Tucson Symphony returns to headline Mexican Independence concert

Tucson Symphony Orchestra is getting an early start to its 2024-25 season this weekend when it once again headlines the annual Mexican Independence Day Concert at Linda Ronstadt Music Hall.

It’s the fourth year that the TSO has taken centerstage in the concert, presented by the Consulate of Mexico in Tucson, and the 11th year the consulate has hosted the event.

Tickets are free, but hard to come by. You can email the consulate at contucmx@sre.gob.mx or call 520-882-5595.

TSO Music Director José Luis Gomez will be at the podium to conduct a program that includes works by Mexican composers. It includes Genaro Codia’s “Zacatecas” March, Sol Silvinia’s “Mexico,” José Pablo Moncayo’s “Huapango,” Agustín Lara’s “Arráncame la Vida,” Juventino Rosas’s “Sobre las Olas,” Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 “Venezuelan Popurrí” and Jaime Nunó’s “Himno Nacional Mexicano,” as well as selections from French composer Bizet’s “Carmen.”

Mezzo-soprano Diana Peralta is the featured vocalist, and Mariachi Aztlán de Pueblo High School also will perform.

The concert begins at 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 15, at Music Hall, 260 S. Church Ave. The Consulate will host a free Mexican fiesta beginning at 4 p.m. at Music Hall.

Sunday’s concert is the first of three free events the TSO will host in the next week as it launches its “Transcend Your Senses” brand campaign to emphasize “the transformative power of orchestral music.”

Back to homepage

Subscriber Login

Keep reading with a digital access subscription.

Subscribe now

“‘Transcend Your Senses’ is more than just a tagline; it’s an invitation to explore the world in deeper, more meaningful ways,” Paul Meecham, the TSO’s president and CEO, said in a written statement. “It’s a celebration of the rich cultural tapestry of Tucson and the boundless possibilities that our music and the arts in our community can provide.”

The orchestra quietly launched the brand in late August when it unveiled “Momento Cósmico” at the Mercado San Agustin Annex. The interactive audio installation, designed by Tucson artist and architect Myles Peña in partnership with Brink Media, will remain open to the public through the end of January.

When visitors step into the aluminum structure, they will hear archival TSO recordings of music that is featured on the 2024-25 season, as well as lighting effects.

On Sept. 20, the orchestra will team up with the American Composer Orchestra to read new works by four Native composers. Led by Gomez, “EarShot CoLABoratory” gives insight into the collaborative process between composers and the orchestra as they brainstorm concepts and approaches to refine the new works. The idea is to develop the work of underrepresented composers and musical traditions in the orchestra world.

The composers include Laura Ortman from the White Mountain Apache tribe, Suzanne Kite (who goes by Kite) from the Oglala Lakota, and Diné composers Michael Begay and Pulitzer Prize winner Raven Chacon. True Concord Voices & Orchestra performed Chacon’s Pulitzer Prize-winning “Voiceless Mass” last October to open its 20th anniversary season.

The TSO on Sept. 22 will perform a sampler of the works on their 2024-25 season at the second annual “Symphony Showcase.” The hour-long concert begins at 2 p.m. at Music Hall; the event is sold out, but orchestra officials anticipate releasing additional tickets. Call 520-882-8585 for details.

TSO opens its regular season with “Mozart and Tchaikovsky” featuring pianist David Fray performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21 on Sept. 27 at Music Hall. The concert will repeat on Sept. 29. For season details and tickets, visit tucsonsymphony.org/events.