The Dartmouth College Wind Ensemble heralded the reopening of the Hopkins Center for the Arts with “Curtain Up!” — a jubilant program featuring world-renowned Venezuelan artists Pacho Flores and Héctor Molina. The evening marked not only the ensemble’s return to its long-time home after three years of renovation, but also the Hop’s first mainstage concert by a resident ensemble since its rededication earlier this fall.
Conducted by Dr. Brian Messier, DCWE opened with a pair of fanfares — one newly commissioned for the Hop’s reopening and another originally composed by Darius Milhaud for the building’s 1962 debut — before moving into a series of works that bridged cultures and generations.
DCWE is a Hopkins Center resident ensemble primarily composed of non-music majors. With a membership of 40 to 50 Dartmouth students and community members, DCWE performs innovative and culturally relevant music. They were joined by Venezuelan flugelhorn virtuoso Pacho Flores and Latin Grammy–winning cuatro player Héctor Molina.
At the heart of DCWE’s recent work lies the Mexican Repertoire Initiative, founded by Messier to work with Mexican composers and amplify underrepresented voices in classical performance.
Messier explained that he noticed a “lack of quality, authentic, original repertoire by Mexican composers” at the collegiate level, “but no shortage of Mexican composers or artists or musicians.”
For Messier, the project is as much about cultural diplomacy as it is about art.
The Mexican Repertoire Initiative is “an ongoing commitment to bringing Mexican repertoire to the international stage, providing opportunities for emerging composers and confronting institutional barriers in educational and professional ensembles,” Messier said. “Otherwise, we’re just a small school in New Hampshire. These collaborations make the work more impactful across borders and more meaningful.”
That sense of collaboration also shaped DCWE’s ongoing relationship with guest artists Flores and Molina, both of whom returned to Dartmouth for “Curtain Up!” after first performing with the ensemble three years ago. The ensemble originally brought in the Venezuelan musicians as part of the Mexican Repertoire Initiative, with much success.
That spirit of connection set the tone for the night’s repertoire. American composer James Stephenson’s “Fanfare for the Arts,” commissioned for this fall’s reopening of the Hopkins Center, came in strong with its bold harmonies and triumphant brass flourishes. French composer Darius Milhaud’s “Fanfare for Brass Ensemble” followed, originally composed for the Hop’s inaugural opening in 1962 — a lively nod to the center’s past.
From there, the program shifted into new terrain with Grammy-winning composer Gabriela Ortiz’s “Antrópolis,” a work that has become central to DCWE’s ongoing dialogue with Mexican composers.
Next came Pacho Flores’s “Albares,” a concerto that showcased the composer-soloist’s technical brilliance. The program concluded with Aldemaro Romero’s “Suite de Onda Nueva.”
“It really just became about piecing the various elements together and turning it into a cohesive whole,” Messier said.
Messier said the program struck a rare balance between spotlight and ensemble.
“What I loved about the concert last night was that while we had these exceptional guest artists, it didn’t feel like the DCWE was in service of them — there were many moments for students to shine as well.”
For Francisco Garcia ’28, performing in “Curtain Up!” and working with Flores and Molina was both a musical milestone and a personal affirmation.
“It was just hearing them fill in the gaps in the music and do it very seamlessly,” he said. “And also seeing their personalities during those rehearsals was very rewarding. They were generally happy to work with us.”
The experience, Garcia explained, changed how he views the music he grew up with.
“It just brings underrepresented music into a big stage,” he said. “It’s just been very eye-opening hearing it in that context and seeing what the composers in Mexico and other Latin American countries are doing.”
For audience member Preyashi Chaudhuri MA ’26, “Curtain Up!” was a reminder of how the arts can create campus community.
She added that the performance expanded the College’s potential for cultural exchange.
“It adds to some culture that Dartmouth needs,” she said.
For Messier, “Curtain Up” represented far more than a triumphant return to Spaulding Auditorium. It was the culmination of years of persistence, partnership and trust in his students. He recalled taking a moment in rehearsal to step back and recognize how far the ensemble had come.
“This year, this ensemble — player for player — is the strongest I’ve had in my time at Dartmouth,” he said. “The amount of individual effort and commitment I’ve seen from the students has been exceptional.”
Messier said he hopes the unique experience of this performance stays with the ensemble members
“I hope they remember the feeling, the exhilaration,” he said.
