The annual Northern Lights Music Festival each February has become perhaps the largest and most anticipated professional cultural event in Ajijic.
For the past 14 years, more than 25 world class musicians have been packing their instruments and trekking to Ajijic to perform for admiring audiences. In addition, the musicians spend some of their time teaching young Mexican jazz and classical music students from the Guadalajara and lakeside areas. The festival also brings down an excellent Toronto-based luthier, who adjusts, tunes and repairs dozens of instruments for Mexican music students – at no charge.
Over the years, the Secretaria de Cultura de Jalisco has followed the festival closely, and observed the rewards of this tutelage. Four former students of the festival are now members of the Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra and others are playing professionally in various chamber ensembles.
This year, festival organizers have received a substantial grant from the state culture department for which they are extremely grateful. This has precipitated a name change. It will now be known as Northern Lights Festival de Febrero and, eventually, as simply Festival de Febrero.
The 2016 festival runs from February 20 until March 4 and features 15 concerts over two weeks. Some concerts are held in beautiful local villas not normally open to the public. Hearing world-renowned musicians up close in a home with phenomenal acoustics can be an unimaginable experience. This year, three of these Salon Series concerts are scheduled in the afternoons at 4 p.m. Patrons are advised that there is always a rush for these seats and they sell out quickly.
The six main concerts of the festival series are all held in the renovated Auditorio de la Ribera in La Floresta. Outstanding musicians will be coming from New York, Nashville and Toronto. Nashville’s Tracy Silverman – dubbed “the greatest living exponent of the electric violin” by BBC Radio – is thrilled to be back after his second appearance at Carnegie Hall.
Last year’s young and handsome newcomer, violinist Ben Bowman, couldn’t resist a return visit. Bowman is concertmaster at the Lincoln Center in New York and had so much fun last year he is bringing along his friend Joel Noyse, the principal cellist at The Met!
All individual tickets range from 300 to 400 pesos, except for one special premier event: “The Spring Sonata” played by Canadian violinist Sarah McElravy.
McElravy has performed worldwide as a chamber musician and solo artist, and is a founding member of the award-winning Linden String Quartet. Hailed as “polished, radiant and incisive” by Strad Magazine, the Linden Quartet has toured extensively in Canada, Europe, and the United States, performing in some of the world’s greatest concert halls.
Canadian sax player Richard Underhill is also back this year. The winner of 22 awards, he has been nominated five times for coveted Juno awards and won two. A local secret is that often during the festival he might show up at El Barco, or another venue, and join the local musicians on stage. They love it!
The renowned Gryphon Trio from Canada were so happy with the response of the audience last year that they are returning and bringing down a famous friend from Canada, Patricia O’Callaghan. They perform at the Auditorio on March 2. The Gryphon Trio’s album “Broken Hearts and Madmen,” released by Anelekta in 2011, has received four-star reviews.
The cost of attending this truly remarkable festival are as low as the equivalent of $US17.50 for a ticket. Exceptional packages are available for between $US141 and $US294, with a meal, gala party, champagne, wine and appetizers thrown in!
Discount packages are available now through Kelly French at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by calling 331-626-0717. General tickets will be sold beginning Monday, February 2 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday to Friday at La Nueva Posada Hotel and Restaurant at Donato Guerra 9, Ajijic. For reservations and information on ticket sales, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call Maureen Welch at 108-1407 between 2 and 4 p.m.