On Nov. 9 the National Hispanic Cultural Center launched the New Latin Music Series with the solo performance of ‘New Wave’ Chilean song artist Nano Stern. The event was sponsored by Avokado Artists, an Albuquerque based non-profit organization.
Stern, a Chilean songwriter and solo artist for the series, said through his music he aims to reach people who do not expect to be reached.
“I would hope that the audience leaves happier than when they arrived; it is very simple but very powerful,” Stern said. “I try to take people through a very emotional journey, ups and downs, explosion and introspection, but the final goal is to do more with energy. You should walk out a happier person, even just a little bit. That is my job.”
A nationally known artist in Chile, he said he has reached his goal of performing for a diverse audience composed of people from all socio-economic and racial backgrounds.
“I am aware that the sort of people that come to a concert on a Sunday evening are people who have a level of luxury in their lives so that they can come,” Stern said. “My music relates to local things that, in reality, are broader in the right context.”
Even though his songs are in Spanish, Stern incorporates a stylized discourse in English with the audience in order to explain more concrete thoughts, he said.
Kilko Paz, an Albuquerque musician, said the performance and Stern’s message is relevant across the world.
“People will benefit by being exposed to some other country or culture,” Paz said. “There is a lot going on all over the world, and the best way to experience another culture is through music.”
With regard to Stern’s music being a fusion of traditional and new, he said that it is something all ancient cultures have done in order to perpetuate their culture and history.
“I believe music is made to experiment, where you aren’t ruled by anything,” Paz said. “It has no borders — that is the power of music, where you can talk through music to other people who do not know the language.”
Tom Frouge, founder of Avokado Artists, said the New Latin Music Series is running parallel with the Latin Diva Music Series already in session at the NHCC. Both will culminate in June 2015 with the inauguration of a new and hopefully annual occurring event: the Chispa Festival, he said. This event will help educate attendees on different cultures.
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“It isn’t a mistake that we chose this theme,” Frouge said. “One of the things that the NHCC and I are very interested in both professionally and personally is reaching out in a stronger way to the immigrant community.”
Frouge said part of his goal as a musicologist is to educate people about cultures through music as a means of cross-cultural understanding.
“If you understand a culture through its music, it becomes hard to see bombs dropped on them, because all of a sudden they are people, they are not just this other,” Frouge said.
Mateo Rocha is a freelance reporter for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @DailyLobo.
