Category Archives: General News

Toomai Featured on New Album: Virginia Luque’s Celebration of Leo Brouwer

Members of Toomai are featured on guitar virtuoso Virginia Luque’s new album, Danza de Medianoche, A Celebration of Leo Brouwer. This is a beautiful compilation of guitar works by the great Cuban composer Leo Brouwer. Toomai can be heard on the last three…

Posted in General News | Comments Off on Toomai Featured on New Album: Virginia Luque’s Celebration of Leo Brouwer

Cuerdas Cubanas turns 2! Now Available on Bandcamp!

It’s been two years since we released our first album, Cuerdas Cubanas! The album has already been available on iTunes, Spotify, and YouTube, but for this anniversary, we have released Cuerdas Cubanas to stream and download on Bandcamp. https://toomaistringquintet.bandcamp.com/album/cuerdas-cubanas This platform offers features…

Posted in General News | Comments Off on Cuerdas Cubanas turns 2! Now Available on Bandcamp!

Toomai’s Debut Album, Cuerdas Cubanas, is available!

We have finished our debut album titled Cuerdas Cubanas! This recording features eleven original arrangements of classic Cuban songs by Ernesto Lecuona, Beny Moré, Israel “Cachao” López, and more. Special guest vocalist Alina Roitstein joins us for several tracks as we…

Posted in General News | Comments Off on Toomai’s Debut Album, Cuerdas Cubanas, is available!

Meeting a Great Cuban Artist: Gonzalo Borges

Toomai’s upcoming album, Cuerdas Cubanas, is all Cuban music—so we wanted the cover to feature Cuban art. After months of searching, we found an image that we felt was a true companion to our music. Here is the story of…

Posted in General News | Comments Off on Meeting a Great Cuban Artist: Gonzalo Borges

Toomai’s Upcoming Album—Stay Tuned!

This last summer, Toomai went into the studio to record music for our upcoming album! This project features music by all Cuban composers, arranged by Toomai’s bassist Andrew Roitstein. On select tracks, special guest Alina Roitstein shares her beautiful vocals…

Posted in General News | Comments Off on Toomai’s Upcoming Album—Stay Tuned!

Happy 2016 from Toomai!

Although it is already February, Toomai wants to wish everyone a happy 2016! This year marks our 9th year as an ensemble, and it is a time of significant change and progress for Toomai. We would like to reflect on 2015, as…

Posted in General News | Comments Off on Happy 2016 from Toomai!

Early Quintets Project Announced for 2015

We are thrilled to announce our new endeavor for the Winter and Spring of 2015, the Early Quintets Project! Toomai will curate and perform in a series of workshops and performances in collaboration with New York Philharmonic’s Very Young Composers program (VYC) and SPECTRUM NYC. …

Posted in General News | Comments Off on Early Quintets Project Announced for 2015

Songs Without Words…

When we’re approached about conducting an educational project at a school or institution new to Toomai, we welcome the opportunity to meet new people and to acquaint ourselves with the community. But it also gives us the chance to design…

Posted in General News | Comments Off on Songs Without Words…

Beautiful Dreamer…

Summer usually sends members of Toomai their separate ways — Vermont, Italy, Brazil, San Francisco and Kentucky all played host to us Toomai-ers at various times this summer. But one week in August brought Toomai back together, and the setting…

Posted in General News | Comments Off on Beautiful Dreamer…

Springtime in Queens…

2013 has been a great year for Toomai so far, full of interesting and varied projects, the most recent of which was an appearance on Carnegie Hall’s Neighborhood Concert Series, presented at the Queens Library @ Flushing – which we…

Posted in General News | Comments Off on Springtime in Queens…