Chicago Jazz Philharmonic founder Orbert Davis was teaching a high school class in Havana, Cuba, when the diplomatic thaw began. In an unprecedented move, the young musicians were allowed to visit the University of Chicago.
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"Since we were there when the announcement was made I told the students just this morning that they are a part of history. And we have a responsibility to carry that relationship through," Davis said.
The students are in Chicago through the week. They'll get a chance to see the sights and study with some of the best jazz musicians in the music industry, including Davis.
"It is an incredible experience and I want to learn a lot from Orbert," Jorge Carlos Cespedes Stotolongo said.
Organizers hope this is just the beginning of a cultural and musical exchange.
Nine students are already in Chicago and 20 more will arrive later this week for a series of workshops and lessons. On Friday, the students will perform with the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic at the Auditorium Theatre.