Sounds of Mexico brings Mexican orchestral music to Doha

Published on 09/10/2026 - 15:45 GMT+2

Mexican rhythms and melodies take centre stage in Doha as the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra performs Sounds of Mexico, part of the Qatar-Mexico 2026 Year of Culture.

Led by Mexican conductor Enrique Arturo Diemecke, the programme takes audiences on a musical journey across the country, with works by Arturo Márquez, Carlos Chávez, Blas Galindo and Silvestre Revueltas.

For Diemecke, the concert is a chance to show just how varied Mexican music can be, with different rhythms and melodies reflecting different parts of the country. Among the pieces is Huapango, which he says is almost like a second national anthem for Mexicans.

But the musicians bringing these sounds to life come from around the world. More than 28 nationalities are represented in the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra.

For Colombian tuba player Richard Alonso Diaz, the music also brings back childhood memories of listening to mariachi with his father.

Euronews goes inside rehearsals to see how an international orchestra approaches the sounds and rhythms of Mexico, and how music can introduce audiences to another side of a country’s culture.