The prominent Cuban violinist, singer, and composer Martha Duarte Mustelier passed away this Friday in Lugano, Switzerland, at the age of 68, confirmed her daughter Afrika Duarte, who posted a heartbreaking farewell message just hours after her passing.
Afrika Duarte announced the loss on Facebook with words that reflect the depth of her sorrow: "With a broken heart and a profound pain that feels like it’s drowning and consuming me every minute, I greet you, dear mom […] Today you chose, because I would like to think that this decision was yours, to leave this earthly world and rest forever."
The young woman described her mother as "my warrior, my best friend, the strongest woman I ever knew, with a deep intelligence, and an elegance that captivated" and "the most beautiful violin I've ever heard in my life."
Martha Duarte Mustelier held a unique place in the history of Cuban music: she was the first woman to graduate with a specialization in violin from the Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA) in Cuba, as noted by close personalities such as the troubadour Frank Delgado and the musicologist Rosa Marquetti.
His career spanned numerous fields of music on the island. He joined the Camerata Brindis de Salas, one of the prominent chamber groups of the time, whose first director was the Bulgarian violinist and educator Radosvet Anto Boyadjiev. He was also a member of the Orchestra of the Gran Teatro de la Ópera y Ballet de La Habana, where he served as the first violin, and performed as a soloist with the National Folkloric Ensemble of Cuba. In 1985, he joined the rock group Arte Vivo as a violinist and singer, touring Cuba and performing internationally.
In 1990, she founded Vidrio y Corte, a project that blended jazz and song with elements of rock and funk. Years later, she created Martha Duarte y Sarabanda, a group that combined Cuban rhythms with jazz and contemporary sounds, which became one of the central projects of her career. In 2001, she released the album "Mulata de Espalda" with Sarabanda, where she served as director, editor, and producer.
In 2005, Martha Duarte and Sarabanda recorded "Preludio y fuga con tumbao," a version of Fritz Kreisler's "Preludio y Allegro," in which Duarte transferred elements of contrapuntal writing into Afro-Cuban jazz, incorporating montuno, cha-cha-cha, and improvisation.
According to Marquetti's profile, in the realm of composition, “Martha also contributed to Cuban cinematography: one of her works is part of the soundtrack for the film El siglo de las luces, directed by Humberto Solás. Highly sought after for many recordings due to her remarkable interpretative quality, Martha lent her violin to the music of numerous ballets, theater plays, documentaries, short films, and productions from the International School of Film and TV in San Antonio de los Baños.”
The troubadour Frank Delgado also published an extensive and emotional text on Facebook about his friendship with the artist. "I couldn't believe my friend Hilda María Alonso's post yesterday. With her 68 years just completed, she left us orphans of strings, Martha Duarte Mustelier," wrote the singer-songwriter, who met her in the 80s in Havana.
Delgado recalled that Martha was involved in the Nueva Trova from a very young age, both in recordings and concerts. The troubadour mentioned a particularly memorable moment: the premiere of her song "Patrimonio de la Humanidad" at a Sunday gathering in the Sala Teatro El Sótano, where Martha performed an improvised violin solo based on a melody that Delgado had hummed to her. "Her solo was earth-shattering and transcendent. The audience applauded a lot, not for me, not for the song, but for that impeccably tuned and dramatic octave," he wrote.
Friends and colleagues expressed their condolences on social media. Hilda María Alonso described her as someone who "set trends in this city; her style, her hairstyles, her accessories, her gestures were unique." Musician Sergio García Romero said she was "a very special woman, intelligent, beautiful, fun, approachable, and a friend to her friends."
The passing of Martha Duarte Mustelier adds to the list of other Cuban musicians who have died in recent months, such as Julito Noroña from the orchestra Los Van Van in May, and Jorge Gómez, founder of Grupo Moncada in March.
His remains will be laid to rest starting at 10:00 AM on Monday, August 31, at the cemetery in Minusio, a town adjacent to Lugano, where the funeral will be held at 3:00 PM. Sincere condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.
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