11/11/2025
On November 29 at 7 pm, Tambuco Percussion Ensemble performs Ballet Mécanique, Futuristic Avant-Garde. Celebrating the audacity of early 20th-century sound, the concert features four pieces that open new horizons in the exploration of rhythm.
The Mexican Ministry of Culture and the National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature (INBAL) present Tambuco, Mexico's Percussion Ensemble, under the artistic direction of Ricardo Gallardo, with the program Ballet Mécanique. Futurist Avant-Garde, on Saturday, November 29, at 7 p.m. in the Main Hall of the Palace of Fine Arts. The concert includes George Antheil's Ballet Mécanique, an emblematic 20th-century piece that synthesizes the aesthetics of futurism and Dadaism, fundamental movements in the evolution of art at the time, and represents an innovative fusion of mechanics, rhythm, and sound experimentation. In the performance of this work, Tambuco will be accompanied by solo pianists Ana Gabriela Fernández, Duane Cochran, Józef Olechowski, and Gonzalo Gutiérrez, as well as guest percussionists. The program is complemented by other iconic works for percussion ensemble that pay tribute to early 20th-century modernism: Sextet, by Steve Reich (USA), which redefines rhythmic energy from a minimalist perspective and builds a bridge between the avant-garde of the 20th century and contemporary creation; Ionisation, by Edgar Varèse (France); and Rítmicas V-VI, by Amadeo Roldán (Cuba), pieces that opened new horizons in rhythm, timbre and modernity.
This concert offers a journey to the essence of rhythm and experimentation, a bold sound experience where percussion and pianos converge in a celebration of movement.
With 32 years of international experience and an extensive discography, Tambuco has established itself as one of today's most important ensembles. Its musicality has captivated diverse audiences around the world, and it has been nominated four times for GRAMMY Awards, including Best Classical Album and Best Chamber Ensemble. Founded in 1993 by Alfredo Bringas, Miguel González, Raúl Tudón and Ricardo Gallardo, the ensemble has a repertoire of contemporary concert music that combines the colourful percussion of the world with the language of avant-garde composers. Its goal is to achieve artistic excellence through virtuoso performances. It has received international recognition, including the prestigious Japan Foundation Award for Arts and Culture, the highest distinction awarded by the Japanese government. It has given concerts on five continents and its career has been fundamental to the development of the percussion arts nationally and internationally.
