OFUNAM Celebrates Women in Music

0000: Guest conductor Catherine Larsen-Maguire and percussionist Vanessa Porter present Tan Dun’s Water Concerto as part of the Women in Music Series.

Enjoy a memorable concert featuring outstanding women in classical music and remarkable orchestral creativity, in an evening that brings together innovation, history and artistic depth.

In the context of the Women in Music Series, percussionist Vanessa Porter performs Tan Dun’s Water Concerto for water percussion with guest conductor Catherine Larsen-Maguire. The artist transforms water into a solo instrument in a way that explores its texture, rhythm, and expressive possibilities. At the same time, the performance takes the audience into a unique, immersive experience.

The concert also highlights the extraordinary artistic journey of its performers. Larsen-Maguire, born in Manchester and based in Berlin, has led major orchestras across Europe and is known for her dedication to both classical repertoire and education. Porter, a graduate of the Royal College of Music and the Stuttgart University of Music, is recognized for combining contemporary pieces with improvisation, electronics, and performance art, appearing in major halls such as the Concertgebouw and Philharmonie de Paris.

In the second half of the concert, the orchestra performs Amy Beach’s Gaelic Symphony in E minor, Op. 32. This symphony was the first composed by an American woman to gain public acclaim, and it was written as a response to Antonín Dvořák’s idea of using Native and African American sounds, because Amy Beach wanted to recognize her immigrant heritage, drawing inspiration from Irish melodies.

Text by Marisol Antonio Bermejo

Original title OFUNAM | Primera temporada 2025 | Programa 4
English title OFUNAM | First Season 2025 | Program 4
Genre Classical Music
Recording location Sala Nezahualcóyotl, Centro Cultural Universitario. UNAM
Production year 2025
Duration 1:52:14
Production Company TV UNAM
Director Sergio Iván Trujillo Bolio
Producer Alejandro Espinosa | Ángel Espinosa Robles
Orchestra / Band OFUNAM | Orquesta Filarmónica de la UNAM
Conductor Catherine Larsen-Maguire
Original Text Miroslava Garibay