Dartmouth Events

The flute, like the drum, has been central to music-making throughout the Americas for centuries. From the pelican bone flutes of Caral to the tarkas, pincollos, and quenas of the Andes, the triple and quadruple flutes of the Aztecs, the baroque and modern flutes brought by Europeans, and the 5-key Charanga flutes in Cuban music, this instrument exemplifies the diverse processes of mestizaje that define Latin American music. Three special guests, each specializing in distinct flute traditions and styles, will share their knowledge, perspectives, and practices of Latin American music: Dalia Chin, in contemporary and experimental music; Anabel Gil Díaz, in Latin jazz and Cuban music; and Na'ama Lion, in Renaissance and Baroque music.

Dalia Chin, a Costa Rican flutist based in Chicago, is a fearless explorer of sound. With haunting flute melodies and vocal expression, she crafts intricate musical narratives as a performer, improviser, and collaborator. Recently Grammy-nominated for her participation in the album Composition as Explanation with Eighth Blackbird, Dalia’s artistry shines in groundbreaking projects. Her solo work Yo Soy Mi Ruta, supported by the DCASE grant, blended improvised music, imagery, and community-sourced audio, captivating audiences at the 2022 Omaha Under the Radar festival. As a soloist and chamber musician with Fonema Consort, she champions collaboration, diversity, and artistic innovation.

The first Cuban female GRAMMY Award-winning flautist and composer, Anabel Gil Díaz is a leading figure in contemporary music. Born in Havana in 1994, she graduated from the Superior Institute of Art with degrees in classical performance and musicology. Her career includes collaborations with the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic Orchestra, LandMark Orchestra, Jazz Urbane Orchestra, Paquito de Rivera, Magnus Lindgren, and Kurt Elling, as well as leading her own Di'jazz Quartet.

Ms. Gil earned two Presidential Scholarships for a B.M. in jazz and film/media scoring at Berklee College of Music, followed by an M.M. in jazz at Longy School of Music. She is a sought-after session flautist and has contributed to the Harvard Composers’ Association and Berklee’s Scoring Session Program. Her accolades include the Society of Spanish Artists and Performers fellowship and the Professional Development Award from Longy.

Her compositions have been commissioned by institutions like MassArt Art Museum, Boston’s Landmarks Orchestra, and Brandeis University. She also composed the original score for Wonder Dogs, a Kino Lorber production.

She is currently finalizing her debut EP of original music, with her first single, "Nature Whispers," available on all digital platforms.

Na’ama Lion is a versatile performer on historical flutes, well known in the Boston area. She has performed Baroque, Classical, and Romantic music with groups such as La Donna Musicale, Boston Baroque, and Handel and Haydn Society. She has also played medieval music with Ensemble Sequentia and Renaissance music with the Travesada flute quartet. A committed performer of new music, Na’ama has premiered works by composers like John McDonald, Jorge Ibanez, and Leon Schidlowsky. Recently, she collaborated with Rumbarroco on Latin American music. Na’ama holds a doctorate from Boston University, a soloist diploma from the Arnhem Conservatory, and a B.Mus from Tel Aviv University. She teaches at the Longy School of Music and directs a chamber music program at Harvard. A sought-after teacher, she leads summer workshops at Amherst Early Music and the International Baroque Institute at Longy. She has recorded for Deutsche Harmonia Mundi and Telarc.