La Jornada: Ofunam does not suspend its intense agenda due to the temporary closure of its headquarters

The closure of the Nezahualcóyotl hall – due to comprehensive rehabilitation works for its fiftieth anniversary – does not imply the suspension of musical activities at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).

The UNAM Philharmonic Orchestra (Ofunam), whose headquarters is that emblematic venue, scheduled an intense agenda to continue the celebration of its nine decades of musical life, which will be completed in 2026.

Among the most important commitments, on June 20 he will offer a commemorative concert at the Palace of Fine Arts, which will represent his return to the country’s highest cultural stage after years. Likewise, in October, it will also return to the Cervantino International Festival after a long time.

Before, it will take advantage of the situation of the temporary closure of its headquarters to appear on campuses of the highest house of studies, as part of the tour Music in puma territory.

There will be six concerts that will take place from April 15 to 24 in the faculties of Higher Studies Aragón and Zaragoza, of Music and of Accounting and Administration, as well as the national preparatory schools 5 and 8.

“We want to continue promoting this closeness of the orchestra with the communities to which it serves and with the general public,” says José Julio Díaz Infante, head of the UNAM Music Directorate.

Due to the rehabilitation of the well –as it is colloquially called–the Eduardo Mata University Youth Orchestra (Ojuem), which also uses it as its headquarters, has also had to design a traveling season.

“He has several commitments,” says the composer in an interview. In these months, he details, it will be presented at the Festival of Arts, Sciences and Humanities in León, at the Bicentenario Theater; will participate in the closing of the Book and Rose Festival on April 26 in the Covarrubias room, and as part of the Aleph Festival, will collaborate with the UNAM Choreographic Workshop.

In addition, it will visit the Simón Bolívar amphitheater, the Vasconcelos Library and will close its season on June 28 in the Blas Galindo auditorium of the National Center for the Arts, making this last presentation one of the most significant.

“He will interact with the Latin American Quartet, which will perform The four seasons of Buenos Aires, by Astor Piazzolla. This will be the last concert of the quartet, which embarked on its farewell tour The last one and we’re gone. It will be a historic event in which Rodolfo Ritter will also participate on the piano,” explains Díaz Infante.

Collaboration with the Sound Library

Regarding the commemoration of the 90th anniversary of Ofunam, he clarified that it covers this entire year and that it will have its climax in the last four months, with the participation of prominent international figures, including the Mexican tenor Javier Camarena.

“The first season had a very good response, with the International Piano Festival and the participation of figures such as pianist Stephen Hough and cellist Steven Isserlis; the Traditional Mexican Music Concert, which is being held for the first time, interacting with the ensembles Los Descarados, Caña Dulce, Caña Brava, Celso Duarte, and the stage project of The Miraculous Mandarin refers.

“They are activities that contribute to the orchestra that we are building and looking at. We are reflecting in these 90 years what type of group we are and want to be.”

The director of UNAM Music reports that they are working with the National Sound Library on an Ofunam microsite for its Musiteca, and they are regularizing the safeguarding of the sound files. “We will also prepare a commemorative book and launch a site on platforms with recordings of Mexican, Latin American works or premieres,” he adds, and clarifies that, as the well, Ofunam and Ojuem rehearse at the UNAM Exhibition and Convention Center.

To conclude, Díaz Infante invites the public to find out about the musical activities of the National University through the music.unam.mx site and Música UNAM’s social networks.

“These are not the usual schedules. We will broadcast concerts via streaming and on TV UNAM. “It is very important for us to maintain a face-to-face and virtual link with the public.”