Have you ever looked back, and suddenly realized there is a theme running through your story that you’ve never noticed before? This happened to our company in preparing our Cantaré concert.
Twenty-six years ago, I found myself sitting at a concert grand piano at the beautiful colonial-era building which (still) houses the music department at the Universidad de Guadalajara, Mexico. After conversing with some students there, I sat down at the instrument and began to improvise. This was the moment I clearly recognized that music was more than a hobby, more than recreation. It was necessary, not optional – and for me, it was a vocation.
Unknown to me, the very next year, a vocal ensemble named Chicago a cappella, then in its early years, travelled to Tampico, Mexico, to perform at the Festival Internacional Tamaulipas.
Sixteen years ago, I encountered for the first time the music of Jorge Córdoba, the Mexican composer, conductor, producer, and choral pioneer. Surprisingly, this discovery took place not in Mexico, but as part of a series of performances in Canada, Taiwan, and Japan.
Thirteen years ago, I led my first program with Chicago a cappella, and guess what? So did Jorge Córdoba! Jonathan Miller (founder of Chicago a cappella) offered me the chance to meet Jorge in person, in Chicago. We talked for hours.
Ten years ago, I led my first Spanish-language program with Chicago a cappella. Nine years ago, we embarked upon ¡Cantaré! Chicago, which each year brought a Mexican composer to Chicago to work with students and educators in Chicago Public Schools.
In 2022, Jorge asked me to conduct a massed choir at Festival Internacional de Coros Tlaxcala Canta. While there, I spent quality time with an inspiring group of choral conductors and ensembles from throughout Latin America.
Two years ago, while at the Festival International de Coros Femininos en Latinoamérica, I met another, even larger, group of choral leaders. They asked me to share about our HerVoice initiative – and the very next year, we found ourselves with a number of HerVoice entries from throughout the region.
All of which brings us to this special moment. This fall, we bring together, all in one place, music from Jorge Córdoba, commissions by all of our ¡Cantaré! composers, pieces brought to my attention by colleagues from across Mexico, and to top it all off, premieres from two HerVoice winners from Latin America!
This season is all about making rich connections through music. As a company, Chicago a cappella’s connections with Mexico run deep. Join us in concert, and you may even hear the next chapter of our story unfolding in song.
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