New York Philharmonic Director Matthew VanBesien Wants More Recitals in Mexico

As a part of the Credit Suisse Latin American Tour 2013, a series of presentations which will include Brazil and Chile, the New York Philharmonic has stopped in Mexico to offer three concerts in different venues in the Federal District. 

In an exclusive interview, El Universal had the chance to speak with Matthew VanBesien, the orchestra's director, who said that the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, one of the most important musical groups in the United States, is interested in doing concerts in Mexico, a country he considers to be "one of culturally richest in Latin America."

"We're starting to talk with some people, what we do know is that we could come to Mexico City and if that happens it would have to be in the next three or four years because planning a visit of this kind takes a long time. If Mexico is important to us it's because we live in very interesting times at an economic and social level in Latin America, and I think that -although it sounds strange- it is a region more interested in classical music than anywhere else in the world. This has been very interesting to us," he told El Universal.

According to VanBesien, the Latin American region has always interested some of the members of the group, which is why they are seeking to establish concerts that would allow them to visit different places in the region.

In the new tour that has yet to end, the New York Philharmonic has reunited three talented guitar players, "musicians with a special career. They don't play together all the time, but when they do they enjoy it greatly. We believe they can do very personal and interactive recitals with the public," the orchestra director said.

The New York Philharmonic Orchestra was founded by Ureli Corelli Hill in 1842 and is the oldest active philharmonic in the United States.

In 2012, Matthew VanBesien became the director of the New York Philharmonic. During his directorial work he has tried to make the group have a closer contact with audiences of all ages, which is why he has arranged for the orchestra experience to expand to public areas.

When talking about their recitals in Mexico, VanBesien declared, "The tour has had a great start in Mexico City. We offered three great concerts and we will continue on to Sao Paulo and end in Santiago, Chile. It has been disappointing not to be able to stay in this country longer to better get to know and enjoy the experiences of this city, but we definitely hope to return."