti-war message during its first international tour.
This is my imaginary story: Guernica arrived on my island. It was not exhibited in an important building like a museum or cathedral, but in the countryside where the regular people live. Two folkloric music groups gradually arrived to honor it with two popular tunes, the first one being a Salve. Guernica was veiled when the first group started gathering, represented by a Piano Accordion solo. The music develops and gradually builds momentum with cadences from the soloists and interactions from the orchestra, creating a pivotal interplay until the gathering of the first group is complete. It is at that moment that Guernica is unveiled and the music changes to reflect its visual pain and agony.
Upon the second group’s arrival, an obstinate Palo Funerario is introduced which spreads to all instruments. After a moment of great exaltation sung and played by the soloists and orchestra, the two groups collide in an expressive climax followed by a long silence dedicated to the memory of the victims of the Bombing of Guernica. (“Que en paz descansen los muertos”).
Afterward, as both groups start to leave, two people remain, represented by the final singing of the soloists. A ritual loop softly ends the piece and the last person departing veils the Guernica again.