Guitar Music of Mexico

The contemporary guitar music scene of Mexico is a vibrant and active community of composers, many of them concert guitarists themselves. The new generations of composers are creating a fascinating new repertoire which, while rooted in the historical elements of the Mexican musical heritage with its traditional melodies and indigenous folkloric vitality, embraces the sophistication of European compositional techniques. Evocations of period and place can be heard in Oliva’s Images of Yucatán and Gerardo Tamez’s Aires de Son, reminiscent of the music of southern Mexico. There are also personal homages such as award-winning guitarist Perera’s romantic Marina and Helguera’s poignant Un retrato (A Portrait).