¡Música del Corazón!
2023 Event
¡Música del Corazón! John Donald Robb, Jr. Memorial Concert 10th Anniversary Celebration Sunday 19 November 2023 3pm mdt National Hispanic Cultural Center Albuquerque Journal Theatre Free Admission About |
![]() |
Música del Corazón celebrates its tenth anniversary with our favorite performers in the Nuevomexicano tradition with Jordan Wax, the founder of Lone Piñón, and Nueva Luna, a conjunto with Lara Manzanares, Rob Martínez, and Felix "Gato" Peralta. Two emerging ensembles join us – UNM's Mariachi Lobo, under the directorship of Robert Lucero, Jr. with ethnomusicologist Adolfo Estrada, and a new mix of Jarocho musicians under the leadership of the renown Laura Rebolloso.
We have explored foundational genres of the romancero and cancionero, from Medieval ballads to Revolutionary corridos, Baroque and contemporary fandangos. We remember the music of our hybrid Indo-Hispano rituals and that of Sephardic, Moorish, and Christian spiritualities. We revel with the beloved musical "stepchildren" of New Mexico – Flamenco, Mariachi, Jarocho and Afro-Caribeño. It is so hard to sit still as we indulge ourselves, that we stand up for dance, the embodiment of music, in all its forms. We also honor musical families and the revivals facilitated by teachers and scholars. We have included groups of every size, from soloists to duos and tríos, to conjuntos and even coros.
The annual Música del Corazón concert is a showcase of the living legacy of John Donald Robb. He carefully recorded and transcribed more 3000 Hispano folk songs all over New Mexico, the Southwest, Mexico, and Spain. Like romantic and modernist composers before him, he looked to the songs of everyday folk to inspire and inform his own compositions and scholarship. He also provided a living record to us, the musicians, scholars, and teachers of the future. Over the past decade, we have marveled at the persistence and genius of traditional music as it recalls the past, adapts to the present, and shapes the future. Robb’s extensive field recordings are archived at UNM's Center for Southwest Research and Special Collections.
We have explored foundational genres of the romancero and cancionero, from Medieval ballads to Revolutionary corridos, Baroque and contemporary fandangos. We remember the music of our hybrid Indo-Hispano rituals and that of Sephardic, Moorish, and Christian spiritualities. We revel with the beloved musical "stepchildren" of New Mexico – Flamenco, Mariachi, Jarocho and Afro-Caribeño. It is so hard to sit still as we indulge ourselves, that we stand up for dance, the embodiment of music, in all its forms. We also honor musical families and the revivals facilitated by teachers and scholars. We have included groups of every size, from soloists to duos and tríos, to conjuntos and even coros.
The annual Música del Corazón concert is a showcase of the living legacy of John Donald Robb. He carefully recorded and transcribed more 3000 Hispano folk songs all over New Mexico, the Southwest, Mexico, and Spain. Like romantic and modernist composers before him, he looked to the songs of everyday folk to inspire and inform his own compositions and scholarship. He also provided a living record to us, the musicians, scholars, and teachers of the future. Over the past decade, we have marveled at the persistence and genius of traditional music as it recalls the past, adapts to the present, and shapes the future. Robb’s extensive field recordings are archived at UNM's Center for Southwest Research and Special Collections.
Featured Artists

Nueva Luna is a grass roots act made up of Nuevoméxicano musicians Lara Manzanares, Felix Peralta, and Rob Martinez.
Lara is a singer, songwriter and performer from Tierra Amarilla, New Mexico who is also involved with her family's sheep and weaving ranch. She has the voice of an angel and loves the music of her tierra, her land.
Felix is a bluesy, rockin' New Mexican who, with his band Los Gatos, has thrilled and driven to a frenzy thousands of people at dances, bars, saloons and festivals across the US. He sings with soul and plays guitar with a sizzling twang.
Rob comes from a musical family of mariachis and a father who composed corridos about New Mexico history and culture. A singer and guitar player, Rob loves the music of Northern New Mexico, but also enjoys the music of The Beatles and the Rolling Stones.
Lara is a singer, songwriter and performer from Tierra Amarilla, New Mexico who is also involved with her family's sheep and weaving ranch. She has the voice of an angel and loves the music of her tierra, her land.
Felix is a bluesy, rockin' New Mexican who, with his band Los Gatos, has thrilled and driven to a frenzy thousands of people at dances, bars, saloons and festivals across the US. He sings with soul and plays guitar with a sizzling twang.
Rob comes from a musical family of mariachis and a father who composed corridos about New Mexico history and culture. A singer and guitar player, Rob loves the music of Northern New Mexico, but also enjoys the music of The Beatles and the Rolling Stones.

Jordan Wax lives off of highway 14 in Santa Fe County and works as a musician. In addition to accompanying and collaborating with Lara Manzanares, Jordan directs Lone Piñon, a performance ensemble dedicated to creating new contemporary contexts for regional musical traditions, plays second violin in Santa Fe’s Mariachi Sonidos del Monte, performs and records original music in Yiddish, and creates bilingual children’s programming in both Spanish/English and Yiddish/English contexts for the Santa Fe Public Library and local preschools.
Laura Rebolloso {Xalapa, México / Albuquerque} composer, producer ~ regional Mexican traditions
Adolfo Estrada, PhD {México / Albuquerque} ~ Mariachi
UNM Mariachi Lobo
Carmella Scorcia Pacheco, PhD pre-concert discussion, topic tba
John Truitt {Albuquerque} 2023 Robb Award honoree ~ music educator, composer, flamenco guitarist, woodwind specialist
Other artists to be announced
Directors
- lisa nevada {Albuquerque / Brooklyn, NY} advocate for our earth mother, dance-maker, collaborator, and educator ~ ¡Música del Corazón! Committee Chair
- Enrique Lamadrid, PhD {Embudo / Albuquerque} historian of Chicano, Mexican American, and Hispano culture ~ ¡Música del Corazón! Guest Artistic Curator
¡Música del Corazón! Committee
- Robert Lucero, Jr. ~ Robb Trust Board Chair
- Rosalia Pacheco ~ Robb Trust Board, Education Specialist
- Dr. Ana Alonso-Minutti ~ Robb Trust Archives & Underwriting Committee Chair
- Dr. Robert Tillotson ~ Robb Trust Board Performance & Education Committee Chair
- Jim Bonnell ~ Robb Trust Board Secretary, Nominating Committee Chair
- Chris Orphal ~ Robb Trust Graduate Assistant
- Thomas Goodrich ~ Robb Trust Program Specialist
Educational Outreach
Each year ¡Música del Corazón! delivers several 'eduformaces' lasting approximately 30 to 90 minutes. 2023 ed/outreach events will feature artists performing in the free Sunday 19 November concert at the National Hispanic Cultural Center's Albuquerque Journal Theatre. Educational Outreach presentations typically incorporate Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado Spanish cultural history, dance, and music, as well as folk traditions from Mexico.
All 2023 educational outreach events are free and the public is cordially invited to attend.

2023 Educational Outreach Events
Thursday 16 November 2023 7p
UNM Mariachi Lobo ~ Mariachi
National Hispanic Cultural Center
Bank of America Theatre
Featuring:
Friday 17 November 2023 10a
Felix "Gato" Peralta ~ Nuevomexicano
National Hispanic Cultural Center
Bank of America Theatre
Date & Time tba
Laura Rebolloso ~ Jorocho
Barelas Senior Center
Date & Time tba
Artist tba
Longfellow Elementary School
2022 Educational Outreach Events
Wednesday 9 November 2022 9a-10:30a
Alex Manzanares & Ballet Folklórico Santa Fe
National Hispanic Cultural Center
attended by over 60 students from Dolores Gonzales Elementary
Thursday 10 November 2022 1:15p-2:45p
Noe Garcia Jacinto, Spanish & Baroque Guitarist
Public Academy of Performing Arts
attended by 40 guitar students of Fabián Sisneros and Mark Opperman
Friday 11 November 2022 9:30a-11:00a
Noe Garcia Jacinto, Spanish & Baroque Guitarist
Albuquerque Academy
attended by guitar students of Genevieve Leitner and Jeremy Maine
2022 Media
Teasers ~ 86 seconds
Thursday 16 November 2023 7p
UNM Mariachi Lobo ~ Mariachi
National Hispanic Cultural Center
Bank of America Theatre
Featuring:
- Albuquerque High School Mariachi
- Atrisco Heritage Academy High School Mariachi Herencia
- Rio Grande High School Mariachi
- Santa Fe Youth Symphony Mariachi
Friday 17 November 2023 10a
Felix "Gato" Peralta ~ Nuevomexicano
National Hispanic Cultural Center
Bank of America Theatre
Date & Time tba
Laura Rebolloso ~ Jorocho
Barelas Senior Center
Date & Time tba
Artist tba
Longfellow Elementary School
2022 Educational Outreach Events
Wednesday 9 November 2022 9a-10:30a
Alex Manzanares & Ballet Folklórico Santa Fe
National Hispanic Cultural Center
attended by over 60 students from Dolores Gonzales Elementary
Thursday 10 November 2022 1:15p-2:45p
Noe Garcia Jacinto, Spanish & Baroque Guitarist
Public Academy of Performing Arts
attended by 40 guitar students of Fabián Sisneros and Mark Opperman
Friday 11 November 2022 9:30a-11:00a
Noe Garcia Jacinto, Spanish & Baroque Guitarist
Albuquerque Academy
attended by guitar students of Genevieve Leitner and Jeremy Maine
2022 Media
Teasers ~ 86 seconds
Interview ~ Noe Garcia Jacinto
Interview ~ Jordan Wax of Lone Piñon
Performance Example
Below is a video of the 2020 Música del Corazón - Mariachis y Flamencos: New Mexico's Beloved Stepchildren, Seventh Annual John D. Robb, Jr. Concert. The event took place virtually due to COVID. Featured artists are:
Below is a video of the 2020 Música del Corazón - Mariachis y Flamencos: New Mexico's Beloved Stepchildren, Seventh Annual John D. Robb, Jr. Concert. The event took place virtually due to COVID. Featured artists are:
Archives
- 2023 10th Anniversary Celebration
- 2022 Baroque Fandangos of New Spain and Historic Fandangos of New Mexico
- 2021 Fandango Roots and Flowers
- 2020 Mariachis y Flamencos
- 2019 Sin Froteras 30th Anniversary Celebration
- 2018 Una Velada Nuevomexicana
- 2017 Adventuras Musicales - Spain, Mexico, New Mexico
- 2016 A Celebration of Nuevomexicano Music
- 2015 Spotlights Tradition
- 2014 Enjoy Time-Honored New Mexico Folk Music
- 2013 An Afternoon with Frank McCulloch
- 2012 A Celebration of the New Mexico Centennial