By Alberto Suris
Así Canta Puerto Rico, the popular musical program, favorite of early birds that airs every Sunday from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. on WCCM 1110 AM masterfully directed by Maria Ortiz, The Puerto Rican Princess and Don Luis David Hiraldo celebrating its sixteenth anniversary last Saturday, December 7th with a Christmas dinner in honor and memory of Don Luis Bonilla, the Golden Muñequito.
The main attraction of the event was the presentation of Luis Manuel Tirado, a prominent Puerto Rican pianist who arrived frozen but happy to participate in the tribute to Don Luis, who said he had known and treated for long. “He was a great lover of the Puerto Rican Danza”, he said.
Tirado, besides being a good pianist, gave proof of being an excellent entertainer. He kept moving from the piano to the microphone where he told a short story describing the author and why he had composed the tune that he was about to play. Showing his modesty, he said that musicians and chefs were the same. “We all had to enter through the back door,” he said. “Today the cooks are called ‘Chefs’ while musicians continue entering the back door.”
After listening to Tirado, we all agreed that he is one than can use the wide front door.
Tirado played the music of Manuel Gregorio Tavárez (November 16, 1843 – July 1, 1883), the father of Puerto Rican Dance and considered to be Puerto Rico’s first Romanticism Era composer, including his most famous: ‘Margarita’. A Margarita that maybe if the author had been in the audience had joined in a standing ovation.
He also told us anecdotes about Juan Morel Campos (May 16, 1857 – May 12, 1896) considered the one who elevated the Danza to its highest level. He composed over 550 musical works.
Tirado reminded us the way men used to dress. They wore suits and ties and when dancing they perspired a lot because the air conditioning had not been invented, while women wore gowns and gloves to the elbows and to reaffirm their figure they used belts or corset, which made them look slender but rigid.
He continued, “Once, dancing with a lady, she told Juan Morel Campos that he was all sweaty: ‘Do not touch me!’ This was enough for the prolific mind of Morel Campos to inspire him and compose a dance he titled ‘No Me Toques’ (Don’t touch me!). This was followed by ¡Si te toco! (Yes, I will touch you!) and ¡Te toque! (I touched you!). After making the audience laugh, he sat at the piano and delighted us with ¡No me toques’! (Do not touch me!)
Luis Manuel Tirado was born in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, in 1961 and his formal studies have been mainly piano under the tutelage of Prof. Carlos B. Tió. He took additional courses at the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico in 1985-86. He has given recitals in different scenarios, such as the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico, Yagüez Theatre of Mayaguez, Institute of Puerto Rican Culture, Casa de Cristo Redentor in Aguas Buenas, the Tapia Theater in San Juan, the Inter – American University and many others.
In the United States he has also given presentations at the Superdome in New Orleans, at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, in WDVM-TV in the same city and re-transmitted by PR WIPR-TV. In his capacity as accompanist for choirs and soloists has participated in tours of the United States, Central and South America and the Caribbean.
Tirado has been the official pianist of the compositions of Danza contests at the Círculo de Recreo in San Germán since 1988 and has made recordings of winning entries in all those contests. He has also been featured as arranger and has made recordings using synthesizers for various Christian singers.
Luis Manuel Tirado is available for professional presentations and can be contacted through his phone (787) 637-6363.
Besides Tirado, the band of Los Jibaritos Cosme and Grupo Efectivo entertained the audience. Nunzio DiMarca and Ari Valdés read poems dedicated to Don Luis Bonilla.
The International Baton Twirlers directed be tireless Sara Iris Saldana also attended the tribute to Don Luis Bonilla, filling the room with their colorful performance.
