The Centro Asturiano de Bruselas was founded in 1986 by a group of immigrants from Asturias, with the aim of keeping Asturian culture alive and promoting it within the Spanish community in Belgium.
This cultural centre offers courses in traditional dance, percussion and bagpipe playing.
The organisation is open to anyone interested in Asturian culture, especially music and dance.
You will hear two ensembles from the Centro Asturiano de Bruselas
THE BANDA DE GAITAS
An Asturian bagpipe band revived some time ago by Esteban Méndez, the professor of gaita. It is composed of both experienced gaiteros and enthusiastic newcomers.
The repertoire is traditional, trying to highlight the variety of styles and rhythms of their region, but they also like to explore music from other places. The group plays with traditional percussion on C gaitas.
LA BANDINA FOLK
Eva Buelga Oliveira is the president of the Centro Asturiano and she also directs the Bandina Folk. The repertoire is inspired by Asturian folk groups, traditional melodies which they then arrange. The gaita is always at the centre of the Bandina, but it is framed by the sounds of the violin, flute and diatonic accordion. Eva sings in typical Asturian style, accompanied by percussion instruments such as square tambourines, drums and castanets.
