Carlos Vargas, “Souvenirs”

Name: Carlos Vargas, “Souvenirs”
Start: 2027-03-05T07:00:00-05:00
End: 2027-03-05T21:30:00-05:00
Location: MAC Downtown

“Souvenirs” is a collection of works that reflects my diverse musical influences and interests: from my Latin American roots to my passion for jazz standards, French ballads, and, of course, my classical background. Each piece, or group of pieces, was selected with a particular person in mind—someone who has played a significant role in my musical journey. The title, *Souvenirs*, symbolizes this intention: a small gift to express my gratitude for their support and guidance. The album features compositions by Villa-Lobos, Gershwin/Wild, Bullumba Landestoy, Scriabin, Golijov, as well as Roberto Piana’s *Elaborations* on songs by Édith Piaf.

*Direct from the performer:

The concert, as I originally conceived it and as I will be touring it next year, is titled Souvenirs: Lo que traigo conmigo. For this particular event, if it is easier, we can simply call it Souvenirs.

Below is a description of the concept, along with a draft of the repertoire I will be performing. The program draws inspiration from my debut album, Souvenirs, and brings together music that reflects the different influences and musical worlds that have shaped my artistic identity.

Souvenirs traces the contours of an artistic identity shaped between worlds: between the music of the land that made me and the sounds I encountered beyond it. It is a journey through memory, place, and the ways music becomes part of us long before we have the words to name it.

The first half, Raíces: entre cantos y danzas, rises from the music that feels instinctive to me, from songs, rhythms, and dances my hands knew before my mind did. The Dominican works of Bullumba Landestoy stand alongside music by Pauchi Sasaki, Gershwin, Villa-Lobos, and Osvaldo Golijov, revealing the many voices that inhabit the musical landscape of the Americas.

The second half, Lo que encontré, turns toward the sound worlds I discovered beyond my roots: music that entered my life, passed through me, and became part of my own musical language. From the shimmering landscapes of Debussy and John Adams to the intimate world of Andrea Casarrubios and the searching intensity of Scriabin, these works reflect the repertoire that has shaped my artistic voice.

Between these two worlds lies only the silence of an intermission: a pause, but also an invitation. A moment to turn inward, to reflect on the places, people, sounds, and memories that have shaped us, and to ask ourselves: What remains with us? And where do we go from here?