Transcript
A (0:00)
Classical Music Happy Hour is supported by Viking, committed to exploring the world in comfort, offering destination focused small ship experiences on all seven continents with a shore excursion included in every port and programs designed for cultural enrichment. And every Viking voyage is all inclusive with no children and no casinos. Learn more@viking.com Gustavo, did you see the score?
B (0:28)
Yes. Let's rehearse it. I said, oh my God. Okay, here we go.
C (0:36)
From WQXR and Carnegie hall, this is Classical Music Happy Hour, hosted by me, pianist Maniacs. Each episode we'll speak with a special guest about their lives, listen to some of their favorite musical gems, play music inspired games, and answer questions from you, our listeners. Conductor Gustavo Dudamel has called my guest today one of the most talented composers in the world. Growing up in Mexico City within a family of musicians, she insists that rather than choosing music, music chose her. She's known for her mixing of musical idioms and her latest album called Revolucion Diamantina won three Grammy awards, including best contemporary classical composition. Gabriela Ortiz, welcome to the show and thank you so much for coming.
B (1:31)
Thank you, Emmanuel, for this incredible invitation.
C (1:35)
You grew up in a musical family. Did they all play instruments? Were they composers themselves? What did they do? Really?
B (1:43)
Well, you know, my mother played the piano. I mean, she studied piano. She was a good reader. She never became a professional pianist and she was a psychologist. But yeah, she played the piano. She was the one that knew how to, to read music. But then my father played the guitar. My father, his family comes from Guadalajara, from Jalisco, where, you know, the mariachis and the song Jaliciante comes from. So my father loved to play the guitar and he sang very, very well. So basically I grew up listening to folk music and listening to classical music. That was very normal in my house. And they found this group called Los Volkloristas that was a famous group in the 60s, playing all the folk music not only from Mexico, but from Latin America. And I listening to the Los Volcloristas rehearsing in my living room, in my house. And then my father, let's play Beethoven. Or so it was very common in my house to hear Beethoven and then to hear folk music and then hear mariachis. And that was very common.
C (2:42)
So that's an amazing combination because very often the background of a composer or a pianist or a violinist is one type of music. They hear Beethoven all their life and that's what they play. But to have this combination as a child must have been amazing.