ExxonMobil Discovery Series: Orígenes

Introducing 5th Graders to the World of the Performing Arts

Arts Partner: Ars Lyrica Houston

Orígenes is a bilingual program curated by Mexican-born mezzo-soprano Cecilia Duarte andSpanish-born percussionist Jesús Pacheco. The program explores the development of voice and percussion instruments with a focus on Spanish and Latin American cultures. A group of singers and percussionists will perform impassioned music from the Renaissance to the present day, showcasing how voice and percussion developed through the ages. Featured instruments will include gongs, bells, 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.

In the 2024-2025 school year, the Hobby Center is excited to present a diverse range of free educational field trips to Hobby Center’s Zilkha Hall with the goal of serving 5th grade students in Houston. Through this TEKS-aligned series, 5th grade students are introduced to dance, music and/or theater in ways that are engaging, fun and further their learning and belonging.

Learn More about the Hobby Center’s educational programming and future opportunities for all 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.

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.