Due to their sound quality and uniqueness, Sela instruments have became essencial in my music career. They not only have contributed to new creations, collaborations and opportunities, but they have brought unmeasurable beauty to my world and to the people around me.
Michael Gil Arango is a Miami based Cuban American multi-instrumentalist, composer, certified master teaching artist, Registered Behavior Technician, Zen practitioner and Brazilian jiu-jitsu blue belt. Under the guidance of Barima Gort and Mayra Cruz, Michael studied guitar and graduated from Felix Varela School of Music in Havana Cuba. His music career has been mostly dedicated to compose and play music for theater, documentaries, contemporary dance, sound healing sessions, yoga retreats, storytelling and multidisciplinary audiovisual performances. Michael has been devoted to play and learn about ancestral musical instruments from different parts of the world such as the Australian yidaki or didgeridoo, Afro-Brazilian berimbau, African Kalimba, Jaw harps, Nigerian talking drum, Afro-Cuban batá drums among others. These instruments are not only incorporated in Michael’s music projects such as “Luyano Band “ and “DJ ma non troppo”, but they are the main subject of “Moving Music Museum”. Moving Music Museum is a Michael’s original educational project where music, arts integration, geography and history, meet entertainment for all ages. During the last a decade, Michael has been a cultural ambassador throughout music and his work in combining arts and education has already impacted thousands of children and families through residencies, assemblies, and special programs both locally and regionally. He has worked with South Florida organizations and institutions such as, Musicall, Fundarte, Artefactus Cultural Project, Fundación Cuatro Gatos, Anti Heroes Project, Miami International Book Fair, Conecta Miami Arts Inc., Miami Dade College, Arts for Learning, Sikan Afro-Cuban Dance Project, Coral Gables Museum, All Kids Included, Handy Inc, Silent Victims of Crime and Florida Children Theater among others. Michael has performed both educational and music shows at Venues and institutions like the Havana Museum of Fine Arts, Plaza de Armas in Zacatecas Mexico, New World Symphony Orchestral Academy, Miami Dade County Auditorium, Adrienne Arsht Center, MOCA North Miami, Museum of Science and Discovery of Fort Lauderdale, Florida International University, Historic Asolo Theater at The Ringling, Miami Dade and Tampa Public Schools Systems. Michael has received several grants for individual artists from Miami Dade County Department of Cultural affairs and he has been selected as the winner of Arts & Education Inspiration Award 2024 by Serving of the Arts Committee. Michael is also protagonist, and music director of “ Two Islands”, a cultural exchange between First Nation Australian artists and Miami based Afro-Cuban artist sponsored by National Endowment for the Arts, Koubek Center of Miami Dade College and Miami Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs. This project explores the significance of dance and music for both cultures and it takes place in Miami, USA and Darwin, Australia (2023-2024).
