Study of Music and Spanish students came together to attend a special community concert celebrating Día de los Muertos on Saturday, Nov. 7, at Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco. The San Francisco Symphony performed with Grammy winning Mexican-American singer-songwriter Lila Downs, and the show triggered thoughtful reactions from students who attended.

“I thought the concert was a great blend of classical and cultural music to please everyone of all ages and backgrounds,” said Jessica Zhu, grade 12. “ Lila Downs’ voice was powerful and soulful, as she told different stories and conveyed different feelings with each song.”

Vineet Kosaraju, grade 12, said the show complemented his classroom learning. “Before the concert, because I had never been to one before, I wasn’t really sure what to expect,” he said. “However, as soon as the concert started, I was immediately wowed by the powerful combination of music and culture, and I really enjoyed each of the pieces. As I had taken Spanish in the past, it was nice to relate the theoretical information about the celebration I learned in class to seeing the festive tradition in person.”

Other students also expressed positive reactions to the show. “I enjoyed how the music was adapted for an orchestra, which blended together Latin American and more traditional styles,” said Alex Yu, grade 9.

While Lawrence Li, grade 12, noted he “thought that the first half of the concert was mysterious, enchanting, but powerful at the same time,” Logan Bhamidipaty, grade 9, said he “found that Lila Downs’ voice in the second half reinvigorated the performance with a fresh, modern twist on classical Latin American music.” Great crossover outing!