Welcome to the 27th Annual National Cuatro Festival!
Performance Run Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes
The Puerto Rican Arts Alliance presents the 27th Annual National Cuatro Festival – Sonidos De Mi Navidad. Celebrate the season with salsa star Michael Stuart, cuatrista Fabiola “Fabi” Muñoz, and the Latin Music Project. Enjoy a festive evening of aguinaldos, el cuatro, and salsa in a joyful cultural celebration.
Harris Theatre for Music and Dance
205 E Randolph St.
Chicago, IL 60618
When you buy a ticket you are helping PRAA !
Your ticket purchase to this year’s National Cuatro Festival will make an even greater impact on the 15,000 children and youth PRAA serves annually through educational music and arts programs. PRAA relies heavily on the ability to “socially gather” to raise cultural awareness and resources that enable us to offer high quality, one-of-a-kind music and arts experiences to more than 30,000 participants each year.
Proceeds from the NCF are reinvested into our year-around music and arts educational programs and other cultural presentations. Your support over the years has been the key to keeping our doors open.
For Sponsorship inquiries contact Nancy Ward
nancy@praachicago.org or 773-342-8865 Ext.# 2
¡Cuando compras una taquilla estás ayudando a PRAA!
La compra de taquillas para el Festival Nacional Cuatro de este año tendrá un impacto aún mayor en los 15,000 niños y jóvenes a los que PRAA presta servicio anualmente a través de programas educativos de música y arte. PRAA depende en gran medida de la capacidad de "reunirse socialmente" para aumentar la conciencia cultural y los recursos que nos permiten ofrecer experiencias musicales y artísticas únicas y de alta calidad a más de 30.000 participantes cada año.
Los ingresos del NCF se reinvierten en nuestros programas educativos de música y arte durante todo el año y en otras presentaciones culturales. Su apoyo a lo largo de los años ha sido la clave para mantener nuestras puertas abiertas.
Para consultas sobre patrocinio, contáctese con Nancy Ward
nancy@praachicago.org or 773-342-8865 Ext.# 2
National Cuatro Festival Kick Off
Ft. Cuatrista Ricky Torres and Trovador José Rivera!
October 9, 2025 | 6:00 - 9:00 PM
Join us for Live Music direct from Puerto Rico, appetizers and beverages.A short program will take place to thank and acknowledge our sponsors. Visit the LaMudanza...Seeds From Our Past exhibition in the gallery space.
Your Donation to this event supports culturally based, educational arts & music programs for children and youth! Please RSVP the name(s) of your guests. We look forward to seeing you!
PRAA Center | 3000 N Elbridge Ave. Chicago, IL
Parking is available at the U.S. Bank Employee Parking lot located on West Oakdale Ave. across the street from the bank’s customer lot. West Oakdale Ave. is a block South of the Milwaukee Ave./Central Park intersection.
Cuatro Master Class
Fundamentals and Concepts of Jíbaro Music
October 10, 2025 | 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Directly from Puerto Rico, one of today’s most dynamic Puerto Rican cuatristas: Ricky Torres. Known for his powerful blend of tradition and innovation, Ricky moves seamlessly between classic jíbaro folk melodies and fresh fusions with salsa, Latin jazz, and contemporary sounds. His artistry has been showcased on albums like Lo Nuestro Primero and his widely recognized single El Cuatro Puertorriqueño, and he is an active collaborator and performer in the modern Puerto Rican music scene.
In this hands-on session, participants will:
Explore the rich history and cultural significance of the Puerto Rican cuatro.
Learn essential techniques for both traditional jíbaro styles and modern fusion playing.
Gain insights into creative collaboration—how the cuatro can adapt across genres and settings.
Be inspired by Ricky’s personal journey as a performer, session musician, and cultural ambassador.
You don’t need to own a cuatro to participate—bring your own instrument or borrow one of PRAA’s cuatros for this experience.
All of your contribution supports PRAA’s educational programming and it includes an entry to win a 2025 PRAA Cuatro Festival T-Shirt!
Whether you are a seasoned musician, a student of Puerto Rican music, or simply passionate about our heritage, this master class offers a rare opportunity to learn directly from a contemporary voice shaping the future of the cuatro.
Space is limited—reserve your spot today and be part of this unforgettable experience!
LMP Center | 2958 N. Milwaukee Ave. Chicago, IL 606218
Parking is available at the U.S. Bank Employee Parking lot located on West Oakdale Ave. across the street from the bank’s customer lot. West Oakdale Ave. is a block South of the Milwaukee Ave./Central Park intersection.
Cuatro At The Zoo
Lincoln Park Zoo
Ft. Ricky Torres
October 11, 2025 | 6 - 10 PM
Food, dancing, attractions, zoo keeper talks and a live performance by Ricky Torres!
Zoo Fiesta
Lincoln Park Zoo | 2001 N Clark. St. Chicago, IL 60618
Cuatro y Café
Cuatro Music Pop Up
October 16, 2025 | 10-11 AM
The sound of the cuatro with coffee and treats!
McDonald’s | 2702 N. Milwaukee Ave. Chicago, IL 60618
No registration necessary.
Family Album Day
October 18, 2025 | 10:00 AM - 4:30 PM
(by appointment only)
Your family’s past is part of our collective story. The Puerto Rican Arts Alliance (PRAA) invites Puerto Rican families—and all who have shared in the life of Puerto Rican neighborhoods in Chicago and the Midwest—to participate in Memory & Archive: Puerto Rican Family Album Day.
Bring your old family photos and albums to help preserve stories of migration, home, and cultural identity. Professional archivists and curators will be on-site to review photographs, hear your family’s migration journey, and select meaningful images for inclusion in El Archivo Project, PRAA’s digital community archive documenting Puerto Rican life in the Midwest. This initiative ensures that our histories remain visible and rooted in community institutions for generations to come.
Appointments are required and last one hour. To schedule, email archivo@praachicago.org and reserve your time to present your family album to one of our archivists. Let’s preserve our roots—one photograph at a time.
We are also excited to announce the expansion of El Archivo Project to include the preservation of oral histories from our community. As part of this effort, PRAA is proud to partner with the Bronzeville Historical Society and its founder and director, Sherry Williams, who will present “Voices that Stay” — A StoryCorps Workshop on October 18 at 1:30 PM at PRAA, 3000 N. Elbridge Ave. Drawing on her years of experience preserving the histories of Bronzeville and the South Side, Williams will guide participants on how to use the StoryCorps platform—housed at the Library of Congress—and share practical, do-it-yourself tools for recording and preserving voices and stories that might otherwise go unheard in our community archives. This workshop is open to all members of the public interested in oral story collection.
📍 Puerto Rican Arts Alliance
3000 N. Elbridge Ave., Chicago, IL 60618
To schedule a Family Album Review appointment or request more information:
📧 archivo@praachicago.org
Cuatro y Café
Cuatro Music Pop Up
October 23, 2025 | 10-11 AM
The sound of the cuatro with coffee and treats!
Magnífico Coffee | 3063 N. Milwaukee Ave. Chicago, IL 60618
No registration necessary.
Cuatro, Pintura y Vino
with Reynaldo GuAracibo Rodriguez
Unwind with art and conversation at this special Sip & Paint led by artist Reynaldo Rodríguez—this time inspired by Puerto Rico’s national instrument, El Cuatro. Enjoy a relaxed evening of creativity and cultural dialogue as we paint in honor of this iconic symbol of Boricua music and heritage.
No experience needed—just bring your curiosity and enjoy good company, great art, and a glass of wine.
This event also spotlights the upcoming National Cuatro Festival —join us to kick off the celebration!
Admission: $40 {Includes Wine + Art Supplies}
More information: archivo@praachicago.org
Free Parking is available at the US Bank employee parking lot on 3619 W Oakdale across the street from the customer lot. West Oakdale Ave. is a block south of Milwaukee/Central Park Ave.
October 25, 2025 | 6:00 - 9:00 PM
Cuatro y Café
Cuatro Music Pop Up
October 30, 2025 | 10-11 AM
The sound of the cuatro with coffee and treats!
Copernicus Senior Center | 3160 N. Milwaukee Ave. Chicago, IL 60618
No registration necessary.
Cuatro y Café
Cuatro Music Pop Up
November 6, 2025 | 11 AM -12 PM
The sound of the cuatro with coffee and treats!
Cafe Central | 1437 W. Chicago Ave. Chicago, IL 60642
No registration necessary.
Featured Artists (2025)
Michael Stuart
Born in New York City in 1975 to Puerto Rican parents, Michael Stuart is a dynamic international salsa sensation whose powerful voice and stage presence have captivated audiences across the globe. With deep roots in Latin music, Stuart's musical journey began at home, where he was influenced by his uncle, the renowned bandleader Israel “Timbalero” Stuart. As a young boy, Michael would play congas and maracas during rehearsals, sparking a lifelong passion for rhythm and performance.
Though he dabbled in hip-hop and rock, it was salsa legends like Héctor Lavoe, El Gran Combo, Andy Montañez, and especially Domingo Quiñones who inspired Stuart to pursue a career in tropical music. His extraordinary talent quickly caught the attention of the industry, and he began singing backup for icons such as Marc Anthony, Johnny Rivera, and Víctor Manuelle.
In 1996, Stuart launched his solo career with the acclaimed debut album Cuentos de la Vecindad, earning him titles like New Artist of the Year by Farándula magazine and a Lo Nuestro Awardnomination. His star quickly rose with follow-up albums like Retratos and Súbeme el Volumen, blending salsa with rock, R&B, and electronic influences, expanding his reach to Europe, Asia, and beyond.
A multifaceted artist, Stuart also shined on stage in the Puerto Rican production of Jesus Christ Superstar, earning the Best New Actor Award in 1998. He’s collaborated with musical giants including Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente, José Feliciano, and Olga Tañón, and participated in legendary Banco Popular specials honoring Puerto Rican music heritage.
Beyond the spotlight, Stuart has been recognized for his leadership and service, named a role model for Puerto Rican youth and appointed spokesperson for Alianza para un Puerto Rico Sin Drogas. Today, he continues to electrify crowds worldwide, staying true to his cultural roots while pushing salsa into the future—one unforgettable performance at a time.
Fabiola Muñoz
Fabiola Muñoz Ortiz was born on September 30, 2003, in Santurce, Puerto Rico. At age 7, she received her first Puerto Rican Cuatro as a Christmas gift — a moment that marked the beginning of her musical journey. Shortly after, she joined the Dr. Francisco López Cruz Foundation, where she began formal training in Cuatro, solfège, and later Tiple, while also participating in summer camps exploring other instruments and folkloric dance.
By age 9, she was performing publicly with the Foundation’s Clasescuatro.com group and studying under Javier Alicea, expanding her repertoire with works by Maso Rivera, Nieves Quintero, and Ladí. In 2015, she was accepted into the Ramos Antonini Free School of Music in San Juan and joined the Conjunto Criollo led by renowned Cuatrista Maribel Delgado. That same year, she won a youth cuatristas competition and placed second island-wide.
In 2016, she joined the ELMERA Jazz Ensemble under Professor David Rivera. At just 14, she became the only ninth-grade and female member of the group to travel to the Berklee High School Jazz Festival in Boston, where the ensemble earned first place in their category. Fabiola made history as the first to introduce the Puerto Rican Cuatro to the festival, receiving both the Judge’s Choice Award and the Outstanding Musicianship Award. She returned in 2019, again earning the Outstanding Musicianship Award and helping the group place second.
Her performance career includes appearances with Residente, the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Adlan Cruz, and others. In 2020, despite the pandemic, she participated in virtual programs including Berklee’s “Five Week” summer program and a widely viewed holiday concert with Gilberto Santa Rosa that reached over one million views.
In 2021, Fabiola graduated with High Honors from the Ramos Antonini School of Music, receiving several awards including the Medal in Puerto Rican Cuatro, the Rafael Hernández Medal for Popular Music, and the APAOSS Ricardo Morales Sáez Scholarship. She is currently pursuing a degree in Jazz and Caribbean Music at the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico.
Latin Music Project - Advanced Ensemble
Latin Music Project ~ Advanced Ensemble, including: cuatro, guitar, violin, vocal, percussion, and more. The advanced student ensemble participates in our annual National Cuatro Festival at the Harris Theater. In 2025, the festival will be held on Saturday, November 15.
Other performance opportunities include Navy Pier, Millennium Park, the Juan and Gladys Méndez Music Hall, special events at the PRAA Center, and many other stages across the City of Chicago.
Over the years, many of our students have reached advanced levels in their school orchestras and choirs and have been honored with citywide awards such as Chicago’s “Rising Star.”
The LMP curriculum spans a rich repertoire of folkloric and contemporary music from Latin America and the Caribbean. We also bring Latin Music Project classes to selected Chicago Public Schools, impacting more than 1,000 students annually.
The LMP Ensemble meets year‑round, twice per week for rehearsals and performs at events throughout Chicagoland.
