Chris Wilshere, founder and artistic director of the Scotiabank Northern Lights Music Festival, will take up his new position as Director of the Conservatory of Music of Guadalajara’s brand new Palacio de la Cultura y la Comunicación (PALCCO), on April 1.
An acclaimed violinist and recipient of the Canadian Governor General’s award for strengthening relations between Canada and Mexico, Wilshere’s many significant roles include three years as music director of the Orquesta Juvenile de Jalisco. Most recently, he and Professor of piano Gabriella Flores of the University of Guadalajara performed at the Canadian Embassy in Mexico City — a program being reprised at two recitals in St. Andrew’s Anglican Church in Riberas del Pilar on January 31.
Wilshere’s enthusiasm and admiration for this 50-million dollar, world-class cultural project, led by Jose Perez Ramirez, the President of PALCCO, is contagious. The first complex of this type ever built in Mexico is nearing completion and it is state-of-the-art.
The project is by GVA Arquitectos. The ultra-modern conceptual and interior design was created by Mexican architect Arnoldo Rabago, who formerly worked with world renowned Iraqi-British architect Dame Zaha Hadid DBE, on many major prize-winning projects, including the Abu Dhabi Performing Arts Centre.The whole complex will occupy nearly half-a-million square feet and house two theaters, a radio and TV museum, hall of fame, digital arts, art gallery, convention center, dance and music schools, restaurant and bars.
Under the aegis of Artistic Director, conductor Leonardo Gasparini, is a 1,918-seat opera hall, the Auditorio José Pablo Moncayo, that boasts an 8,000 square foot stage capable of accommodating 250 performers at once — together with the smaller 373-seat Sala José Rolón, for chamber music, concerts and recitals. The latter is also equipped with High Definition projection and simultaneous translation booths, for alternative use as a lecture theatre. Outside is an open-air, semi-circular amphitheatre, Ágora, with a 2,398-square foot stage area, that can seat audiences of up to 3,350 people amid gardens with fountains.
The infrastructure is also impressive. Rigging is by J.R. Clancy. Speakers and audio consoles are by Bose. State-of-the-art acoustics design is by Quorum Acoustics led by Director Daniel Ruvalcaba Esquivel, a former member of the Aercoustics Engineering team from Canada — designers of multiple projects, including the Koerner Hall Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.
The entire complex is scheduled to open later in 2014, but the Conservatorio de la Musica will open on July 1. Catering to 150 students, some of whom will be funded by scholarships, the initial focus will be on string, piano and voice and the faculty will be comprised of international teachers, with Spanish as the lingua franca.
Educational events, for an anticipated 20,000 children each year, will be organized via the public school system to encourage all youngsters’ interest in music and the arts.
There will be a strong level of co-operation between the Scotiabank Northern Lights Festival and PALCCO, including Master classes from visiting international musicians.
One example of this genuine commitment is Festival violinist Lance Ouellette, who broke his wrist a month ago and whose cast is only due for removal on February 1. Despite this, he’s determined to take part, so he’ll be playing second violin this year and teaching full-time while he’s here.
Reiterating Northern Lights’ dedication to encouraging and assisting young musicians, Wilshere said that in the future they hope to expand the annual festival beyond its established home in Ajijic, by duplicating some of the performances at PALCCO.
In fact, the first ever music to be produced at the Palacio de la Cultura y la Comunicación will be played by Scotiabank Northern Lights musicians, on the opera stage in the Auditorio José Pablo Moncayo. They will perform the Enescu Octet on February 23 and the Schubert Cello Quintet on February 25. These inaugural concerts are official functions and will be by invitation only, but the same works will be performed in Ajijic as part of this year’s Festival that runs from February 17 to March 1. Full details of locations, dates and programmes can be found at: ScotiabankNorthernLightsMusicFestival.com
Tickets go on sale on February 3 at the Nueva Posada and Charter Club Tours. Patrons’ season tickets are available now from Kelly French: tel: 763-5367 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.