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Dr. Gloria Arjona delivers concert-presentations in English and Spanish, on the different cultures of Latin America, in particular of her native Mexico. Accompanied with a guitar and powerful images and media, Dr. Arjona sings in Spanish and various Indian languages, meaningful songs that illustrate the Indigenous, the African, and the European roots of Latin American cultures.

The concert-presentations of Dr. Arjona are authentic musical and visual journeys through time and space. They include music from the Pre-Colombian times to the present, intended to students and interested listeners of all ages. The stories, ballads, and narratives presented in her programs, are the result of her research in historical manuscripts, as well as in oral tradition methods, such as songs, legends, anecdotes, and clothing.

Dr. Gloria Arjona continually develops new presentations. Listed below are some of the themes she has presented in recent years: The Five Suns of Mexico. This is a presentation inspired in the homonymous text of keynote writer, Carlos Fuentes, in which the author parallels the five different eras of the universe, according to Ancient Mexicans, to five important moments in the history of Mexico: the Aztec Empire, the Conquest, The Colonial Times, The Independence, and the Revolution. This presentation materialized in Dr. Arjona’s most recent album The Five Suns of Mexico (2013) in which she includes narration and singing. De Armas Tomar: The Role of Women in Mexican Revolution. Through historic photographs, engravings, films, and corridos (revolutionary ballads), Dr. Argon emphasizes the important participation of women during the revolution, in particular of those known as Adelitas and Soladeras.

The African Roots in Mexico – Through this visual and musical presentation, Dr. Gloria Arjona acknowledges the African legacy in Mexican culture, known as La Tercera Raíz (The Third Root). As she contends, this heritage is frequently overlooked, despite its obvious presence in people from the coasts, as well as in language, food, and music. Dr. Arjona exemplifies this heritage in music, though Sones from Veracruz and Jalisco, and Cantos Cardenches. She also includes eighteenth century paintings, known as Casta Paintings (see sample below), and highlights influential Afro-Mexicans throughout Mexico’s history, being Californian Governor Pío de Jesús Pico (1801–1894), one of them. Lucha Reyes: A Metaphor of Mexico. Recognized as the creator of Mexican Ranchero style, this presentation draws attention to the similarities of the personal and artistic life of Lucha Reyes, with the most important events of Mexico, before, during, and after the revolution (1910-21).

Mythical and Geographical Borders: This presentation illustrates the border as a space where different cultures meet and recognize to create a new global culture. Dr. Arjona integrates images and media of various borders of Latin America, with a varied musical repertoire that includes Samba, Chacareras, Huaynos, and Mexican Ranchero. Canciones y Mujeres: Divas, Muses, and Composers of Latin America. Through a varied repertoire that includes songs, poems, and images of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Peru, Dr. Arjona presents the lives of outstanding Latin American women, who challenging the conventionalisms and prejudices of their society, made a career as actresses, composers, musicians, and poets. Please note: All of the programs listed above might be presented as a soloist, or with guest musicians, depending on budget, venue and the nature of the event. All presentations are INTERACTIVE and each one is designed for the specific audience in attendance by age and interest level. Discography (samples available in Amazon and iTunes)

Raíces: The Essence of Latin America, vol. 1 (2012)

Raíces: The Essence of Latin America, vol. 2 (2013)

The Five Suns of Mexico (2013)