Classical guitarist Rafael Aguirre kicks off Tucson Symphony Orchestra series

Classical guitarist Rafael Aguirre will perform Joaquín Rodrigo’s haunting and seductive “Concierto de Aranjuez.”

¡Fiesta Latina! is a multi-week celebration this month to showcase music from Spain, Uruguay, Argentina, Venezuela and Mexico, culminating with the TSO’s annual Día de los Muertos concert on Nov. 1.

“Music has an incredible ability to connect us across cultures, generations and borders,” TSO Music Director José Luis Gómez said. "¡Fiesta Latina! gives us the opportunity to celebrate the diversity of Latin American music while sharing these traditions with our Tucson community.”

Highlighting Latin and Mexican composers has been a priority of Gomez’s since he joined the TSO in 2016 and launched ¡Celebración Latina!, a series spread throughout the season that highlights Latin composers and artists.

Gomez will be at the podium for this weekend’s concert, which the orchestra will perform at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11, at Catalina Foothills High School, 4300 E. Sunrise Drive. Tickets are $60.7-$99.03 through tucsonsymphony.org.

Aguirre, whose appearance is co-sponsored by Tucson Guitar Society, has been hailed as a leading ambassador of the Spanish guitar. This summer, he made his debut at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

His performance of Rodrigo's concerto with the TSO comes three years to the day after Aguirre performed the work at Carnegie with the Schubert Philharmonia under the baton of Tomàs Grau.

This weekend’s concert also includes works by Giovanni Bottesini, Marianna Martines and Joseph Haydn.

¡Fiesta Latina! continues Oct. 17-18 in the orchestra’s Up Close chamber series at Tucson Symphony Center with “Fandangos and Malambos,” focusing on the musical traditions of Uruguay and Argentina. The classical series concert “Latin Sizzle” on Oct. 23 and 25 turns the spotlight on the vibrant sounds and rhythms of Maestro Gomez’s Venezuela with Venezuelan cuatro player Jorge Glem and Elvis Martínez on bajo.

The Día de los Muertos concert at Linda Ronstadt Music Hall will feature Edna Vazquez of Pink Martini fame in a special celebration of life that will include Mariachi Aztlán de Pueblo High School. This is the second time the Pueblo mariachi will perform with the TSO this season. They were part of the orchestra’s Mexican Independence Day concert in September.

For tickets and more information, visit tucsonsymphony.org.