Babalu Blog: EPD - Olga Diaz - One of Cuba's Greatest Pianists

December 28, 2008

EPD - Olga Diaz - One of Cuba's Greatest Pianists - 1936-2008

Yesterday morning, on December 27, 2008, the music world lost a great pianist and artist, Olga Diaz. Today, I also lost my mom. For over 65 years, my mom, Olga, has played the piano and entertained so many people from all over the world. I’m not a journalist as I am sure there will be better written articles about her in the next few days. I’ll give you the story from a son’s perspective.

She was born Olga Diaz-Parlade in the Province of Oriente, Cuba in a town called Palma Soriano in 1936. At age 5, she started playing the piano and ultimately earned her degree in Music at the Universidad de Oriente. She studied with Dr. Aurelio de la Vega, and Edmundo Lopez, two of the greats that the island has produced.

In 1958, at age 21, my mom entered a contest for the Festival of the Americas. She designed the winning flag and won $ 1,000.00 and a trip to Miami. In April 1958, she was greeted in the local papers as the “Latin Beauty” when she accepted kudos from the then Mayor of Miami, Robert King High. (See image below). Shortly thereafter, things started getting dangerous in her hometown, and her parents told her to stay in Miami until things calmed down in Cuba. Her parents returned, my mom stayed. As history would have it, my mom never returned to see her homeland and place of birth again. The communist revolution took hold and my mom ended up doing what she could to get her siblings, her parents, and other family and friends out of Cuba.

She met my dad, her husband and soul-mate Maurice sometime in 1958 and they married shortly thereafter in 1961. My mom played in various venues during the late 1950’s and 1960’s, in the day that Downtown Miami was a happening town with a nightlife. She has a trio at the Everglades Hotel for many years and later played on Miami Beach at various hotels as well. As the beach started to die down, my mom got her next gig at the Doral Country Club where she played for over 25 years. There she met and befriended folks from all over the world. She also played concerts in various countries including the US, Canada, Mexico and Argentina.

My mom became a US Citizen during the Bicentennial in 1976, and while she spent the majority of her life here in the USA, her heart and soul was Cuban. She would say that she thought and dreamed in Cuban. She played music by serious Cuban composers like Rene Touzet, Cervantes, Lecuona, and Afro-Cuban Jazz melodies and standards from the great popular composers especially those who lived here in exile.

After I graduated high school and started college, my mom decided to go back to school and she obtained her Masters in Piano at the University of Miami School of Music. Even without a great command of English, she wrote a thesis and got her graduate degree in her fifties.

My mom would play you a Lecuona piece, followed by Duerme Negrito, followed by Chopin, Cole Porter, Bernstein, Piazzola and Gershwin. It was a thrill to see her play Rhapsody in Blue with the Miami Symphony Orchestra many years ago.

My mom was a major talent just as many other exiled artists here are and were. Sadly, the media pays more attention to those who chose to play under fidel than those that chose to play in freedom.
Besides being a great artist, she was a wife to my father for over 30 years, a great mother and a loving grandmother to my two children. And to those that knew her and loved her, she was the greatest friend you could ever have.

My mother, Olga Diaz, now joins the list of great artists from Cuba that have passed away in exile. Some of which I knew well like Rene Touzet and Mario Fernandez Porta, and others. When they were alive, they would always attend my mom’s concerts and she would always play tribute by playing their music. My mom always played their works even after their death and made a point to keep their music alive and well.

Perhaps it was a wise Rabbi who said that as long as we keep the memory of our loved ones alive, they will always live on. All those who were touched by music, her wit, and her love will always keep her alive. My mom is now with her soulmate, my dad, and is surely playing the piano in Heaven for him and the for the angels that she loved so much.

Services will be held at Caballero Rivero Woodlawn Funeral Home located at 8200 SW 40 Street on Monday, December 29, 2008 from 6:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. A Mass in her memory will take place at St. Brendan Catholic Church on Tuesday, December 30, 2008 at 10:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in her memory to the Dan Marino Foundation, P.O. Box 267640, Weston, FL 33326. (954) 389-4445.

The above image was from a newspaper clipping from April 1958 when my mom won her way to the United States.

Posted by Cigar Mike at December 28, 2008 12:13 AM

Comments

Mr. Pancier

My condolensces go out to you and your family in this difficult time. Remember the Lord is there for you to heal you of any pain. I'll pray for you and your family.

Jerome Melgar

Posted by: j2tharome at December 28, 2008 01:01 AM

My condolences to you and your family. It was clear from your blog posts that your mom was a remarkable person and that you loved and admired her. I'm very sorry to hear of her passing.

Posted by: Jonathan at December 28, 2008 01:24 AM

My condolences, Mike.

Do you have any of her recorded music? That would make a great video accompanied by your photos.

Posted by: Carlos Miller at December 28, 2008 01:30 AM

Very sorry to hear this, Mr Mike. My deepest condolences and a strong abrazote to all your familia....

Humberto

Posted by: Humberto at December 28, 2008 01:48 AM

So sorry for your loss Mike. You should be proud of her and she of you!

Posted by: Henry Louis Gomez at December 28, 2008 01:59 AM

You're in my prayers, Mike. And don't forget my offer. abrazos de Claudia

Posted by: Claudia at December 28, 2008 02:28 AM

My most sincere condolences.

Posted by: thinwhiteduke at December 28, 2008 02:45 AM

I'm so sorry for your loss Mike. Our deepest condolences to you and your family. Un grande abrazo.

Posted by: Ziva Sahl at December 28, 2008 04:38 AM

Yo conocí a Olguita y la oí tocar muchas veces. Una mujer encantadora y una gran artista, muy querida por todos. Siento mucho tu pérdida.

Posted by: giraldo at December 28, 2008 05:04 AM

Mike,

My sincere condolences go to you and your family.

Posted by: FreedomForCuba at December 28, 2008 07:20 AM

I'm very sorry to hear about your loss.
Please accept my sincere condolences.
George

Posted by: therealcuba at December 28, 2008 08:08 AM

Mike,
Our condolences from half way around the world. I know what it's like to lose a mother. It's irreplaceable, especially at your mother's age.

Posted by: delacova at December 28, 2008 08:33 AM

Mike, my condolences to you and your family for this painful loss.

Posted by: albertodelacruz at December 28, 2008 08:38 AM

I'm very sorry, Mike. My deepest sympathies to your and your family.

Posted by: Robert at December 28, 2008 09:06 AM

Mike,my condolences to you and your family.

God bless her soul.

saludos

Posted by: tony44 at December 28, 2008 11:22 AM

Mike,
I'm so sorry for your loss. May God bless and comfort you and your family. You'll be in our prayers.
-Terry

Posted by: wife of pitbull at December 28, 2008 01:08 PM

Mike,

My sincerest and most heartfelt condolences.

Posted by: Val Prieto at December 28, 2008 02:38 PM

Please accept our heart-felt sympathy for the loss of your mother. My wife and I mourn with you and your family in this moment of sorrow. We have loved and admired your dear mother for many years; she was a great artist and a gracious lady. She will be deeply missed but her memory will be eternal with us. God Bless Her.

Posted by: Jose Cofino at December 28, 2008 02:40 PM

I'm sorry to hear about your mom. My condolences Mike, to you and to your family.

Posted by: Cubanology at December 28, 2008 06:28 PM

Mike,

My sincerest and most heartfelt condolences. You and your mother will be in my prayers.

Posted by: ORGULLOSADESERCUBANA at December 28, 2008 08:52 PM

Dear Mike:

Here is an Irish Blessing to comfort you:

â€œMay the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be ever at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face and the rain fall softly on your fields. And until you meet your mother again, May God hold you in the hollow of his hand.â€�

Que Dios te bendiga.

Susanna and Kent Lohse

Posted by: Susanna Godoy Lohse at December 28, 2008 10:54 PM

Mike,

I'm so sorry for your loss. That was a beautiful re-cap of her life and accomplishments. It's obvious that you were very proud of her.

Besos,
Marta

Posted by: Marta at December 29, 2008 01:58 AM

Mike, you have my condolences. I know how heart wrenching it is. You've got it right...celebrate her life.

Posted by: rsnlk at December 29, 2008 07:49 AM

Mike, I'm so sorry for your loss. I know it's heart breaking but what you've written about her and your choice to celebrate her life will help you throught these hard times.
Recibe nuestras mas sinceras condolencias.

Un abrazo,
Mailyn

Posted by: Cubanita in Colorado at December 29, 2008 11:58 AM

So sorry to be so late on this, didn't see it until now.

My deepest heartfelt condolences to you and the rest of your family.

Posted by: La Ventanita at December 29, 2008 02:53 PM

I'm very very sorry for your loss.

Posted by: Mr. Bingley at December 30, 2008 06:41 AM