Rodolfo Mederos’ visit to the province did not go unnoticed, at least for him and much less for the young people of the San Juan School Orchestra, who had a musical encounter that was virtuosic from a sound point of view and very emotional from a personal point of view. At the headquarters of the Israelite Benevolent Society, the students of the educational space practiced as they usually do in weekly rehearsals. One day before the performance he will perform at the Juan Victoria Auditorium (tonight for the Mozarteum Argentino San Juan cycle) the 84-year-old bandoneonist visited the classroom with Luis Sava and was able to see them, listen to them and interact with them. Most of the students belong to the school’s advanced level, which ranges from 13 to 19 years old, and play the violin and cello. Mederos, who, within his humility to handle himself, radiated, at the same time, respect and authority to speak to them like a teacher, took out his bandoneon and with Sava with the baton they performed together “Oblivion” by Ástor Piazzolla and immediately afterwards they practiced “El día that you love me”.
With admiration to see what they achieved in the general orchestration, Rodolfo addressed them as if he were a father to his children. He transmitted to them profound reflections on life, society, the world and music: “If we turn on the television and see what is happening in the world, I don’t think we are living better. There are wars everywhere, but they are not for humanitarian conquest, they are wars for power. I wonder if the human race has learned anything since the time of the caves, I think very little or nothing. He accumulated technology, as if that were a great flag. But the human being is not happier, he is desperate in a search that does not know what it is. So what do we live for?” He recounted and said: “I have a Discepolean vision, not pessimistic, but objective. Looking at their faces I feel that what we are playing is wonderful, having an instrument and dedicating time to making music is a privilege. It doesn’t matter if it’s Piazzolla, Fernández or Gutiérrez, we are all at the service of music.”
In addition, he talked about their origins and why it is important to give value to what they do every week in rehearsals: “I come from a humble home. My father, a railwayman; my mother, a housewife. I grew up with chickens and dogs in the yard and when I was six years old, my father, with great effort, bought me my first bandoneon, so that I would be happy. My old man wasn’t wrong and neither was I. I put my energy into this, which is not easy to defend. They’re going to hear things like ‘What are you going to live on?’ or ‘How will they make a living?’, ‘You’re going to end up drunk.’ We musicians do not enjoy good social criticism. Unfortunately, music is worth less than deodorant in today’s society. It’s terrible that it happens, but when I feel the intention and dedication they have to play, I tell them this: we have to defend it to the death. Because the system we live in wants to destroy us; If we do not defend what we are with art, we will be lost.”
Finally, he congratulated the entire group and they returned an instrumental version of “Por una Cabeza” and said goodbye: “I feel like one of you.” At the end of the meeting, the musician invited the 25 students to be part of the show that he will give today at the Juan Victoria Auditorium, together with Camerata San Juan.
Tonight’s concert
Rodolfo Mederos and Camerata San Juan, in the second performance of the 42nd season of Mozarteum Argentino San Juan. Today at 9:30 p.m. at Auditorio Juan Victoria (25 de Mayo and Urquiza), under the musical direction of Luis Sava. Tickets cost $6,000 for the general public and $4,000 for those under 30 years of age. On sale at Mozarteum (Av. Ignacio de la Roza 161 west, local 5) from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or at the box office.
