Miguel Zenón And Kinetic Ensemble To Premiere New Version Of YO SOY LA TRADICIÓN In Houston
One-night-only performance at Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center, January 10, 2026.
By: A.A. Cristi Nov. 11, 2025
The Grammy-winning saxophonist and composer Miguel Zenón will join Houston’s Kinetic Ensemble on Saturday, January 10, 2026, at 7 p.m. at Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts (800 Bagby Street), for the premiere of a new version of Yo Soy la Tradición, a suite of eight pieces for saxophone and string orchestra based on his celebrated 2018 album. The performance is presented jointly by Kinetic Ensemble and Aperio, Music of the Americas.
Praised by NPR as “an imaginative and heartfelt tour” of Zenón’s native Puerto Rico, Yo Soy la Tradición was originally written for string quartet and recorded just two days after Hurricane Maria struck the island. This newly orchestrated version expands the work for string orchestra, blending elements of jazz, classical music, and Puerto Rican folk traditions in a fluid, emotionally charged soundscape.
Each of the suite’s eight movements highlights a different cultural or musical tradition, ranging from the rural Jíbaro style to the religious ritual “La Promesa.” JazzTimes called the piece “an arresting, increasingly accessible blend of simplicity and sophistication.”
“When approaching the orchestrations for these pieces, I considered a great number of possibilities,” says Zenón, a Guggenheim and MacArthur Fellow. “The opportunity to write for an ensemble as accomplished as Kinetic Ensemble is a luxury for any composer.”
Well-known for its genre-defying collaborations, Kinetic Ensemble is a 16-member, conductorless string orchestra that champions new and diverse voices in classical music. The group’s self-titled debut album topped the Billboard Traditional Classical charts in 2023. Their ongoing partnership with Aperio, Music of the Americas reflects a shared mission to highlight the global influences shaping contemporary music.
Tickets for Miguel Zenón: Yo Soy la Tradición range from $35 to $75 and are available through KineticEnsemble.org and aperioamericas.org.
About Miguel Zenón
Miguel Zenón is a Grammy-winning saxophonist, composer, and educator whose work masterfully balances innovation and tradition. A MacArthur and Guggenheim Fellow, Zenón has released 18 recordings as a leader, including Vanguardia Subterránea: Live at The Village Vanguard (2025) and the Grammy-winning El Arte Del Bolero Vol. 2 (2023). Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, he has collaborated with leading figures across jazz and classical music and currently serves as Associate Professor of Music at MIT.
About Kinetic Ensemble
Founded in 2015, Houston’s Kinetic Ensemble is an artist-led, conductorless string orchestra devoted to amplifying diverse and contemporary voices in classical music. The ensemble has premiered more than 20 works by composers such as Karim Al-Zand, Nicky Sohn, and Daniel Temkin, and regularly partners with community and arts organizations across Texas and beyond.
About Aperio, Music of the Americas
Aperio, Music of the Americas is a Houston-based ensemble dedicated to exploring chamber music from North and South America, highlighting works that reflect the region’s cultural diversity. The organization promotes new works by emerging and established composers and maintains a strong commitment to education and community outreach.
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