Concert
Folklore Harp & 
Flamenco Guitar
Sergio Basurto
Mon & Thu, Jun 1 & 4, 7:30pm
Sala Quetzal
Biblioteca Pública
Reloj 50A
150 pesos

Visual and acoustic aesthetic By Sergio Basurto

The harp was key in the performance of the son, in that its versatility allowed the harpist to play as a soloist, in a duet, or in a group. The primary role of the harp, whether in a solo or group context, was to provide bass lines by pulling octaves with the left hand. With the right hand, the harpist executed melodic lines or provided simple harmonic accompaniment. The harp helped establish the visual and acoustic aesthetic of the small ensemble, with its characteristic “booming” bass and its aggressive treble attacks.

In its traditional cultural context, the mariachi harp thrived because it was suited for the type of musical group in which it existed. Sones (soun-es) consisted of only the tonic, subdominant and dominant seventh chords in one or two major keys. The harp, however, despite being diatonic, could play a full range of notes without encountering the difficulties of complex harmonies and modulation.

The harp could be heard easily over the entire group. Its size, weight, and awkward bulkiness probably posed less of a burden on the rural harpist who did not have to transport his instrument long distances, as opposed to the highly mobile urban musicians. Consequently, the musical and non-musical circumstances surrounding the rural music culture allowed for the creation of a strong harp tradition in western Mexico.





Piano Concert
Antonio Cabrero Mendoza
Fri, May 29 & Jun 5, 6pm
Sala Quetzal
Biblioteca Pública
Reloj 50A
150 pesos


Conductor at the keyboard

Antonio Cabrero is an international pianist with a distinctive and stylish elegance for combining his classical training with traditional jazz, along with his own exotic inspirations, an exquisite combination of tonal harmony that delights audiences.

Cabrero is known throughout Mexico as a symphony conductor, but his piano concerts have assumed new relevance in recent years due to his passion for creating and improvising over US jazz standards and music from Spain and México.

During studies in New York, he did extensive research on the classical music of India and many of his improvisations are based on those musical structures.

Typical themes for his Biblioteca concerts would include the classics and Gershwin, waltzes of Vienna and Mexico, movie soundtracks, the Alhambra Palace, ragtime, the Beatles and romantic piano music.

The piano is one of the most familiar musical instruments, widely used in Western music for solo performance, ensembles, chamber music and accompaniment. It is classified as both a percussion and a stringed instrument, which allows the pianist to produce notes at different dynamic levels by controlling the speed with which the hammers hit the strings.