On Sunday, October 18, six soneros - Willito Otero, Kayvan Vega, Alexánder López, Erick Robles, Julio López, and José Luis 'Papa Chú' De Jesús - will compete in the final of El Duelo de La Sociedad at the Terraza del Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña (ICP) in Old San Juan for the title of 'Sonero del Pueblo'. The event, which begins at 2:00 PM, is a production of the orchestra La Sociedad, with the support of the ICP, and aims to promote and preserve the traditional Puerto Rican musical tradition of soneo.
The competition is the culmination of a series of six free events that took place in different municipalities across the island, including Canóvanas, Adjuntas, Santurce, Bayamón, Cayey, and Cataño. The final event will include artistic presentations, cultural activities, artisans, and salsa classes, as well as a performance by the orchestra La Sociedad. According to Galdy Santiago, director musical of La Sociedad and creator of the project, 'we wanted to create a space where soneros could demonstrate their talent and where the public could experience the art of improvisation up close'.
The event also aims to support artistic education, with proceeds contributing to the development of the Escuela de Bellas Artes de Peñuelas, a non-profit initiative that provides free artistic training to children, youth, and adults. Tickets for the event are available for $8, plus service charges, through Ticketera.