Disney's COCO Live-to-Film Concert Comes to the UNLV Performing Arts Center 

 On Nevada Day, Oct. 25, the UNLV Performing Arts Center (UNLV PAC) will present Disney•Pixar’s “Coco” in an exclusive family-friendly live-to-film concert at 8 p.m. in the Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall.

Disney•Pixar’s “Coco” Live-to-Film Concert on Tour features a screening of the complete film with Oscar® and Grammy®-winning composer Michael Giacchino’s musical score. Composer Michael Giacchino is credited on some of the most popular and acclaimed film projects in recent history, including “The Incredibles,” “War for the Planet of the Apes,” “Ratatouille,” “Star Trek,” “Jurassic World,” “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” “Spider-Man: Homecoming” and “Coco.”

In addition to the original score by Giacchino, “Coco” also features the Oscar®-winning song “Remember Me” by Oscar-winning songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, and additional songs co-written by Germaine Franco and co-director and screenwriter Adrian Molina.

Music from Disney•Pixar’s Coco will be performed live on the concert hall stage by the Orquesta Folclórica Nacional de México. The 20-member orchestra stands out for its ability to fuse pre-Hispanic instruments with instruments from the colonial and modern eras, thus creating a unique and distinctive sound that evokes the rich history and culture of Mexico.

Authentically Hispanic, the orchestra is made up of expert musicians who are highly trained in the interpretation of a wide variety of genres and styles of folk music, like “mariachi,” “jarana,” “son,” and “huapango.” Among the instruments used by the Orquesta Folclórica Nacional de México are traditional pre-Hispanic drums (like the “huehuetl “and “tepobaztli”), flutes, and “ocarinas” and other pre-Hispanic wind instruments. They also use guitars, violins, double basses, and other stringed instruments from the colonial era, resulting in a unique and surprising sound combination.

Honoring Las Vegas ancestors (as the characters from “Coco” do), the UNLV PAC has engaged local Las Vegas artist, Elsa Cantú-Lizarraga, to build a community “ofrenda.” The “ofrenda” will honor and welcome deceased loved ones including those who lost their lives in the UNLV campus shooting on Dec. 6, 2023. The unveiling ceremony is on Oct. 4 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the concert hall and will feature dancers from Aztec dance group Calpulli Tlatelolco. 

Members of the community are invited to contribute to the ofrenda by dropping off framed 4x6 photos on weekdays from Oct. 7-11 and Oct. 14-18. For additional details on how to participate, visit pac.unlv.edu. The finished ofrenda may be viewed in the lobby during the “Coco” live-to-film concert and will also be available for viewing when the concert hall is open for ticketed events through Día de Los Muertos (October 31-November 2), the UNLV Art Walk (November 1), and other times.
 

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