Pro Musica Concert
M5–Mexican Brass
Sun, Sep 27, 5pm (reception)
St. Paul’s Church 
Cardo 6
250/150/80 pesos 

Brass and botanas
By Michael Pearl

The sound of brass is ubiquitous in San Miguel, and every Mexican city, town and village have their mariachi bands. In Scotland, the equivalent is the bagpipes, a much more mournful-sounding instrument but, nonetheless, producing a sound instantly identifiable with its country of origin. With this great tradition of brass musicianship, perhaps it is not surprising that one of the three great brass ensembles in all the Americas should have sprung from Mexican soil.

I refer, of course, to the quartet that started life as Metales de Morelia. International acclaim has now brought a name change to “Mexican Brass.” Shakespeare asked, “What’s in a name?” In the music business, a name is all-important, so how long will it be before the group adopts the ultimate performer’s style and becomes known as “Brass”?

Believe me, these guys have style. Last year they played Chicago on Mexican Independence Day before a crowd of 12,000 with all the surrounding skyscrapers lit up in green, red and white, the colors of the Mexican flag. Don’t be fooled by all this razzamatazz, however. The five gentlemen of the ensemble are serious classical musicians, but they are also great showmen. They will bring that style to San Miguel when they return to play one performance only for Pro Musica on September 27.

Pro Musica is also known for its style and continues that tradition by celebrating the opening of its 2009-2010 season with Mexican Brass, inviting the whole of the audience to a free wine and botanas reception after the concert.

The group has always played a wide variety of music without regard to genre: Baroque and contemporary music, opera, blues, pop, movie soundtracks, and folk music from Spain, Mexico and other Latin American countries. This diversity is evidenced in their newest CD, Esta Cañón, a mix of the well-known with the unexpected—surprising, provocative and always entertaining. This coming Sunday the program will reflect that philosophy, with a good deal of Bach mixed with twentieth-century pieces, film music and more.

Each of the five members of the ensemble has an illustrious professional background with his respective brass instrument. Holding degrees from universities in Berlin and Mexico City, the musicians have played in the symphony orchestras of Bremen, Berlin, Monterrey, Guanajuato, Acapulco and Mexico City. Their unique style combines fine chamber music with popular entertainment.

Concert tickets are on sale at La Tienda in the Biblioteca, Insurgentes 25;; La Conexión, Aldama 3; St. Paul’s Church, Monday–Friday, 11am–2pm, and at the door half an hour before concert time.