It’s so nice when all the hard work pays off. After more than a year of planning, a trip to the border, many meetings with the composer, countless hours of quintet rehearsal, Voces del Desierto/Voices of the Desert was premiered on March 16 to a full house at MACLA. With 3 sold-out houses and standing ovations we knew something special had been created.
Guillermo Galindo’s composition brought together so many diverse elements–dirty, broken everyday objects left behind and found again, to the quintet’s modern instruments, as well as contemporary electronic equipment. One thing came through though–the piece’s intended voice, that of real people who struggle to cross a border for a better life–spoke to the audiences at MACLA. During the discussion with the audience after each performance there were many questions about the instruments, the composition process, and the logistics. But there was also real emotion. People had a heart-felt reaction to the piece.
What a gift for the five musicians of Quinteto Latino: to connect with people through music. This is why we play music. Gracias, Guillermo, for helping us speak to the audience with Voces del Desierto/Voices of the Desert.
