Yucatán Choral Gathering Unites Mexican Voices

Mérida, Yucatán — The National Network of Directors and Choirs of Mexico, in collaboration with the Secretariat of Culture and the Arts (Sedeculta), is organizing the second edition of the Choral Gathering in the Mayab. The artistic festival and exchange of experiences, which highlights the importance of choral singing, will take place from August 28 to 31, bringing together choral groups from various states across the country.

The event will feature free public concerts and workshops aimed at the artistic development of this sector within the state. The primary objective is to highlight and strengthen the experience of the members of the participating choirs through their presentations and the exchange of ideas during the event.

The organization of the Choral Gathering in the Mayab is managed by the National Network of Directors and Choirs of Mexico, represented in Yucatán by Nalleli González Contreras, director of the Coro Voces de La Ibérica. This group was created at the La Ibérica cultural center, which is part of Sedeculta.

La Ibérica will serve as the starting point for the gathering on August 28. Events will subsequently continue in other Sedeculta venues, including the Centro Cultural del Mayab and the Teatro Daniel Ayala, as well as at the Iglesia del Jesús de la Tercera Orden and the Parroquia de Santa Ana.

The closing ceremony will feature members from all the participating groups joining together to form a large ensemble of approximately 150 voices representing the nation.

Participating groups from Yucatán include the Ensamble Vocal Mínimo, the Camerata Coral del Colegio de Músicos de Yucatán, the Coro Voces de Cámara del Estado de Yucatán, the Coro Voces Sonoras del Centro Cultural Ricardo López Méndez de la Sedeculta, and the Coro Voces de La Ibérica.

They will be joined by the Coro Xoros de la Paz from Baja California Sur; Coral Metsidehu from Tepotzoltlán, Estado de México; Rincón Bohemio from Tlajomulco, Jalisco; Coro Arte y Música from Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo; and the Coro Fulgencio Ávila Guevara from Cuernavaca, Morelos.

Other notable activities of this second edition include the workshop "Choral Singing: Movement, Freedom, and Musicality," led by Behomar Rojas, a composer, music pedagogue, and choral director. The workshop aims to explore this musical expression from a corporal and emotional perspective, based on a Latin American repertoire.

Additionally, Martín Luna, a former member of the Coro del Teatro Nacional de Bellas Artes, will participate in a "Chat-Workshop" entitled "The Art of Choral Singing," where he will share his experience and tools for improving performance in choral expression.

All presentations are directed at the general public and will be completely free of charge. This aligns with the objectives of both Sedeculta and the National Network of Directors and Choirs of Mexico to offer alternatives for the appreciation of culture and creative expression, as well as to promote the development of artistic groups.