The OFCM, Ofunam and the OSN will play special repertoires for 8-M

Concert music in Mexico is experiencing a paradigm shift. Far from being an anecdotal concession or limited to commemorative dates, the female presence on conducting podiums and in symphonic programs has become increasingly frequent in recent years.

Even more: it has become a guiding axis in the design of the seasons of some of the most important orchestras in the country. This is the case of those carried out in 2026 by the Mexico City Philharmonic (OFCM), the National Autonomous University of Mexico (Ofunam) and the National Symphony (OSN).

An analysis of the programming of this first quarter reveals how such symphonic groups have opted to make visible the work and talent of female conductors and composers, with the OFCM being the most outstanding case due to the magnitude and depth of its commitment.

This new reality – which demolishes a hegemonic vision until a few decades ago: that sound art was almost exclusively male territory – will be reaffirmed with the presentations that these orchestras will offer on the occasion of International Women’s Day, which is commemorated tomorrow.

Today at 8 p.m. in the Nezahualcóyotl room of the University Cultural Center, Ofunam will receive the Brazilian Ligia Amadio as guest conductor to offer a concert within the Women in Music Conference, organized by the country’s highest house of studies.

The program Women soloists of Ofunam It is part of an initiative that seeks to make female talent visible both on the podium and in the ranks of the university orchestra.

The OSN, for its part, joins this commemoration with a special program to be held on Friday, March 13 and Sunday, March 15 at the Palace of Fine Arts. With the guest direction of the American Shira Samuels-Shragg – in her debut in Mexico – and with the participation of the Mexican soprano Anabel de la Mora as soloist, she will perform works by the English Ethel Smyth and the Mexican Marcela Rodríguez, among other authors.

The OFCM had also scheduled a commemorative concert for today, but on Thursday night it announced that it would postpone it – without setting a new date – due to “technical difficulties that are already being addressed in the Silvestre Revueltas room,” the group’s headquarters.

The program, with the guest baton of the Spanish Beatriz Fernández Aucejo, included only works by women composers, among them the national premiere of blue cathedral, by the American Jennifer Higdon, as well as pieces by the German composer and sculptor Emilie Mayer, the Croatian Dora Pejačević and the Mexican Gabriela Ortiz, recently awarded three Grammy Awards.

Beyond the anniversary

Although the three orchestras have shown sensitivity towards gender equality in their programming, the OFCM is the one that has taken this commitment to another level.

Between January and the first days of March, the group has not only had three guest conductors: the British Catherine Larsen-Maguire, the Spanish Julia Cruz and the Mexican Inés Rodríguez, in addition to the fact that this weekend the Spanish Beatriz Fernández Aucejo was announced, but the first two have repeated performances one more time. With this, five of the first six programs of its current season have been directed by women.

Likewise, works by nine composers have been programmed, including three world premieres by young Mexican creators Nonis Prado, Estrella Cabildo and Guadalupe Perales, which constitutes a milestone in the recent history of symphonic music in the country.

Aside from this, the most relevant thing is that the female presence in these three orchestras is not limited to a symbolic date. In this first segment of its season, the OFCM will perform a couple more works by two other young national composers: Andrea Chamizo, on March 14 and 15, and Rocío Vidaña, on the 28 and 29 of the same month.

Meanwhile, Ofunam will continue in the following weeks with its Women in Music Conference, with presentations on March 14, 15, 21 and 22, including works by Érika Vega, Hilda Paredes and the premiere in Mexico of Louise Farrenc’s Second Symphony, conducted by Ligia Amadio and Fernanda Lastra.

The OSN, in addition to the aforementioned concert by Shira Samuels-Shragg, has confirmed the participation of the Mexican Alondra de la Parra as guest conductor for April 24 and 26, and the Australian Jessica Cottis for June 5 and 7.

Its programs include works by the Mexicans Lilia Vázquez Kuntze, Marcela Rodríguez and Gabriela Ortiz, the Norwegian Agathe Backer-Grøndahl – whose work will be premiered in Mexico Scherzo, on March 27 and 29 -, the French Germaine Tailleferre, the British Roxana Panufnik and the Australian Deborah Cheetham Fraillon – of whom the national premiere of Earth on June 5.