ExxonMobil Discovery Series: Orígenes

Introducing 5th Graders to the World of the Performing Arts

Arts Partner: Ars Lyrica Houston

Fine Arts, ESL, Reading Language Arts, Science

Orígenes is a bilingual program curated by Mexican-born mezzo-soprano Cecilia Duarte and Spanish-born percussionist Jesús Pacheco. The program explores the development of voice and percussion instruments with a focus on Spanish and Latin American cultures. Four singers and four percussionists will perform impassioned music from the Renaissance to the present day, showcasing composers like Gaspar Fernandes (Mexico), Ney Rosauro (Brazil), Codex Truxillo (Peru), David Hanlon (Washington, DC), and more. Featured instruments will include gongs, bells, whistles, vibraphone, and drums. Students will learn how these instruments were used for communication, accompanying people through the everyday human experience: from festive celebrations to poignant moments of sorrow and drama. From the earliest forms of musical expression to contemporary soundscapes, Orígenes immerses students in a journey through time, revealing the diverse colors and textures of Spanish and Latin American musical heritage.

Learn More about the Hobby Center’s educational programming and future opportunities for Houston school districts.

This project is supported in part by an award from the Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs and Mid-America Arts Alliance and The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion 2025 BIG grant.

About Ars Lyrica Houston

Ars Lyrica Houston specializes in music from the Baroque era, the “golden age” of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, as performed on period instruments with careful attention to historical style and context. Each season, this Grammy-nominated ensemble provides audiences with world-class performances of a wide range of dramatic, sacred, and chamber works. In addition to six mainstage concerts, Ars Lyrica reaches thousands of Houstonians annually with engaging, educational programs that demystify and share the beauty of classical music. Programs are presented in partnership with local schools and organizations, including the Rothko Chapel, Houston Airport System, Museum of Fine Arts Houston, and more.