Cielito Lindo

Cielito Lindo is a fantasia based on the Mexican folk song by the same title. The work is dedicated to my parents for the ever loving care and support that they have given me and my brothers. There are three main sections. The first is "Fiesta." This section represents my parents in their adolescence, growing up in Mexico with the vibrant culture that surrounded them each and every day. The second section is "Sacrifice and Love." As I was growing up, I was fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to listen to my parents' stories of growing up in Mexico, but most importantly I also heard stories of their sacrifices and the hardships they had to endure when it came to dealing with being runaway immigrants. There is underlying pain in this section representing those sacrifices, but there is also very much the feeling of love that I have for them. The third and final section is "Ahorita," which translates to "Now." My mother once told me that Cielito Lindo is a nationally recognized folk song in Mexico and that stadium fans will spontaneously start singing it at soccer games. I wanted to emulate that atmosphere in this final section. The overall concept of this piece explores how individuals change over time. The work starts with full statements of the folk song, but as the music goes on, it embodies different forms while maintaining the folk song's main elements.