Concert & Art Exhibition Anita von Ballmoos Thu–Fri, Apr 2–3, Concert 7pm, Art exhibition 8:30pm Shelter Theatre & ArtSpace Vicente Guerrero 4

Sound, Shape & Tonalities
By Stefanie Glick

It seems that whatever Anita von Ballmoos does, she does well. Stellar musician, distinctive composer and inventive painter, her show will include two live concerts and an exhibition of original paintings. 

Originally from Switzerland, Von Ballmoos has lived in Mexico for 15 years. Primarily a self-trained musician, she is influenced by Eastern and Central European music, traditional Gypsy music and modern harmonies. The concerts feature not only her original scores, but also the work of some of her favorite composers, such as Ennio Morricone, Nino Rota, Django Reinhardt, Naftule Brandwein and Peter Haas. Von Ballmoos will be joined by bass player Gilberto Gonzalez (readers may know “Beto” from his weekly gigs with Gil, Cartas and Doc Severinsen), and the young guitarist Jacobo Hechem from Mexico City.

Von Ballmoos holds a master’s degree in art. She says, “When I came to Mexico, I instantly felt at home and adapted easily, yet I also felt like a total stranger in the art scene. I came from a very intellectual or conceptual art background, and in Mexico I felt a bit disconnected and lost. But I feel the times and climate have changed and now is a good moment to show my work.”

Like her music, von Ballmoos’ paintings have a style all her own. The paintings in her current exhibition seem to be studies in contrasts: theoretical and sensual, referential and original, controlled and playful, thought-provoking and funny.

Whether listening to von Ballmoos’ music or viewing her paintings, one senses a consistent, lyrical rhythm in all of her work. Her paintings, with their dynamic repetition, seem to have secret places of both sound and silence, and her music seems to swell with colors and shapes. “Sound, Shape and Tonalities” is the celebration of a unique poetic voice.



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Gypsy Guitar Concerts Javier Estrada Fri, Mar 27, 7pm Last show Sala Quetzal Biblioteca Pública Reloj 50A 100 pesos

Participate in the musical experience
By Dick Avery

Javier Estrada feels “because I am an outlaw, I play out of the law of the music formations.” He doesn’t care about conventional musical trends, ideas or thought. His music is an existential free-form, flowing back and forth from improvisation to structure. It becomes at once passionate, emotional, intense and fiery.

He doesn’t try to “woo” an audience. “I try to play the way I can…I try to play according to my understanding...about what I can do with the music. I don’t pretend anything, I don’t discover anything; everything has been done, everything has been discovered, I’m just using whatever is there according to my approach of understanding the music of my background as a gypsy. I give the audience my heart, I open up my senses, I give myself, my soul, everything; I don’t hold back anything, I give it all.” The audience must, therefore, involve itself with him, participate with him. He is giving his all and the audience can be a part of his musical experience, or not.

He performs weekly at Teatro Santa Ana in the Biblioteca and on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at Bugambilia restaurant.