ROSE HALL, St James — The Embassy of Spain, in collaboration with the Spanish-Jamaican Foundation and Spanish- based TSK Group, rolled out a grand cultural exchange with a musical celebration dubbed ‘West Winds’ at the historic Rose Hall Great House in St James last Saturday.

The event was the first in a two-part series which culminated in Kingston at the University of the West Indies Mona Chapel on Monday.

The musical celebration drew inspiration from West Side Story, the renowned musical masterpiece, and was part of the celebrations for the 100th anniversary of the birth of its American composer, Leonard Bernstein.

This highly anticipated musical experience featured the Spanish SIGMA Project — a saxophone quartet — and Cecilia Bercovich, a versatile violin and viola performer.

Josep Maria Bosch, ambassador of Spain to Jamaica, in his address to formally open the event, spoke of the relationship between Jamaica and Spain and the cultural ties, while Mayor of Montego Bay Homer Davis welcomed the initiative and expressed a wish for further events of its kind.

With the introduction of the Spanish Sigma Project to the stage, a musical journey began with a world premiere of a transcription for saxophone quartet of String Quartet number 5 by American composer Philip Glass. The piece was steeped in minimalism with constant repetitions of short and rhythmical influences with light progressive variations.

The seasoned performers, who have done more than 150 concerts all over the world in countries such as Germany, Chile, France and Italy, easily captivated the audience with effusive lyrical tones. The quartet expertly guided an appreciative audience through all five movements with exceptional energy.

The addition of violinist Cecilia Bercovich for the evening’s premier piece, West Side Story, can only be described as a master stroke. Her energy and enthusiasm easily translated into her playing style, and her engagement with the audience only served to draw them in closer.

The piece, widely regarded as one of the best scores ever written, took guests through a series of emotions with the music evoking feelings of joy, melancholy and suspense. At the end more was requested and the spirited performers obliged for a double encore.

“I found the performance refreshing and I enjoyed it immensely, and I am really happy to know that I was able to enjoy that type of music live in Montego Bay. I am looking forward to having that experience again, and this was truly a plus for our city,” said Carla Binns, a guest at the event.