Alina de los Milagros Orraca Llama

Director of Schola Cantorum Coralina from National Center of Concert Music and director of Coral Juan Pablo II (Archidiocesis of Havana). She was born on December 2, 1957 in Havana City. Specialist in Choral Direction.

Professional having wide educational experience at music sphere, she has transmitted this knowledge at National School of Music, Amadeo Roldán Conservatoire in Havana, offering also different courses, workshops, symposiums in Cuba and abroad, citing Sweden, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil and Spain.

Her artistic and professional creation have been distinguished with numerous national and international recognitions highlighting 2002 Alejo Carpentier Medal and Conmemorative Medal for our National Poet Nicolás Guillén`s Centennial.

In 1979, she participated in the foundation of Chamber Chorus from National School of Music on 1993, Shola Cantorum Coralina, Escolanía from Rosario Chapel and in this same year she participated in the creation of Chorus Archidiocesano of Havana, activity she is still leading.

In 1979, Alina obtained the second prize of chorus at VIII Contest of Young Musicians and Performing Arts in Viena, Austria with Chamber Chorus from ENA.

In 1994, she participated with Coralina at V ''Vinicio Adames'' Festival of Chorus in Venezuela, starting afterwards a tour around the entire country. This year she attended as guest the Iberoamerican Conference of Music in Madrid, Spain . In 1997 she made various performances with Shola Cantorum Coralina around Sâo Paulo, Brazil.

On 1998 she prepared the musical project for the mise to SS Juan Pablo II in Havana leading it in the Square of the Revolution together with National Symphonic Orchestra the Choral Juan Pablo II composed by 420 singers from Havana churches. She also obtained the Third Prize of Habaneras at Festival of Torrevieja in Spain.
She has given concerts on Russia, Autria, Sweden, Brazil, Spain, Italy and Venezuela.

In 1999 she worked at University of Sagrado Corazón of Bauru, where she works with Coral Veritas in the preparation of a Cultural Map of the State obtaining 3rd Prize and Mention to the best interpretation of the obligatory work. She teached courses of Choral Direction and Vocal technnique to chorus directors of the locality, working also with different chorus during September and Octuber. In May, 2000, she returned to Bauru working again with Coral Véritas for the presentation of Contest of Habaneras from Torrevieja, Spain, gaining the Prize to the best interpretation of the work from the original country.

In July of 2000, she attended as master the III National Symposium of Chorus in Mexico city about The Developing of Children Choral Music and in October of the same year, she participated as speaker in the ''Art, Music and Sacred'' Congress in Valladolid, Spain.

She has made different recordings with Cuban artists citing Pablo Milanés, Héctor Quintero y Silvio Rodríguez, recording two LP with Chamber Chorus from ENA on 1979 and 1987. She recorded with Shola Cantorum Coralina five CDs "Coralina Para un tiempo" "Cantos de la Misa del Papa en la Habana", "Coralina", "... eternamente en mi" y "Cánteme", the last one with choral arrangements of Silvio Rodríguez`s songs.

She has also recorded soundtracks of various Cuban films such as Derecho de Asilo, Kleines Tropicana, Hasta Victoria Siempre and other TV series, working in addittion with National Symphonic orchestra, leading her chorus.

Selection Of Works:
Her themes are present in Coralina. Collection La Isla de la Música. Magic Music 1997, Cantos de la Misa del Papa. Jade. 1998, Coralina para un tiempo. La Factoría. 1998, Eternamente en mi. La factoría. 1999, Cánteme. Choral versions of Silvio Rodríguez. Abdala 2002, De que cantada manera. Poesía musicalizada de Nicolás Guillén. EGREM 2002.

See discography of this artist in our Cuban Music Shop