‘Viva el Arte de Santa Barbara’ Kicks Off the New Year with Three Free Performances by La Santa Cecilia

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Santa Barbara, CA, January 6, 2025 – ¡Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara! (Viva) is excited to kick off the year with its first event– three free community performances by Grammy-winning band, La Santa Cecilia. 

La Santa Cecilia

THREE FREE PUBLIC PERFORMANCES

• Friday, January 24 | 7 PM | Isla Vista School, 6875 El Colegio Rd, Goleta
• Saturday, January 25 | 7 PM | Guadalupe City Hall, 918 Obispo St, Guadalupe, CA
• Sunday, January 26 | 6 PM | The Marjorie Luke Theatre, 721 E Cota St, Santa Barbara

La Santa Cecilia exemplifies the modern-day creative hybrid of Latin culture, rock and world music. The group draws inspiration from all over the world, utilizing Pan-American rhythms including cumbia, bossa-nova, rumba, bolero, tango, jazz and klezmer music. Their unique sounds and the experience of their colorful, passionate performances continues to captivate both loyal fans and new listeners. 

Named after the patron saint of music, La Santa Cecilia is composed of accordionist and requinto player Jose ‘Pepe’ Carlos, bassist Alex Bendaña, percussionist Miguel ‘Oso’ Ramirez, and vocalist ‘La Marisoul.’ With a captivating voice that sings about love, loss, and everyday struggles, the band has become the voice of a new bicultural generation in the United States, fully immersed in modern music, but always close to their Latin American influences and Mexican heritage. 

Viva, a program committed to highlighting Latin America’s rich cultural heritage, is a collaboration between The Marjorie Luke Theatre, the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center, the Isla Vista School Parent Teacher Association, and UCSB Arts & Lectures, serving more than 15,000 students and community members in Carpinteria, Santa Barbara, Goleta, Lompoc, Santa Maria, and Guadalupe.

For more information about La Santa Cecilia and Viva, please visit https://artsandlectures.ucsb.edu/learn/viva-el-arte-de-santa-barbara/.