DR. MIGUEL AHUMADA AYALA
The summer season of our Sinfónica de Minería (SM) has brilliantly concluded. Beyond the enormous quality in the interpretation of the works, the excellence of its musicians, the great soloists we heard and the magical baton of its artistic director, Carlos Miguel Prieto, I think that our orchestra has managed to transcend the field of music and has left us a message loaded with a great social transcendence.
At a time when our society is so divided and when intolerance and bitterness prevail, the SM has shown us that when a group of people come together, and all of them work with the same objective, perfection, excellence and beauty can be achieved. In fact, in the SM I do not see differences of gender, age, ethnic origin or social class, I only identify individuals who have come together to work in harmony and discipline, always in the same direction, until they reach the goals they have set for themselves. The metaphorical language that SM presents us with is unavoidable, can you imagine if companies, universities, hospitals and the country as a whole worked in this same way?
The SM has shown us that in Mexico it is possible to fill the Nezahualcóyotl Concert Hall in 5 consecutive days to listen to the same concert, regardless of traffic or torrential rains. In each of their presentations, the artists of the SM have managed to touch the soul of those of us who were there. We can only be grateful for the privilege of having an orchestra of this quality and listening to it in one of the best concert halls in the world, located on the campus of our beloved National Autonomous University of Mexico.
The orchestra has shown us the importance of taking pride in who we are as a country—and, as Carlos Miguel so aptly puts it, that we must always cherish it. From the notes of the Mexican National Anthem that we sang at the first concert to the premiere of *Cantos a Macario* by Antonio Juan-Marcos—which evokes a story by Juan Rulfo—to the Tzam by the famous Mexican composer Gabriela Ortiz, to the *Itinerarios* and the Alcancías by Silvestre Revueltas, and the fabulous premiere of the Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, Fandango, by Arturo Márquez, culminating in the moving encore of the final gala: the Huapangoby Moncayo. We Mexicans were thrilled, and through the music we felt united once again; we remembered how much we have in common and how proud we are of this land that is so much a part of us—so much so that we could hardly forget the cry of “¡Viva México!” from one of the orchestra members as the final note of the Huapango.
The SM has not only reaffirmed the values of our country, but has also marked the importance of being a symphony orchestra that stands out in the Latin American context. This has been clearly manifested, once again, with the participation of the phenomenal trumpet player Pacho Flores and the joyfulness of the Venezuelan Concerto by Paquito D'Rivera. The SM and its extraordinary conductor have taught us very clearly that classical music must be interpreted with seriousness and precision, but that this is not incompatible with good humor, affability, simplicity and joy.
Our symphony orchestra has reaffirmed for us that music is a demanding professional endeavor, but one that is so much better when performed from the heart. That’s why people applaud Gaby Jiménez with such enthusiasm—and all our percussionists as well—and why the audience shouts so many “bravos!” when our conductor calls the woodwinds to their feet or when our brilliant concertmaster, Shari Mason, takes the stage. Thank you to all the members of the SM for so faithfully conveying their sensitivity and their passion for what they do. I’m sure that countless people have nourished their spirits through music.
The SM has also shown us that each of us in our own field, if we work hard enough, can dare to think big, to not be afraid of the difficult. That if we work with order and discipline, we can perform something monumental like Bruckner's Eighth Symphony or the Seventh Symphony or Mahler's Seventh Symphony Mahler's Seventh Symphony, achieving an admirable result in which beauty, precision and forcefulness in its execution stand out.
The SM and its director should be confident that they have capped not only a great musical season, but have made a significant and timely social impact. Many of us in attendance have understood their lessons.
Luis Antonio Ascencio, president of the Palacio de Minería Music Academy, could not be more right when he says that “the Minería Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra that dares to play when no one else is playing, plays what no one else plays, and plays it like no one else.”
BRAVO, MINING!
