Club Puertorriqueño de San Francisco kicks off the holiday season with a celebration of the island’s national instrument—the cuatro!

The cuatro resembles a small guitar, but is tuned with a unique twang. It is the central element in jíbaro or Puerto Rican country music, and a symbol of national pride.

The event will feature musicians from Puerto Rico to celebrate El Día del Cuatro. Pedro Pastrana, guest cuatrista (cuatro player); and Edgardo Delgado, guest trovador.

The trovador is a singer/poet that is given a random topic and then improvises musical lyrics within a rhythmic structure. The event will also feature slow elegant danzas (Puerto Rican waltzes), upbeat plenas (coastal music), and jovial aguinaldos (Puerto Rican holiday music).