Voz en Punto celebrates the 90 years of ‘Cri-Cri’ with a recital at the Cenart

Mexico City. In its beginnings, the Voz en Punto ensemble won a prize at the Tampere International Vocal Festival, in Finland, for performing The black cucurumbéby Francisco Gabilondo Soler, and throughout its more than 30 years of experience, there have always been highly requested songs from the creator of Cri-Cri in his repertoire. Thanks to this popularity, the vocal sextet, which sings a cappella, recorded the album in 2009 Voz en Punto sings Cri-Cri.

Now, on the occasion of the 90th birthday of the character of the singing cricket, the ensemble made a second record production that will be announced at a concert of the same name, Voice in Point plus Cri-Crithis Saturday at the National Center for the Arts (Cenart), which will include classic songs School path, The comal and the pot, The cowboy mouse y The old clothesmanamong others not so well known, such as It’s raining.

At the suggestion of Tiburcio Gabilondo, son of the famous composer and friend of the group, “we are going to complete this album with the release of some not so well-known songs, for example, The picnic“, indicates José Galván, founding director of Voz en Punto, together with contralto Sonia Solórzano.

The Cenart performance will serve as a preamble to the commemorative concert Voz en Punto: 30 years inspiring, which the group will offer on May 11 in the main hall of the Palace of Fine Arts. In addition to Gabilondo Soler, works by Juan García de Zéspedes, Esparza Oteo, Esperón, Brito, Manzanero, Terrazas, Gómez Bolaños, Castilla, Galván and Garland will be performed. That is, a wide range of modalities from the viceregal era to some pirekuas in Purépecha. Among the guests will be Eyder Galván Solórzano, daughter of the couple, who is about to release her first album as a composer and solo singer.

Regarding the validity of Gabilondo Soler’s music, “we were surprised how Cri-Cri It is already a tradition, because there are many generations of Mexicans who grew up listening to it,” says Galván. “Music always helps to awaken the imagination and for children to learn about other things that are not so common now. We are several artists who continue to sing (pieces of) Cri-Cri and, fortunately, with great success.”

Responsible for the arrangements from the beginning, Galván tries to respect the spirit of songs: I love, above all, taking advantage of the qualities of each voice. Many times I don’t think about the range: whether it’s soprano, alto or tenor, but about the people, about Mariana, Vanessa, Sergio, Luis and Sonia. We all have very different resources in our own voice. I use these resources and the personality of each singer because, in addition, we do not remain static on stage. We interact with the public. It is a very beautiful thing to sing not only with your voice, but with your whole body..

The objective of Voz en Punto has been bring the entire musical and cultural tradition of Mexico to the a cappella language. Since he was a child, Galván loved choral music, while at the same time Teacher Zeferino Nandayapa visited my primary school with his marimba. It was something that marked him. Thus, Voz en Punto is the conjunction of these two elements: choral/vocal music and Mexican music.

He later entered the National School of Music, where he met Sonia Solórzano, another lover of vocal music, whom he later married. It all started like a game in the school hallways, but when we won the prize in Finland it became totally professional.

According to Galván, a cappella music has always been well received: “We were pioneers of this style in Mexico (of singing popular music a cappella) because there was not much precedent. At first it was difficult for us to open a path since, for example, on television they told us: ‘This music is very cultural’, but if we wanted to perform in Fine Arts they told us: ‘This is very popular.’ We couldn’t find a place, but over time many spaces have opened up. “We have traveled throughout the country and they have always received us very well, while we have had the opportunity to represent Mexico in almost 30 countries.”

Today Voz en Punto receives the 2023 Medal of Merit in Arts in the discipline of music from the Congress of Mexico City, for its career and contribution to the culture of the country’s capital.

The concert Voice in More Cri-Cri Point It will be this Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at the Blas Galindo Auditorium of the National Arts Center (Río Churubusco 79, Coun-try Club neighborhood).