Student Mariachi Band And Folklorico Dance Group Make Their Houston Symphony Debuts In Vibrant Family Concert

The Sam Houston Math, Science and Technology Center Mariachi and the Crockett Elementary Folklorico Dance Ensembles will make their Houston Symphony debuts Saturday April 21 in ¡Fiesta!, a concert celebrating the diverse music of Latin America.

Led by Associate Conductor Robert Franz, the concert features traditional and vibrant music from Latin America including a selection from the 2018 Academy Award-winning blockbuster film Coco, Bizet's famous "Toreador Song" from Carmen and other timeless classics like "Cielito Lindo," "Son de la Negra" and "Macarena."

Craft activities and an instrument petting zoo, which allows children to hold and play orchestral instruments, will be offered in the lobby beginning one hour before the 10 a.m. concert and immediately following the 11:30 a.m. concert. Franz always dresses up for the occasion, and audiences are encouraged to do the same.

The concert will take place at Jones Hall for the Performing Arts, 615 Louisiana Street, in Houston's Theater District. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the Houston Symphony Patron Services Center at Jones Hall (Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.). All programs and artists are subject to change.

About the Houston Symphony

During the 2017-18 season, the Houston Symphony celebrates its fourth season with Music Director Andrés Orozco- Estrada and continues its second century as one of America's leading orchestras with a full complement of concert, community, education, touring and recording activities. The Houston Symphony, one of the oldest performing arts organizations in Texas, held its inaugural performance at The Majestic Theater in downtown Houston June 21, 1913. Today, with an annual operating budget of $33.9 million, the full-time ensemble of 88 professional musicians presents nearly 170 concerts annually, making it the largest performing arts organization in Houston. Additionally, musicians of the orchestra and the Symphony's four Community-Embedded Musicians offer over 900 community-based performances each year, reaching thousands of people in Greater Houston.

The Grammy Award-winning Houston Symphony has recorded under various prestigious labels, including Naxos, Koch International Classics, Telarc, RCA Red Seal, Virgin Classics and, most recently, Dutch recording label Pentatone. In 2017, the Houston Symphony was awarded an ECHO Klassik award for the live recording of Alban Berg's Wozzeck under the direction of former Music Director Hans Graf. The orchestra earned its first Grammy nomination and Grammy Award at the 60th annual ceremony for the same recording in the Best Opera Recording category.

For tickets and more information, please visit www.houstonsymphony.org or call 713-224-7575.