Songs and Stories with Cuban Master Drummer Miguel Bernal

Listen to songs and stories by drumming master Miguel Bernal.

This is an in-person program.

In this lecture demonstration, Miguel will play the sacred Bata drum rhythms used by Santeria worshippers to honor and communicate with the divine. He will share songs and stories of the gods and goddesses and entertain questions from the audience about this uniquely mysterious and often-misunderstood Cuban religion.

Miguel Bernal is a world-renowned percussionist who plays with the Portland, Oregon based Pink Martini. However, his passion lies in the traditional music of his family’s religious faith, Santeria (La Regla de Ocha), to which he has dedicated his life. He is widely recognized in Cuba and abroad as a master “Batalero” and is a wealth of knowledge and inspiration. He routinely returns home to Cuba to play for ceremonies and events requiring his Bata skills, and is an active participant in the religious lives of his family members.