Music of the Americas: Argentine Folk Music

Tuesday, November 10, 10 am

Milagros Arancet is a singer and songwriter originally from Paso de los Libres in Corrientes, Argentina. Throughout her career, she has participated in and received recognition at various festivals, including the National Chamamé Festival, the Authentic Chamamé Festival in Mburucuya, and international events such as the World Accordion Festival in Pato Branco, Brazil. Her artistic journey has taken her to stages across Argentina and Brazil, where she has established a solo project centered on the folklore of the Litoral region that spans northeastern Argentina.

In June 2026, she recorded her debut chamamé album, Nunca dejes de cantar. She is currently on tour in Europe, representing Paso de los Libres at several major events—including the Argentina Festival and the MATE Festival in Vienna, Austria—alongside bandoneón player Milagros Caliva. Arancet’s work blends original compositions with the chamamé tradition, keeping the cultural identity of the Litoral region alive through a contemporary lens.

"El sauce y el río" (The Willow and the River) is a song that connects us to the essence of the Litoral: its landscapes, its waters, and the natural world that shapes its identity. Through the imagery of the willow and the river, the song invites us to pause and contemplate the beauty of the land, while also connecting with the emotions, memories, and stories that reside within it. It is a piece that conveys the delicate sensibility of Litoral music, drawing us into a realm where landscape and emotion converge.

Friday, November 13, 10 am

Argentine singer and multi-instrumentalist Clara Cantore was born in Córdoba. At seven, she began formal studies at conservatories, first violin, then saxophone, and finally, after finishing school, she went on to study composition at the National University of Córdoba and later in Germany. 

Clara travels the world through a new way of conceiving folk-rooted music, with the bass as a solo instrument, creating encounters in cultural spaces where local artists take part, and recognizing oral traditions and connecting them with music. Clara has released six albums: Mentiras Criollas (2011), Ser Tiempo (2013), Calma (2016), Entre algarroba y durazno (2020), La música del vacío (2022), and Regreso (2025). 

Federico Díaz is a versatile Argentine musician of the new generation of guitarists with a multi-faceted career as a performing artist, arranger, and composer in the classical and Argentine music worlds. His performances have taken him to distinguished festivals and concert halls across the United States, Europe, and Latin America. He has recorded for Sony Classical and Epsa Music. 

On this occasion they are performing "La atardecida," an Argentine zamba by Eduardo Falu and Manuel Castilla. This zamba has been performed by a multitude of notable musicians and has become one of the genres most recognizable works. Engaging with traditional themes of love, nostalgia and nature, the Cantore-Díaz duo gives us an evocative performance of the song. 

The MetLife Foundation Music of the Americas concert series is made possible by the generous support of Presenting Sponsor MetLife Foundation. 

The 2026–2027 series is also supported, in part, by the Howard Gilman Foundation, Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation, Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and Mid Atlantic Arts.