Music of the Americas: End of Year

Monday, December 16, 10 am

Maya Von is a Venezuelan singer-songwriter based in Madrid whose style mixes folk sounds with indie-pop and rock. A multi-instrumentalist and passionate storyteller, Maya creates fresh, emotional songs full of magic. She has performed in Caracas, Madrid, and Germany, where she currently lives. 

In 2024, she released Doce Lunas, a concept album produced by Music of the Americas alum Rafa Pino. The album explores emotions throughout the seasons with a monthly song, inviting her listeners on an intimate and captivating journey.

"Ácida" was written thinking about all the citrus that Maya likes. It speaks to the need to be a complete individual in a relationship and not emotionally dependent on your partner. She sings about her feelings when a relationship did not bring out its sweetest and freshest aromas, but rather its most acidic and dark side. It is a typical song by Maya, who loves to include fruits in her lyrics and create a universe, in this case of citrus, in a song.

Tuesday, December 17, 10 am

Argentine clarinetist and saxophonist Pamela Sleiman studied at the Conservatorio Ástor Piazzolla in Buenos Aires and has worked at the municipal band in La Matanza since 2006. She has played in several ensembles and worked as a session player. 

"Nuestra parte de noche" is a zamba (a traditional Argentine rhythm) composed by Lalo Díaz Keller, who joins her in the video. It was inspired by and tries to convey the depth and darkness of Mariana Enríquez's novel of the same name. 

Wednesday, December 18, 10 am 

Singer-songwriter Jesús Guerrero was born in Tijuana, where he resides and where he co-founded the band Ramona. 

With Omar Córdoba, Eli Ponce Gastelum, and Nasmar Guzmán, he sent this version of "Vértigo," a Madonna-inspired single from his latest album, De viaje. 

Thursday, December 19, 10 am 

La Tolvadera performs traditional music from the Tierra Caliente region of Michoacán in southern Mexico. The ensemble's instrumental lineup is typical of the ensembles from the region—two violins, a vihuela, and a tololoche. La Tolvadera started in Mexico City in 2023, comprising women from different regions of the country: Laura Gil (Córdoba, Veracruz) on first violin and voice, Tola Romo (San Luis Potosí) on second violin and voice, Daniela Olmedo (Mexico City) on the vihuela and voice, and Ireri Mejía Almonte (Morelia, Michoacán) on tololoche, zapateado, and voice.

They sent us this version of a traditional jarabe (a genre common in several regions of the country). It is made up of three stanzas separated by an improvisation of sung or spoken quatrains (four-line stanzas) dedicated to the people at a party. It is a very representative genre of Turicato, a municipality in Michoacán's Tierra Caliente region. La Tolvadera adds their own lyrics to this traditional jarabe. 

Friday, December 20, 10 am 

On October 23, 2024, Americas Society presented the fourth night of this year's Momenta Festival, featuring music by Julián Carrillo, Charles Ives, Stephanie Griffin, and Claude Vivier. 

Watch here

The MetLife Foundation Music of the Americas concert series is made possible by the generous support of Presenting Sponsor MetLife Foundation.

The Fall 2024 Music program is also supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, by the Howard Gilman Foundation, by the Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, by the Alice M. Ditson Fund of Columbia University, and by the Mex-Am Cultural Foundation.