Music Lives Fall 2017 presents a multimedia piano recital by MJC music professor Alejandro Sabre entitled ‘My Grandfather’s Music: Mexican Piano Pieces from the Golden Era of Song’ on Saturday, Sept.30 at 7:30 p.m. in the Foster Theater at the Gallo Center for the Arts, 1000 I St., Modesto.
Sabre, a Mexican-born pianist performs and talks about the music of his late grandfather, famous Mexican composer Jose Sabre Marroquin during the recital. An established songwriter during the ‘30s and ‘40s – an era of blossoming for radio broadcasting and film – Marroquin wrote several hit songs made famous by iconic Mexican singers Pedro Infante and Jorge Negrete. For the first time, music was able to reach a mass audience with broadcasts by the ever popular XEW radio station reaching out to all of Latin America. Marroquin’s songs received high praise for their long and luscious melodies, stylistically similar to George Gershwin and the American song book.
The Music Lives performance will include segments of discussion, audience participation and will be accompanied by a backdrop of images depicting Mexican folk elements and art work.
There is a “Meet the Artist” question and answer session with Sabre at 6:30 p.m. in the Foster Theater just before the performance that will be moderated by former Modesto poet laureate and MJC English professor Sam Pierstorff. Audience members are encouraged to attend and participate by bringing questions.
Special student-only tickets are available for $16 through Friday, Sept. 29 at the MJC Auditorium Box Office, open Tuesday through Friday, from noon to 5 p.m., (209) 575-6776. Tickets are also available at the Gallo Center Box Office, or by calling (209) 338-2100, or online at www.galloarts.org.
Music Lives, a collaborative project between the Gallo Center and the MJC Music Department, is dedicated to presenting established art music performers from around the world at affordable prices.