No postage necessary to enjoy Mexican favorites, Sept 1, 2006, Mozart Anniversary concert at Parroquia

Concert, “Postcards from Mexico” by Jack Stillwater and Frances Rose Zelenka, Thursday, September 14, 7pm, Teatro Santa Ana, Reloj 50, 50 pesos

“This music is the fruit of our two years of travel and study here in Mexico,” says Jack Stillwater of the songs that he and fellow guitarist Frances Rose Zelenka present in a guitar concert of classic Mexican melodies called “Postcards from Mexico.” “We came to Mexico with the goal of learning more about Mexican music, and there’s so much to choose from,” adds Zelenka, “so we asked for suggestions from our friends, and from Juan, the owner of Café Etc. (at 37 Reloj). He surprised us by surveying his clients for a couple of weeks about their favorite songs and music and compiling a top 30 list from that. Over the past two years, as we’ve played for our friends, both locals and visitors, we’ve seen what people enjoy and we take note of what we get asked for. If a tune gets more than a couple of requests, we start working on an arrangement of it.”

“We love the melodies of the old boleros, and the beautiful chromatic harmonies in the music of the trios from the “Época de Oro,” such as Los Tres Ases and Trio Los Panchos. These classic recordings continue to inspire our arrangements,” says Stillwater. “Of course, Mexico is a vast country with an incredible variety of musical styles, and it would be presumptuous of us to claim any real expertise. Yet, it gives us pleasure to share our version of this music with the community of San Miguel.”

Since meeting in 1997, Stillwater and Zelenka have pursued their musical dreams through the creation of a unique and personal repertory of music for two guitars. They have lived in Mexico for the past two years, both in San Miguel and in Tapalpa, a pueblito in the mountains of Jalisco. They have performed in the Teatro Ángela Peralta with the quartet Sonatas del Alba, and as a duo they have performed in the Centro Cultural Cuale in Puerto Vallarta, the Templo Viejo in Tapalpa and for art openings and private events in Colima and Guadalajara.

“One of the unique places we’ve played here in Mexico was at the site of the old church buried by the Volcan Paricutín in Michoacán,” says Zelenka. “We were visiting the area and thought we’d get some photos with our guitars, so we carried them over the jumble of lava. We found ourselves a place to sit under the arches of the old church. Before we knew it, there were people sitting on the rocks all around us to listen. The acoustics were great and the sound carried well. We took home some great photos and a great memory from that day. It’s fun to try out this music with different audiences and in different places, especially when people aren’t expecting it.”

The duo will perform such classic Mexican songs as “La Bikina,” “Besame Mucho,” “María Elena,” “Adoro,” “Aquellos Ojos Verdes” and “Somos Novios.” Proceeds will go to benefit Anyel, a children’s music education program in San Miguel.

The concert will be performed by the Querétaro Voices Choir, directed by Lincoln Juárez, and it honors the 250th anniversary of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s birth.