Composer

The MSU Symphony Orchestra closes the season with a high-energy program of dance-inspired music from around the world. Highlights include Strauss’s elegant Der Rosenkavalier Suite, Juan Pablo Contreras’s vibrant Mariachitlán, Carlos Simon’s jazz-infused Hellfighters’ Blues, and Ravel’s hypnotic Boléro. Also included is a Sam and Mary Austin Fanfare composed by an MSU College of Music student. Join us for a season finale where rhythm and movement ignite orchestral brilliance. Octavio Más-Arocas, conductor.

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Symphony Orchestra, “Rhythms in Motion: A Celebration of Dance”

Michigan State University

From Argentina and Venezuela to Mexico and New York City, the music of the Americas comes to life under the baton of conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto. Juan Pablo Contreras’ Grammy-nominated Mariachitlán fuses the infectious rhythms of mariachi with original melodies inspired by the Mexican state of Jalisco.

Prieto: Music of the Americas

New World Center

Acclaimed conductor and Berkeley Symphony’s own Ming Luke conducts the 25/26 season’s third performance, Worlds Beyond. This program explores the artist’s voice at moments of transition and liminality.

Worlds Beyond

First Congregational Church of Berkeley

Celebrates Día de los Muertos with the Phoenix Symphony and Emmy-winning actor and Broadway star Mauricio Martínez as host and vocalist. Enjoy traditional Mexican folk tunes, Juan Pablo Contreras’ Alma Monarca, Coco suite, and Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2, in a vibrant tribute to life and remembrance.

Celebrating Día de los Muertos starring Mauricio Martínez

Phoenix Convention Center

Led by Artistic Partner Mei-Ann Chen and featuring violinist Laura Frautschi, ROCO In Concert: Fragrant Memories explores remembrance, resilience, and sonic storytelling through evocative reimaginings and new works on Saturday, November 1, 5:00 p.m. at The Church of St. John the Divine. The program includes the world premieres of John Wineglass’ Sacred Ground (based on the Houston community of Freedmen’s Town) and Anthony DiLorenzo’s arrangements of J.S. Bach’s iconic Toccata and Fugue in D minor and Maurice Ravel’s La Valse. Completing the program are Juan Pablo Contreras’ “Himno a la Mujer” from his violin concerto La Minerva, David T. Little’s Haunted Topography, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 10, constructed by Barry Cooper.

ROCO In Concert: Fragrant Memories

The Church of St. John the Divine

Join the Fresno Philharmonic for a celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, featuring a deeply personal new piece by composer Juan Pablo Contreras. Alma Monarca invites audiences into Contreras’s childhood memories of Día de los Muertos and the awe-inspiring Monarch butterfly migration to the Mexican state of Michoacán. Framing this moving work are the lilting and spirited Estancia: Four Dances by Ginastera and Brahms’s titanic Piano Concerto No. 1, performed with passion by acclaimed Mexican pianist Jorge Federico Osorio.

Osorio Plays Brahms

Paul Shaghoian Memorial Concert Hall

“Fiesta!” is a vibrant celebration of the rich musical heritage of Mexico, presented by the San José Wind Symphony under the baton of Dr. David Vickerman. This exciting concert features an array of music inspired by Mexican culture, including works by renowned Mexican composers such as Silvestre Revueltas, Nubia Jaime-Donjuan, Genaro Codina, and Juan Pablo Contreras. Experience the lively rhythms, colorful melodies, and deep emotions that define the spirit of Mexico, as the ensemble takes you on a journey through this diverse and dynamic musical landscape. Join us for a festive afternoon filled with the sounds and stories of Mexico.

Fiesta!

Saratoga High School

Experience the incredible influence and beauty of cultural belonging and family traditions with CULTURE CHRONICLES. Our second series concert propels composers both living and past into the spotlight, providing an intimate peak into how their cultural heritage inspires their musical storytelling. Guest Conductor Vinay Parameswaran joins the Sinfonietta, having collaborated with Music Director Mei-Ann Chen to bring audiences a program that contemplates ancestry, homelands and guiding spirits.

Culture Chronicles

Roosevelt University

North Central College

Join us for a celebration of Latin American music and culture including lobby installations by local artists. The dynamic concert program features traditional music with contemporary works honoring the rich heritage of this ancient holiday. The event is curated by longtime collaborator Martha Rodríguez-Salazar.

Día De Los Muertos

Davies Symphony Hall

The Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music proudly announces its grand finale event for the 2024 season, taking place on Sunday, August 11, at 7 PM at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium. This symphonic journey, titled "Passage," features an exhilarating lineup of guest artists and premieres that promise to captivate and inspire audiences.

Highlighting the evening is violin virtuoso Philippe Quint, who will grace the stage with his exceptional talent. The program includes the West Coast premieres of four remarkable compositions, each bringing its unique cultural and musical narratives to the forefront.

The concert kicks off with "Baião N Blues" by Brazilian-American composer Clarice Assad. This piece is a vibrant fusion of the traditional Brazilian Baião rhythm and the soulful essence of American blues, showcasing Assad's flair for blending diverse musical genres.

Following this, Belize-born British composer Errollyn Wallen's "Violin Concerto" will make its West Coast debut. This concerto, a product of a years-long collaboration with Philippe Quint, is deeply personal, reflecting Quint's childhood memories and showcasing his technical prowess and emotional depth.

American composer Pierre Jalbert's "Passage," also receiving its West Coast premiere, pays a modern tribute to Beethoven's Fourth Symphony. Jalbert's composition is a journey through contrasting movements, bridging centuries and evoking a profound sense of the present.

The finale of the evening, "Mariachitlán" by Mexican composer Juan Pablo Contreras, transports the audience to the vibrant streets of Jalisco, Mexico. This piece is a celebration of mariachi music, infused with the spirit and traditions of the region, and promises to end the festival on a high note.

The Cabrillo Festival's grand finale, "Passage," is a testament to the power of contemporary music to transcend cultural boundaries and connect people through the universal language of music. Don't miss this unforgettable evening of world-class performances and groundbreaking compositions.

Passage

Civic Auditorium Santa Cruz

Spring concert

Oregon State University

Join the Chicago Sinfonietta for an evening of musical exploration with DEPTH, featuring renowned guest conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto and a lineup of works that delve into the complexities of the human experience. 
Witness the artistry of Prieto in the vibrant and colorful Sinfonia India by Carlos Chavez, where indigenous Mexican folk melodies blend seamlessly with the Western classical tradition. Then, immerse yourself in the vibrant rhythms of Juan Pablo Contreras' Mariachitlán, which blends traditional Mexican music with modern orchestral sounds for a truly unique experience. Finally, the concert concludes with Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5, a powerful and deeply moving work that reflects the composer's struggle to create art under the oppressive Soviet regime. 

Depth

The Concert, Symphony, and Marching Bands team up for an energetic performance live on the stage of Hill Auditorium.

Band-O-Rama

University of Michigan

Aaron Copland’s exuberant Appalachian Spring celebrates the American pioneer spirit and famously quotes the Shaker hymn Simple Gifts.

Copland—American Traditions

Lesher Center for the Arts

The TSO is excited to once again be a part of the Consulate of Mexico in Tucson’s Mexican Independence Day Concert! This year’s concert will take place at the Linda Ronstadt Music Hall, and will also include a Mexican Fiesta featuring Mexican cuisine and crafts offered by local traditional and small businesses from 5–7:00 p.m. on the plaza.

Concert Tickets are only available directly from the Consulate of Mexico in Tucson. Tickets will be available for pickup at the Consulate September 1–14 from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Mexican Independence Day Concert

Linda Ronstadt Music Hall

Anthony More is soloist in Mahler's Rückert Songs.

iDanzón!

Downey Theatre

When she took the gold at the 2021 Menuhin competition, the audience stood and roared. María Dueñas is already acclaimed as one of the leading virtuosos of her generation. See her play Lalo’s mesmerizing Symphonie espagnole. Also, Valentina Peleggi conducts a new work by young Mexican sound-shaper Juan Pablo Contreras, and Brahms’ haunting Third Symphony.

Brahms Third Symphony

Dominion Energy Center

Symphonic II: Connections

University of California, Berkeley

Shaham Plays Dvořák

Ambassador Auditorium

The Fresno Philharmonic presents the world premiere of Fresno composer Kenneth Froelich's Melt: Clarinet Concerto with soloist Jorge Montilla Moreno. Mexican composer Juan Pablo Contreras' exciting Mariachitlan and Elgar's moving Enigma Variations round out this wide ranging program.

Enigma Variations

William Saroyan Theatre

Featuring music by Dohnányi, Tchaikovsky & world premiere from 2019 — 20 Sound Investment composer Juan Pablo Contreras.

Homages & Souvenirs

New Roads School

The Huntington

Juan Pablo Contreras‘ Mariachitlán for chamber orchestra was commissioned and premiered by LACO at The Music Center’s Walt Disney Concert Hall on June 26, 2021. Contreras wrote the original version of Mariachitlán for symphony orchestra in 2016, which was nominated for a Latin GRAMMY.

Juan Pablo Contreras + Gerónimo Giménez

Curated by Juan Pablo Contreras, Episode 6 celebrates composers from around the Americas who reside and work in the melting pot of the United States, while their musical influences and flavors originate from their native countries like Argentina, Mexico and Uruguay. Also featured is the world premiere of Juan Pablo’s “Mariachitlán” for Piano Four-Hands.

Contreras, del Águila + Jofre

Celebrate with a musically-driven episode of Close Quarters that features an original screenplay by prolific television and stage writer christopher oscar peña (HBO’s Insecure, CW’s Jane the Virgin). Curated musically by Latin GRAMMY®-nominated composer Juan Pablo Contreras, this episode showcases music by Jimmy López, Jessie Montgomery and Contreras in an enigmatic merger that heralds the beginning of a new year.

López, Montgomery + Contreras

To celebrate its launch of the LA Orchestra Fellowship, a program designed to increase diversity in classical music, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Street Symphony, and USC Thornton School of Music will present a wide-reaching performance and panel discussion to follow.

Let All Voices Be Heard

University of Southern California

Garrick Ohlsson—one of only two Americans to have won the International Chopin Piano Competition—returns to the Festival to perform Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2. Conducted by Giancarlo Guerrero, the program also journeys to Mexico and Italy with Juan Pablo Contreras’s lively Mariachitlán and Tchaikovsky’s tuneful Capriccio Italien.

Ohlsson Plays Chopin

Millennium Park

Towering masterpieces dominate the opening concerts of the Reno Phil’s 58th season. Driven by rhythm and bold expression, the vibrant pulse of Mariachitlán by Juan Pablo Contreras moves with confidence and purpose—direct, energized, and alive. Audience favorite Jon Nakamatsu returns to the stage to tackle the ultimate challenge, Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3, one of the hardest-to-master works in the repertoire. After its premiere in New York City, a critic wrote that “it's great length and extreme difficulties bar it from performances by any but pianists of exceptional technical powers.” Nakamatsu brings command and intensity to this iconic work, creating a gripping exchange between soloist and orchestra. Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2 stands at the fault line between Classical restraint and emerging Romantic force—bright, propulsive, and charged with forward motion. Beneath its radiant surface lies a restless, assertive energy that crackles with propulsion and tension, revealing Beethoven on the brink of redefining what a symphony could be.

Composer

Juan Pablo Contreras

Events

Upcoming events

Aug 5, 2026

Ohlsson Plays Chopin · Grant Park Music Festival

17 - 18 Oct, 2026

Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto · Reno Philharmonic Orchestra

Past events

Apr 23, 2026

Symphony Orchestra, “Rhythms in Motion: A Celebration of Dance” · Michigan State University College of Music

22 - 23 Nov, 2025

Prieto: Music of the Americas · New World Symphony

About

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