Music, for Enrique Arturo Diemecke, needs no translation.That belief came to life in Doha last week as the acclaimed Mexican conductor returned to the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra (QPO), leading the ensemble through a programme that showcased the many faces of Mexican music: from mariachi-inspired rhythms to the rich and sophisticated works of its 20th-century composers.For Diemecke, the return also continued a musical relationship that began in Doha in 2025 and soon travelled to one of the world’s most renowned concert halls. He first conducted the QPO in September last year for A Musical Encounter: Sounds of Qatar and Argentina, before leading more than 70 QPO musicians at Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires as part of the Qatar-Argentina and Chile 2025 Year of Culture.Looking back on that experience, Diemecke described it as a “dream” — from rehearsing and performing in Doha to travelling to Buenos Aires the following day and playing to a full house at the historic theatre.“Almost 3,000 people listened to the music of Qatar and the orchestra from Qatar, and also Argentine music,” he said. “And it was really a dream come true. It was fantastic.”That experience, he said, strengthened the connection between him and the QPO, with both sides sharing a commitment to musical excellence, integrity and passion.“We find that it was a compelling thing and it was an attraction that we were all tuned to the same idea of making music to the highest standard and integrity and passion,” he said.His latest appearance with the orchestra shifted the focus from Argentina to his own country, with the programme presented as part of the Qatar-Mexico 2026 Year of Culture.The repertoire featured Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2, Carlos Chávez’s Chacona in E Minor, Blas Galindo’s Sones de Mariachi and Silvestre Revueltas’s Redes, Second Suite — works that, for Diemecke, offer different perspectives on Mexico’s musical character.“Each of these composers has different aspects of the music and rhythms of Mexico,” he said.The programme draws on influences from different parts of the country, including the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico and Veracruz, as well as the Pacific coast and its mariachi traditions.Together, the works provide what Diemecke described as a broader picture of Mexico’s musical identity — one that is rich in melody, rhythm and emotional expression.“It’s very rich, it’s very melodic, it has a lot of rhythms and passion and love,” he said.For Diemecke, bringing Mexican music to Qatar is particularly meaningful because it introduces audiences to a culture and classical music tradition that may seem geographically distant but has much to offer.“Mexico has a lot of things to offer, a lot of things to really show to the world,” he said, describing Qatar as a “great place” to showcase the country’s development of classical music over the past century.He also sees such programmes as central to the wider role of the Qatar Philharmonic and Qatar Foundation in connecting Qatar with cultures around the world.“It is so important, and that is ... the mission of the Qatar Philharmonic and the Foundation, to have this context with different countries in the world and to bring the art from those areas,” he said.Conducting Mexican repertoire with an orchestra whose musicians come from different cultural and musical backgrounds presents its own challenge — and opportunity.Diemecke said the starting point is music's universality.“Music is a universal language. And it doesn’t matter which language do you speak,” he said.He compared musical interpretation to pronunciation in spoken language. While the notes and musical ingredients remain the same, emphasis, accents and phrasing can vary, and those details are crucial to capturing a work’s particular style.“The ingredients are there, but then you have to really bring them out,” he said.His assessment of the QPO musicians was equally direct.“I think they have passion,” Diemecke said. “They really, really want to express that passion.”He said the musicians’ eagerness to give their best creates a particularly rewarding dynamic for a conductor.“They would really want to give. And for a conductor, it’s nothing more beautiful than that,” he said. “And then it’s just a give, give, give. Win, win, win.”For Diemecke, however, an orchestra's significance extends beyond the performance itself.He sees cultural exchange as one of the most important functions of institutions such as the QPO, allowing audiences and artists to learn about one another through creative expression.“Culture is the way of making connections,” he said.For him, that connection is ultimately about sharing what people carry “in our souls” and “in our minds” and using culture to build greater understanding.“How can we share it with other people?” he asked. “How can we approach with the best way possible and make what we would like to see in life, peace and love.”He believes Qatar is already playing a growing role in bringing Latin American music to international audiences.Following the QPO’s engagement with Argentina and its latest focus on Mexico, Diemecke pointed to the potential for future cultural exchanges with other Latin American countries, including Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela and Peru.Having performed in several of those countries, he said each has distinctive musical traditions and styles that could offer discoveries for Qatar audiences.“They are very rich in music and styles,” he said. “Then it would be really a great discovery for the Qatar audiences and for the exchange of this wonderful thing in culture.”Diemecke says that exchange is ultimately what makes an orchestra more than a collection of musicians on a stage. Through repertoire from different parts of the world, the QPO can help audiences in Qatar encounter new cultures while creating opportunities for musicians to connect across geographical and cultural boundaries.
