It was a big triumph for Mazatlan music, but a hectic two months for Maestro Ignacio (Nacho) Ortega, Director of Strings for the Chamber Orchestra and professor at the Municipal Arts Center. The second National Youth Orchestra tour played 18 concerts in 6 cities, including a sell-out of the Palacio de las Bellas Artes (Fine Arts Palace) in Mexico City, attended by Sr. and Sra. Vicente Fox. It was a tour to do Mazatlan (and the education at the Center and in Ortega’s classes) proud. Of the 160 musicians—age 8-15—who made the tour, 8 were from Mazatlan; more than any city this size, more than some states. And of those, 7 were chosen as first chair on their instruments. In a group with players from every state, all 8 players form Sinaloa were Mazatlecos. Sweeping through Puebla, Veracruz, Monterrey and other cultural hotspots, the tour featured a program loaded towards the energy of classical dance: Dvorak’s Slavonic Dances, Danzon and Guapango by Arturo Marquez, opera dances by Manuel Rodriquez. Conductor Sergio Ramirez pronounced the tour an artistic success and it made enough international impression to rate invitations next year to tour Venezuela and the United States. But it was also five

busfull of kids blasting around without parents—in short, having the time of their lives and running amok. Shaking his head ruefully, Nacho says, “There is more than one hotel where we will never be welcomed back.” In fact, although tucker out from the tour, Nacho is off to Mexico to plan next year’s tour—with a big emphasis on controlling pint-sized musicians. “The first night out,” Nacho says, “We were in trouble.” But the value of the tour not only for school and faculty reputations, but also for the development of the young all-stars, is worth any effort, he says. The entire program is funded for the improvement of youngsters not just as musicians, but as people. “We realize that half of our students won’t continue as professional musicians,” he concedes, “But we hope they will also learn something here of benefit to their professions and their lives.” Why not, they learned how to make room service calls and page other rooms in the middle of the night. Any fan of youth and vigor in classical music will want to catch the 8 tour veterans with the Youth Orchestra in a special program of Mexican composers on September 15 in the Angela Peralta theater. An appetizer for their season, which will start early in October.