George Mason University

09/12/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 09/12/2024 19:41

Giving Voice to Contemporary Mexican Music

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The GRAMMY Award-winning Villalobos Brothers(10/26) are redefining contemporary Mexican music, while delivering positive messages of brotherhood, equity, and love.

The Villalobos Brothers

Drawing on their classical training from prestigious institutions nationwide, this lively trio of virtuoso fiddlers, singers, and songwriters blends Mexican folk music with Latin, jazz, rock, and classical, creating a fun-loving and cheerfully expressive sound that has delighted audiences across the United States and around the world.

As one of our Artists-in-Residence this season, the group will also offer opportunities for learning and workshops in our community.

Hailing from Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico, the brothers followed parallel but geographically disparate paths, studying classical music at the Manhattan School of Music, the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, and the Hochschule für Musik in Freiburg, Germany. They reunited in the early 2000s to play together, with a focus on original music.

"We all have this desire to find our voices, and to say something that is unique, and that is us," said Luis Villalobos, the youngest brother.

With a growing catalog of music that includes two full-length albums; notable performances at iconic venues like Carnegie Hall and Rockefeller Center; and collaborations with legends like Dolly Parton and the Chieftans, the brothers are well on their way to making their unique voices heard around the world.

Their residency activities at the Hylton Center will include:

  • A lecture/demonstration class at the Lifelong Learning Institute, Manassas
  • A family Día de los Muertos mask-making class at Manassas Park Library
  • Masterclasses with the Colgan High School orchestra and music technology students
  • Elementary school performance visits in Prince William County
  • High school orchestra masterclasses

All of these exciting community activities culminate in a powerhouse performance by the Villalobos Brothers at the Hylton Center on Saturday, October 26, at 8 p.m. Purchase your ticketsto this trio of violin virtuosos today!

Video shown below: the Villalobos Brothers, Alberto (Beto), Ernesto (Ness), and Luis (Wess) perform their GRAMMY-winning work "El Pijul," accompanied by the Yakima Symphony conducted by Maestro Lawrence Golan.