Art Music by Caribbean Composers: Haiti

Ha ti has by far the longest history of independence of any of its Caribbean neighbors, having gained independence from France in 1804. Ha ti's tradition of classical music takes root in its colonial heritage. Ha tian classical music, "mizik savant ayisyen," is derived from that "desire to retain European standards while including local features" of indigenous musical traditions (Grenier & Averill, 2007-2011).