There’s one question every artist will encounter in their career: who inspires you? If it’s a teacher or mentor, great! If it’s a contemporary, even better. By the end of “Recovecos” – the Nov. 11 program on the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Green Umbrella series – it was clear why curator Angélica Negrón chose this particular group of artists: collaborating with peers you admire gets you outstanding results.
“Recovecos” translates to “hidden corners” or “nooks,” and the compositions from Latin American and Caribbean composers examined the spaces we turn to for a sense of belonging, especially when displaced from home. Guest artists lent their talents to their own works and others on the program: composing, singing, playing violin, writing poetry, and even playing tropical fruits. The latter was the contribution of Negrón, who used an array of fruits hooked up to electronics to create a celestial backdrop for the program’s titular piece, which featured an original text by Amanda Hernández that explored important spaces in her past.
Angélica Negrón and Amanada Hernández — Photo by Farah Sosa at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, provided courtesy of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association
Another one of Hernández’s poems, “Arquitecta,” was part of Negrón’s piece of the same name for vocalist and chamber orchestra. In this tribute to the traditionally female space of domesticity, the voice of Colombian singer Lido Pimienta was joyful and soft with a tight vibrato, the orchestra grand yet tender, like the score to a cinematic sunrise. Pimienta’s energy was palpable in the hall as she swayed and pranced with the music, commanding the stage. It was a delight to see her back for the finale (complete with an on-theme costume change into bright red tulle) to sing her own piece, Corazón for voice and orchestra. Her delicate voice was certainly the main event, with timpani rolls and gloomy low strings occasionally emerging from an otherwise mellow and unobtrusive score.
Conductor Raquel Acevedo Klein made a lively LA Phil debut leading the chamber orchestra works, as well as Nathalie Joachim’s I’m Right Here, for viola, cello, double bass, flute, piano, and percussion. The piano and bass laid down a quiet ostinato underneath the subtle twinkle of mallet percussion and a viola and cello duet dripping with tragic elegance.
Raquel Acevedo Klein and the LA Phil — Photo by Farah Sosa at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, provided courtesy of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association
Much of the program was brighter than expected, opting to portray the beauty of crafting a sense of belonging in hidden corners rather than the pain of being relegated to them. Fragmentos, a wind quintet by LA Phil National Composer Intensive alumnus Juan Andrés Vergara, captured this essence through a gradual crescendo culminating in a peppy melody in the upper winds.
Another fascinating element of the program was the way composers conveyed the idea of existing between two spaces. Composer Christian Quiñones achieved this by combining the traditional Western European string quartet with a Puerto Rican children’s game. In Pasemisí, Pasemisá, the musicians sang, clapped, and played body percussion, sometimes putting their instruments down entirely to create the desired result. The melodies were similarly playful with ricocheting bow strokes, crunchy chords, and a few moments of tension.
Darian Donovan Thomas — Photo by Farah Sosa at the Walt Disney Recital Hall, provided courtesy of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association
Composer, violinist, and vocalist Darian Donovan Thomas delivered the true standout piece (a difficult task among many strong contenders) with his world premiere arrangement of the Mexican ranchera Volver, Volver. The clean, pillowy brass evoked the traditional sound of the genre while the rest of the ensemble remained understated. With tiny bells attached to the scroll of his violin, Thomas bowed whistling melodies to rapturous applause and a standing ovation.
Recovecos was a programmatic triumph. It highlighted the power of not just taking up space, but filling it intentionally. At a time where there’s vicious debate around belonging and who can claim certain spaces as home, the LA Phil continues to lead the charge in inclusive programming for American orchestras. As curator, Negrón used her position to center essential voices in contemporary music, proving that in the spotlight is where they belong.
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