Panama Casco Viejo

Last night, the Panama Jazz Festival started its four day musical celebration with a wonderful Gala night at the National Theatre.   Several artists performed, most looking forward to see Omaira Portuondo and Chucho Valdés from Cuba.   But as we always like to remind jazz lovers and attendants to these events, there is so much more to the Jazz Fest than the event itself!

The true core of the Panama Jazz Festival is its educational component. Year round the Danilo Perez Foundation works hard to elevate Panama`s jazz education and to open the doors of the art world to talented kids from the poorest neighborhoods in Panama. During the Festival, these kids have the opportunity to be on the same stage with international stars… and be able to hold ground.  For them, an opportunity to jump to international schools like Berkley College of Music is real, and during the event several scholarships are awarded.

Thumbs up for Danilo and Patricia, and for the Fundacion Danilo Perez!

Here are photos of the students at the Conservatorio school located in Plaza Herrera. The space was donated to the foundation for ten years by Casco Viejo developer Conservatorio S.A. , a strategic alliance that made possible building the school and grow its programs.