ÈKÓ

IMMERSIVE MUSIC ACADEMY IN HAVANA

Come to Cuba. Learn Cuba music. From Cubans who live it.

Curated & Directed by

Andrés Levin

ÈKÓ:

LEARN, COMPOSE, ARRANGE, RECORD, AND PERFORM IN CUBA.

ABOUT US

AN IMMERSIVE MUSIC ACADEMY, HAVANA, CUBA

ÈKÓ is an independent music program devoted to preserving and teaching Cuba’s music traditions, heritage, and techniques. A craft that has shaped and transformed global music and culture.

We welcome students of all ages and abilities to Havana for a full learning experience, offering unprecedented access to master musicians and educators who will deepen your understanding and elevate your artistry.

LED BY GRAMMY-WINNING ARTIST PROVIDING MENTORSHIP & ACCESS

Our program is led by Grammy-winning composer and producer Andrés Levin—founder of the Grammy-nominated Afro-Cuban band Yerba Buena and a trusted collaborator with artists such as Lin-Manuel Miranda, David Byrne, Julieta Venegas, Caetano Veloso, Jon Batiste, D’Angelo, Angélique Kidjo, John Legend, and Tina Turner.

Guided by Levin’s mentorship and his circle of master artists and educators, ÈKÓ is an awakening in how music is learned, lived, and passed on.

ÈKÓ - (NOUN)

A YORUBA WORD MEANING EDUCATION, KNOWLEDGE, LEARNING.

KEY PROGRAM PILLARS

PERFORMANCE & MASTERCLASSES

HISTORY & THEORY IN CONTEXT

COMPOSITION & ARRANGEMENT

RECORDING & TECHNOLOGY

We’re based in La Habana, Cuba—a living school where music heritage is alive and evolving.

Students can expect a transformative level of mentorship and learning—one that explores, in equal measure, music history and theory, composition and arrangement, recording and technology, performance and masterclasses—all at the source.

Courses are taught through direct engagement with Havana’s iconic musicians, historic studios, and vibrant venues that gave birth to genres such as Rumba, Latin Jazz, Mambo, Salsa, Nueva Trova, and Timba.

COURSES: CHOOSE YOUR JOURNEY

CUBAN PERCUSSION & AFRICAN ROOTS

CUBAN LATIN JAZZ RHYTHM SECTION

VOCAL TRADITIONS (BOLERO, MAMBO, SON

CONTEMPORARY CUBAN FUSION

RECORDING & PRODUCTION

BIG BAND ARRANGING

AFRO-CUBAN TRADITIONAL MUSIC

Master and learn the intricacies of batá drums, congas, timbales, while exploring the sacred rhythms that form Cuban music’s foundation.

Develop clave mastery, bass and piano tumbaos, and the syncopation that drives Latin jazz.

Learn the poetic singing styles that carry Cuba’s emotional and poetical heritage.

Explore urban fusion, hip hop, timba, and reparto—the cutting-edge sounds shaping Cuba’s musical present

From vintage analog to modern digital, master the techniques that capture “that Cuban sound, ” from the Buena Vista Social Club studios to new creative hubs.

Study Cuban orchestration techniques that defined Cuba’s golden years guaguancó and salsa.

Understand ritual traditions in their proper cultural context with authentic practitioners. The lineage of Africa’s footprint in Cuban culture

MEET YOUR EDUCATORS...

ANDRÉS LEVIN COMPOSER PRODUCER Grammy-winning producer and founder of Yerba Buena, known for In the Heights, Guava Island, and Turner, David Byrne, and Jon Batiste.
ANDRÉS LEVIN COMPOSER PRODUCER Grammy-winning producer and founder of Yerba Buena, known for In the Heights, Guava Island, and Turner, David Byrne, and Jon Batiste.
ALAIN PÉREZ SINGER/ GUITARIST Renowned Cuban Grammy-winning multi-instrumentalist and producer, former collaborator with Paco de Lucia and Celia Cruz, bridging Afro- Cuban roots and contemporary jazz.
ALAIN PÉREZ SINGER/ GUITARIST Renowned Cuban Grammy-winning multi-instrumentalist and producer, former collaborator with Paco de Lucia and Celia Cruz, bridging Afro- Cuban roots and contemporary jazz.
IDANIA VALDÉS BANDLEADER / SINGER Acclaimed Cuban vocalist from the Buena legacy, Cubadisco winner, and leader of her own ensemble.
IDANIA VALDÉS BANDLEADER / SINGER Acclaimed Cuban vocalist from the Buena legacy, Cubadisco winner, and leader of her own ensemble.
YAROLDY ABREU PERCUSSIONIST Master Cubadisco laureate, celebrated for his work with Chucho Valdés Irakere.
YAROLDY ABREU PERCUSSIONIST Master Cubadisco laureate, celebrated for his work with Chucho Valdés Irakere.
NERIS GONZÁLEZ BELLO MUSICOLOGIST Musicologist at CIDMUC, leading researcher and voice in Cubn jazz and popular music studies
NERIS GONZÁLEZ BELLO MUSICOLOGIST Musicologist at CIDMUC, leading researcher and voice in Cubn jazz and popular music studies
PEDRITO MARTÍNEZ PERCUSSIONIST Grammy-nominated percussionist, bandleader Cuban music worldwide.
PEDRITO MARTÍNEZ PERCUSSIONIST Grammy-nominated percussionist, bandleader Cuban music worldwide.
TOMÁS "EL PANGA" RAMOS PERCUSSIONIST Renowned Cuban percussionist, master of Afro-Cuban rhythms, and contemporary percussion.
TOMÁS "EL PANGA" RAMOS PERCUSSIONIST Renowned Cuban percussionist, master of Afro-Cuban rhythms, and contemporary percussion.
DAIANA GARCÍA DIRECTORA DE ORQUESTA Director of the Havana Chamber Orchestra and one of Cuba's foremost female conductors.
DAIANA GARCÍA DIRECTORA DE ORQUESTA Director of the Havana Chamber Orchestra and one of Cuba's foremost female conductors.
OLIVER VALDÉS PERCUSSIONIST Prominent Cuban drummer and bandleader, Silvio Rodriguez and Omara Portuondo.
OLIVER VALDÉS PERCUSSIONIST Prominent Cuban drummer and bandleader, Silvio Rodriguez and Omara Portuondo.
ALEJANDRO DELGADO TRUMPET Versatile Cuban trumpet virtuoso, acclaimed for his work across jazz, Afro-Cuban, and orchestral music.
ALEJANDRO DELGADO TRUMPET Versatile Cuban trumpet virtuoso, acclaimed for his work across jazz, Afro-Cuban, and orchestral music.
YOSVANY TERRY SAXOFONIST / COMPOSER Grammy-nominated saxophonist and composer, and faculty University, blends Afro-Cuban traditions with contemporary jazz.
YOSVANY TERRY SAXOFONIST / COMPOSER Grammy-nominated saxophonist and composer, and faculty University, blends Afro-Cuban traditions with contemporary jazz.
CÉSAR LÓPEZ SAXOFONIST lconic Cuban saxophonist and former Irakere member, honored with Latino Award 2021.
CÉSAR LÓPEZ SAXOFONIST lconic Cuban saxophonist and former Irakere member, honored with Latino Award 2021.
WILLIAM ROBLEJO VIOLINIST Versatile Cuban violinist blending classical mastery with jazz and folk traditions.
WILLIAM ROBLEJO VIOLINIST Versatile Cuban violinist blending classical mastery with jazz and folk traditions.
RULY HERRERA PERCUSSIONIST Award-winning percussionist and composer redefining Cuban jazz and fusion.
RULY HERRERA PERCUSSIONIST Award-winning percussionist and composer redefining Cuban jazz and fusion.
BRENDA NAVARRETE PERCUSSIONIST / SINGER Cuban percussionist, singer and composer is one of the few women to master the batá drums and fuse Afro‑Cuban tradition with contemporary jazz and world music.
BRENDA NAVARRETE PERCUSSIONIST / SINGER Cuban percussionist, singer and composer is one of the few women to master the batá drums and fuse Afro‑Cuban tradition with contemporary jazz and world music.
YARIMA BLANCO SINGER “La Tresera de Cuba,” is a virtuoso of the Cuban tres and singer, leading Yarima Blanco & Son Latino with her masterful playing and vibrant, danceable Cuban and Latin American music.
YARIMA BLANCO SINGER “La Tresera de Cuba,” is a virtuoso of the Cuban tres and singer, leading Yarima Blanco & Son Latino with her masterful playing and vibrant, danceable Cuban and Latin American music.
ERNESTO OLIVA PIANISTI COMPOSER Cuban pianist and composer, blends concert music with the rhythms of Guantánamo. works have been featured in festivals across Latin America, the U.S., and Europe, including the Latin Grammy-nominated Lo Nuestro and Mozart y Mambo with the Lyceum Orchestra of Havana.
ERNESTO OLIVA PIANISTI COMPOSER Cuban pianist and composer, blends concert music with the rhythms of Guantánamo. works have been featured in festivals across Latin America, the U.S., and Europe, including the Latin Grammy-nominated Lo Nuestro and Mozart y Mambo with the Lyceum Orchestra of Havana.
BELINDA GUERRA FLUTIST Cuban flutist and B'Jazz, brings a deeply spiritual and distinctive voice to Latin jazz, blending son, danzón, guaracha, and Cuba's rich musical legacy.
BELINDA GUERRA FLUTIST Cuban flutist and B'Jazz, brings a deeply spiritual and distinctive voice to Latin jazz, blending son, danzón, guaracha, and Cuba's rich musical legacy.
Isaac Delgado Jr. is a Cuban pianist, producer, and musician who leads musical projects blending salsa, bachata, and contemporary urban rhythms. He is the founder and musical director of his own ensemble, Isaac Delgado Jr. & La Wawa, through which he develops a modern sound rooted in Afro-Caribbean traditions.
Isaac Delgado Jr. is a Cuban pianist, producer, and musician who leads musical projects blending salsa, bachata, and contemporary urban rhythms. He is the founder and musical director of his own ensemble, Isaac Delgado Jr. & La Wawa, through which he develops a modern sound rooted in Afro-Caribbean traditions.
Jorge Reyes is a Cuban bassist and jazz musician who has performed with major Cuban ensembles such as the Orquesta Cubana de Música Moderna, Irakere, and Arturo Sandoval’s band, participating in internationally recognized recordings and tours. His work bridges Afro-Cuban tradition and modern jazz, and he is also active as a composer and educator.
Jorge Reyes is a Cuban bassist and jazz musician who has performed with major Cuban ensembles such as the Orquesta Cubana de Música Moderna, Irakere, and Arturo Sandoval’s band, participating in internationally recognized recordings and tours. His work bridges Afro-Cuban tradition and modern jazz, and he is also active as a composer and educator.

YOUR IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE IN LA HABANA

TIMING

Each participant designs their own journey by selecting from specialized workshops that align with their musical interests and goals.

  • Timing Options: Intensive Immersion: 2 weeks (Summer, Fall, Spring)
  • Extended Study: 4 weeks (Summer only)
  • Master Class Series: Weekend intensives throughout the year

TRAVEL

We are local hospitality experts experienced in the safe and legal travel of all visitors and students.

  • We work under the “Support of the Cuban People ” visa.
  • We plan your entire stay, including trusted accommodations that enhance your learning experience.
  • Instruction in English and Spanish

JOIN US IN SHAPING THE NEXT GENERATION OF MUSIC EXCHANGE

BECOME A FOUNDING PATRON

SET UP A FUND IN YOUR NAME

NOMINATE A STUDENT

Founding Patrons provide essential support for ÈKÓ’s infrastructure, operations, and scholarships.
Your contribution lends credibility and visibility to this independent cultural program.
As a patron, your name (or your organization’s) will be recognized as part of our Founding Advisory Board—champions of creative education and international collaboration.

Access is core to our mission. Help make ÈKÓ accessible to students from all walks
of life by establishing a named scholarship or student fund.
Your commitment—funding 1 to 5 students annually—will create life changing
opportunities for emerging artists to experience this transformative immersion
in Havana.
Our collective goal: support 30 students per year, opening eyes, hearts, and ears to the power of culture, travel, and music.

If you mentor or work with a gifted musician, help us open new doors.
Nominate them to join ÈKÓ’s inaugural program—a life-changing immersion where culture, creativity, and connection
come together.
Each participant designs their own journey through specialized workshops that align with their musical goals.

© 2026 All Rights Reserved.