With the commitment to contribute to the visibility of female talent in music, the Mérida Children’s and Youth Orchestra will perform the inaugural concert of the 2025 International Festival of Contemporary Women Musicians.
Directed by Blanca Fuentes, the festival’s purpose is to recognize and highlight the work of women composers, arrangers, and performers, creating spaces for reflection and collective growth.
The opening will be on Sunday, March 23rd, with a concert that the group, conducted by David Silva Monje, will offer at 5 p.m. in the “Silvio Zavala Vallado” auditorium of the Olimpo Cultural Center.
Maestro Silva expressed his enthusiasm and commitment to the cause to the newspaper. “As a composer, I feel very proud to contribute to this festival and deeply honored to be part of it. From my position and gender, my task is to support this movement in the best way possible, collaborating and providing my input from my perspective,” he stated.
For Silva Monje, the orchestra’s participation not only represents a professional challenge but also a significant learning experience on a personal level.
“Organizing work with women composers, arrangers, and singers allows me to learn, enrich myself, and contribute to the growth of music in all its nuances,” she stated.
He also highlighted the importance of giving women a voice and space in the music scene. “Female voices are essential and must be heard. I am delighted that this festival allows us to collaborate directly to create something truly unique,” he added.
The opening concert will feature a repertoire of six pieces that stand out for their stylistic diversity and emotional depth. The first, “Ímpetus,” is a composition for orchestra and solo piano by Julia Cerón, who wrote this work at the age of 13. “This piece is full of drive, energy, and the freedom to express oneself, grow, and be heard,” explained the director.
The second piece, “Sin despedida,” by Wal Hozu and arranged by Sandra Noj, addresses the pain of abandonment and the uncertainty of unfinished goodbyes. “It is a profound ode to those emotions of emptiness that we have all experienced.”
“Unaajil A Pixan (The House of Your Soul),” the third piece, features music and arrangements by Sandra Noj and lyrics by Jorge Cocom. Performed by soprano Tere Canto, it pays tribute to the Mayan language and the Soviet linguist Yuri Knorosov. “Sandra dedicated the song to her great-grandmother Dolores Noh Ek, from Cenotillo,” Silva Monje noted.
“Canción de cuna,” by Claudia Arellano, will be performed by Fili and presents an introspective exploration of fear and anxiety. “It’s a song to embrace those fears and learn to live with them,” explained the director, who revealed that it was composed during the lockdown caused by the pandemic as a way to confront fears.
The fifth piece, “La Danza de Tinoviel,” with music and lyrics by Fili, is inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien’s story “The Tale of Beren and Lúthien.” The program will close with “Aunque sea tan linda,” by Karen Rosales and arrangements by Blanca Fuentes.
“This last composition tells a story of intense love, but one destined for an inevitable end. It reminds us that fear can be greater than love and that, sometimes, saying goodbye is the wisest thing to do,” reflected the director.
To complement the orchestra, with up to 19 musicians, there will be guest appearances.
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