As a guest country of the Eighth Shanghai International Arts Festival, Mexico has organized the Mexico Culture Week in Shanghai.
The culture week gathered five groups of representative Mexican artists -- the Tambuco Percussion Ensemble, the University of Colima Folkloric Ballet, Eugenia Leon, Tania Perez-Salas and the Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra -- to present a week of unique Mexican charm.
The week started with a concert featuring the Grammy-nominated Tambuco Percussion Ensemble last Friday.
"Percussion music has a big history in Mexico tracing back to the 1940s. Carlos Chavez wrote a piece called Tambuco because the pronunciation of the word has a percussion feeling. We loved his music and named our group after this piece," says Ricardo Gallardo, director of the ensemble.
Other members of the quartet are Raul Tudon, Alfredo Bringas and Miguel Gonzalez. Gallardo, Tudon and Bringas went to music conservatory together to study percussion.
Gonzalez is the youngest only joining the group four years ago when the fourth member of the quartet moved to Europe. This year marks a milestone for the ensemble. Their latest album, "Carlos Chavez Complete Chamber Music Vol III," was nominated in the 48th Grammy Awards in the Best Small Ensemble Performance and Best Classical Album categories.
The quartet refuses to be tied down to one style and one instrument. Instead, they use every possible weapon in their arsenal, employing musical or non-musical instruments, presenting highly rhythmic and unorthodox percussion sounds.
"We work with composers all over the world." says Gallardo. "Such opportunities offer us exposure to thousands of pieces of distinctive music."
As first-time visitors to China, the quartet saluted their hosts by incorporating a Chinese bass drum in their concert last Friday. The percussionists couldn't resist the temptation to shop.
"It is so amazing. We bought so many Chinese drums in Shanghai," says Gonzalez, "I hope they can all fit in the luggage."
On stage tonight for the cultural week will be Eugenia Leon, the Mexican vocal diva.
Considered by many her country's best singer, Leon is also internationally acclaimed and recognized as one of the most famous and successful Spanish-speaking singers.
The recital tonight will focus on traditional Mexican songs known by all music lovers around the world, such as "Besame Mucho" ("Kiss Me a Lot").
"Mexican music is expressive, rhythmic, sweet and strong. So many singers from other countries have performed these songs that people don't know they are originally from Mexico anymore," Leon says. "But they will not forget ever again after tonight."
Leon has complete freedom in many styles, turning each into a classic with the trademarks of her unique voice and musical interpretation.
"My songs form a musical map for Mexico because I try to gather all types of music from all around the nation," Leon says.
The nationally acclaimed songbird was not a born singer. When she was little, her uncles and aunts discouraged. But time passed and she persevered. "At certain moments, everyone wants to find out what they should do in life. I feel lucky because I discovered mine at the age of 17," she says.
Now, over 30 years later, Leon's eyes still shine as she speaks of how she decided to become a singer and has never regretted the decision.
"I discovered that life has given me a gift -- my voice," Leon says. "I knew that I had to become a singer. Since then, I have been singing and I will be singing in the future. Music has saved my life in many aspects.
(Shanghaidaily.com November 8, 2006)