Global Music Residency: Veronica Robles
Join BarnArts for a celebration of spring with Global Music Residency Artist Veronica Robles, a life-long mariachi musician who will dazzle all at the Barnard Town Hall on April 18th, backed up by her talented quartet of string musicians! Robles is a proud ambassador for mariachi, a male-dominated Mexican art form, and she is spending this week sharing her knowledge and music in Upper Valley schools and at Zack’s Place as BarnArts visiting artist. The festive culminating public performance will be held on Saturday, April 18th at Barnard Town Hall at 7pm. Doors open at 6pm with Mexican-influenced food available for purchase.
Veronica Robles learned mariachi from her grandmother as they sold flower arrangements in Mexico City’s Plaza Garibaldi, the home of mariachi. After settling in Boston, she became a community leader that centered and celebrated Latin Americans and their culture. She co-produced and hosted “Orale con Veronica” on Telemundo Boston for 12 years and started the Veronica Robles Cultural Center in 2013 to further encourage and empower youth and families to embrace diversity and cultural connections.
As the guest artist of BarnArts bi-yearly Global Music Residency, Robles will bring half and full day workshops to students at Barnard Academy, Bernice A. Ray School, Prosper Valley School, Rochester/Stockbridge schools, Lebanon High School, Maple Avenue Elementary, Ottauqueechee School, and Zack’s Place. She will explore Mexican and Latin American dance and music with students, highlighting mariachi culture and teaching specific dances and songs.
The wider community is not left out of this special residency! Robles’ performance at the Barnard Town Hall on Saturday with her full band is open to the public. Robles sings and plays the vihuela, a traditional five-string instrument. Playing with her will be Willy López (guitar), Maygel Navarro (bass), Zarah Roszler (violin), and Betsy Pabon (violin). Youth who have seen Robles at their school will be given a free ticket and other family and community members can purchase tickets at the door or ahead at barnarts.org. A second public performance takes place at Next Stage in Putney on Sunday afternoon at 2pm. (April 19).
BarnArts Global Music Residency began in April 2022 and Robles is the 9th visiting artist in this impactful program. Twice yearly, BarnArts brings international artists into K-12 schools in Central Vermont and New Hampshire to lead workshops and perform, regularly reaching over 1500 students with each residency. Former visiting artists have come from Haiti, Belize, Guinea, Mexico, Egypt, India, Peru, Bolivia, and Alaska, as well as a Mi'kmaq artist from Cape Breton.
