7/30/2019 Voces del Desierto, Pregones Theater

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Harlem News Group B R O N XHARLEM . QUEENS . BROOKLYN . BRONX

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March is Music features a stringof incredible musical works pre-sented by Pregones Theater,

Bronx NY . Voces del Desierto (DesertVoices) at Pregones Theater, performedby the Quinteto Latino and commissionedby Pregones Theater, and the California-based MACLA/ Moviemento de Arte yCultura Latino Americana, was written bycomposer Guillermo Gallindo. QuintetoLatino includes Armando Castellano,French horn; Kyle Bruckmann, oboe;Shawn Jones, bassoon; Diane Grubbe,

flute; and Leslie Tagorda, clarinet. Inaddition, for this piece a sixth instrumen-talist played amplified homemade stringinstruments and also util ized electronicfeedback special effects. They play classi-cal music, but also delve into the avantgarde, with the intent of the composer tocreate the actual feel of a crossing overfrom Mexico to the United States in thedesert border area. The composer jour-neyed to the Laredo area, which is inWest Texas, with desert landscapes alongthe shallow Rio Grande River. There he

collected discarded items like shoes andclothing that non-documented migrantsleft as they crossed the border, getting wetwhile crossing the river. Quinteto Latinotransformed these items into homemadestring instruments played as part of Vocesdel Desierto. This multimedia productionemploys video images flashing behindQuinteto Latino, showing cactus fields onthe border and evidence of passingmigrants. A wooden cross covered withtattered clothing stands as an artifact onstage. The piece is an homage to all those

who have undergone the crossing of theborder, successfully or not.As explained by the narrator,

migration comes from all over the world,but a particularly strong wave of migra-tion comes over the southern border of theUnited States with Mexico. The long bor-der separates Mexico from United Statesterritories that once were part of Mexico.When undocumented persons cross thedesert for the prospect of a better life, thiscan be an arduous process. Not all peoplesurvive the crossing, and many are

detained after being caught by police, andeither jailed or immediately sent back toMexico.

The piece is contemplative as itbegins with reed instruments creatingsounds of wind blowing and birdswhistling. At a certain point, there is amore active melody between the instru-ments, as the listener gets the feeling thatpeople are on the move, making their wayforward, getting wet, and trying to enterthe United States. This intensifies with asection of rhythmic electronic feedbackand playing of the homemade instru-ments. Then, five of the musicians pickup drums and play a heavy tom-tom-like

beat, as they reach the moment of deci-sion. Wispy noises from the reed instru-ments return, followed once more by a

final beating on the drums. The drama isover for the migrants, with the audiencewondering if they made it.

March is Music will continuewith a Saturday March 23rd performanceof Grados Inefables by composer/pianistDesmar Guevara, classical music inspiredby Freemasonry, and on March 30th withthe musical play, Harlem Hellfighters on aLatin Beat, featuring jazz, ragtime anddance, with guest star Danny Rivera. Formore information please see www.pre-gones.org or call 718-585-1202.

Voces del Desierto at Pregones TheaterBy Howard Giske

MTA Restores Historic Bronx Subway Station House to Original Grandeur

The MTA 's top-to-bottom rehabilitation ofthe East 180th Street 2/5 subway stationrededicated today has recaptured the

grandeur its original builders had in mind whenthe century-old North Bronx transit terminalserved as the administration building for the oldNew York, Westchester and Boston Railway sys-tem.

The two-year, $66.5 mil lion projectbreathed new life into the unique subway station

that serves the 2 and 5 lines and is a major link totwo major Bronx attractions - the Bronx Zoo andthe New York Botanical Gardens. Designed andbuilt during a period when riding the rails was agrand experience rather than bookends to a workday, the structure is a handsome example of early20th Century architectural design that has longstood as a community landmark.

"This beautifully renovated station is atribute to the Bronx and provides an uplifting

experience for everyone who passes through it,"said MTA Acting Chairman Fernando Ferrer.

"I 'm very pleased the MTA has restored an ele-ment of the Bronx's glory while improving thedaily commutes of its residents."

The stucco, red terra cotta-tiled roofbuilding boasts a pair of four-story towers, entrycourtyard and a handsome clock, which replicatesthe original timepiece in place when the structurewas built. The building was designed with archesand balconies that give it the distinct look of anItalian villa. On the exterior is a restored plaquetopped with the head of Mercury, the Roman godof transportation.

"The subject of this project serves todemonstrate the architectural variety of the NewYork City subway system and the care and effortthat goes into maintaining the system and restor-ing elements to their original appearance," said

NY C Transit President Thomas F. Prendergast."The East 180th Street Station was built to agrand design by its original operator and we havetaken the opportunity to return it to as close to itsoriginal condition as possible."

"Transit plays such an important role inthe vitality of the Bronx, and this incredible reno-

vation of one of our great transit hubs is sure tobe appreciated by the thousands of commuterswho use this station on a daily basis," said Bronx

Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr."These renovations are a major shot in

the arm for the thousands of straphangers whouse the East 180th Street Station for their dailycommute. This station is certainly one of the old-est in the Bronx, but also one of the oldest andmost vital in the entire city," said Council Mem-ber James Vacca, Chairman of the New YorkCity Council Transportation Committee. "Notonly do these renovations now include full acces-

sibil ity to handicapped straphangers with a rampand elevator, but it has given a beautiful faceliftto a station that has been serving our city for over100 years."

"Today we celebrate 100 years of oper-ation at this historic station where over 2 millionriders pass annually. This rehabilitation wasimperative to ensure the safety and continuationof service to the passengers throughout the Cityof New York, especially to the Bronx and the

outer boroughs," said Councilman Joel Rivera.Work on the station required restoration

of the landmark building's exterior walls, win-dows, stucco work, roof tiles wood doors andmezzanine areas. Of course, this type of workrequired skilled craftspeople. There are two retailspaces in the station's lobby, as well as NYCTransit employee facilities for Rapid TransitOperations, Signals and Structures.

"This was a tremendously rewardingjob, bringing the station back up to a state ofgood repair and restoring the aesthetic featuresthat make it stand out. East 180th Street will be awelcoming structure for Bronx subway customers

for many decades to come," said Program OfficerDilip Patel.

Major portions of the project, designedby Lee Harris Pomeroy Architects, included therefurbishment of the mezzanine passage with new

tile work and ornamental mosaic bands and theintroduction of mosaic panels designed underguidance of the MTA Arts for Transit program.The station's side entrance has been rehabilitatedand the designs of both passageways are markedby large spans of structural steel overhead, paint-ed a pale green the same as they were when the

station was first opened. New lighting has beeninstalled on the building's interior and exterior,making the station as attractive by night as by

day.The elevated subway platforms have

similarly been rehabilitated, including new plat-

forms, edge safety tiles, canopies and track beds.ADA compliance is achieved through a new path-way that allows wheelchair access and the instal-lation of two elevators that link the mezzanine tothe platforms.

New tile work and ornamental mosaicbands and panels have been installed. Designedby artist Luisa Caldwell under the MTA Arts forTransit program, the panels reflect the surround-ing area and the nearby Bronx Zoo and New

York Botanical Gardens.One important element was donated to

the project by construction contractor Citnalta.Company President Mike Gargiulo visited the joband felt that the historic building was missing justone thing - a clock. Having studied historicalpreservation in college, he thought a clock wouldadd a lot to the project.

Some electronic sleuthing turned up oldimages showing the original clock. A similar item

was sourced from Electric Time Co. in Massa-chusetts. The old images were sent up to themand they suggested a clock that would fit the

design of the early 20th Century transportationbuilding.

"We at Citnalta, with NYC Transit's andLee Harris Pomeroy's permission, donated theclock and the installation, because we thought itcompleted the look, making a great renovationjust a little bit nicer," said Gargiulo.

The northern segment of the 5 train,known as the Dyre Avenue Line of the New YorkCity subway system, was once part of an electri-

fied commuter railway connecting the SouthBronx with White Plains and Port Chester in

Westchester County.Owned by the New Haven Railroad, the

New York Westchester and Boston Railway wereshort-lived, in service only between 1912 and1937. New Y ork City took ownership of theBronx portion of the line in 1940 and tied into theIRT at East 180th Street.

Borough President Diaz was joined by State Senator Rev. Ruben Diaz, NYC Tran-sit President Thomas F. Prendergast, Acting Chairman of the MTA and former BoroughPresident Fernando Ferrer and City Council majority Leader J oel Rivera, among others.