The 150th anniversary of the birth of influential French composer and pianist Maurice Ravel (1875–1937) will be celebrated with performance of his masterwork, Boléro, at the Conjunto Santander de las Artes and Teatro Degollado.

Boléro is renowned for its repetitive melody and gradual orchestral crescendo. Written in 1928, it begins with a simple rhythm, played by snare drum, and is followed by the melody, initially played by the flute. As the piece progresses, the melody is passed around the orchestra, growing louder and more intense with each repetition. The repetition of the same theme, with subtle variations in orchestration, creates a hypnotic effect.

The Conjunto concert is on Saturday, March 22, 7:30 p.m. and features the Orquesta Solistas de América, conducted by Scott Yoo of Japan. The Jalisco Philharmonic performs Boléro on March 13 and 16 (see item left).