Latin GRAMMY-nominated musician Joachim Horsley returns with his new single, “Havana Prelude,”

“Havana Prelude” draws on a creative vision Horsley has been developing since visiting Cuba in 2015, when his deep connection to Cuban music renewed his drive to reframe canonical works in Caribbean idioms. His previous releases, including “Beethoven In Havana,” have established him as a leading voice in this space. Rachmaninoff’s Op. 23 No. 5 is known for its wide leaps and relentless block chords, considered demanding repertoire by pianists at a high level. Horsley’s arrangement preserves those challenges while layering in Cuban dance rhythms, producing a recording that is both a serious act of musicianship and an invitation to new audiences.

“Rachmaninoff is a very special composer, and combining his music with dance rhythms from Cuba is an angle I hope people find as a fresh offering of a legendary classic.” – Joachim Horsley

The recording was made during Horsley’s 2025 European tour at School Farm Studios in England in July, where he worked with his live band: Murphy Aucamp on drums and timbales, Yonathan “Morocho” Gavidia on percussion, and Damian Nueva-Cortes on bass. The band tracked their parts over a MIDI sketch of the piano, which Horsley then used as a foundation to shape his final piano performance, recorded on a Steinway D in Los Angeles. Working from the rhythm section outward allowed each musician to dial in the feel of Cuban music before the melodic elements were committed to tape, and the arrangement continued to evolve throughout the process.

“Havana Prelude” is the first release from Horsley’s upcoming album and video series, “Supervision,” with the full album expected later in 2026 or early 2027. The single reflects the same ambition that earned Horsley a Latin GRAMMY nomination for Best Arrangement with “Bach’s Cuban Concerto for Piano and Tres,” and Horsley hopes the piece will enter the repertoire of other pianists, as his previous arrangements have.

A proud Steinway & Sons Artist, Horsley has performed at leading venues worldwide, including the Warsaw Philharmonic Hall, Studio de l’Ermitage in Paris, and with the National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba in Havana for La Fiesta del Tambor. He has composed original scores for film and television projects including HBO’s Gordita Chronicles, Batman: Soul of the Dragon, and Disney’s Big City Greens the Movie: Spacecation, earning him an Annie Award nomination for Best Music – TV/Media.