Free live music alert, summer edition: Alfredo Caceres, Anthony Ocana

June 21, 12:50 PMDC Live Music ExaminerChristina Lee

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Alfredo Caceres, Photo: Johanna de Leon

Consider Alfredo Caceres and Anthony Ocana to be modern byproducts of Latin American music education. Caceres, of Guatemala, took both undergraduate and masters courses before performing jazz and flamenco with several bands. Ocana studied at the Dominican Republic's National Conservatory of Music before he received a scholarship at Manhattanville College in New York.

And so consider these guitarists and composers, both under age 35, to also be byproducts of Heitor Villa-Lobos, a Brazilian composer known for his on-and-off relationship with music education. Villa-Lobas, first trained by his father, dropped classes in favor of observing Rio de Janiero's night life – and with this, its characteristic guitar styles. He then improvised his way through about 18 years of traveling, performing and composing, only to become a teacher and school coordinator for his home country.

Anthony Ocana, Photo: Ysel Jaquez

Regardless, Villa-Lobos' passion and influence carries on, as the D.C. Ibero-American Guitar Festival celebrates his legacy and the 50th anniversary of his death. With this, both Caceres and Ocana present the festival's last free performance today – to honor what he left behind and to present what they offer for the future.

Today, 1 p.m., National Museum of the American Indian, 4 St. and Independence Ave. SW, 202-633-6700, www.dciberoamericanguitarfestival.org.