Papas, Potatoes, y Más Papas…

Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra || Tour of Possibility in México

Benjamin Zander

June 14, 2025 | Jen Mabray

Rehearsal June 13 | Photo: Paul Mardy

Potatoes? 

Plain. Pale. Pulled from the dirt. Dense. Durable. And deceptively… Dull.

Ben laughed at himself when he offered this metaphor to the musicians of BPYO. “When you’re in your eighties, you tend to repeat yourself,” he said, with his signature glint and boyish smile. “But this one’s new.” He paused, then added “And it tastes so good!”

Our entire world has known now for more than four centuries that the potato is truly… magical. So let me season your imagination and lead you through the layers beneath the surface… 

Together, BPYO musicians form a staple ensemble—reliable, nourishing, often quietly essential. And under the hand of a gifted conductor, individual papas sometimes rise—seasoned, plated, and shining—center stage as the main course. 

Side by Side June 13 | Photo: Paul Mardy

So, what could such a humble tuber possibly have to do with Dvorak, Symphony No. 9 or Márquez’s, Danzón No. 2?

In Dvořak’s, Symphony No. 9, From the New World, the spuds abound! They form the scaffolding beneath the sound––the rhythm, the harmony, the phrasing, the bowing, the breath. Every long note held in pianissimo, every syncopated lilt, every unified downbeat from the strings rests on the starchy shoulders of our musicians.

Working through rehearsal June 13 | Photo: Paul Mardy

Watch Ben carefully during Dvořak–– he savors every silence. I’ll write about it again after we perform––but remember the long, revered breath in the final moments of Symphony No. 9? Ben’s eyes close. Every. Time. His expression, radiant with gratitude and wonder, reflecting his reverence for Dvořak’s most coveted silence. For Ben, it’s nothing short of suspended bliss.

The papas are what make it all possible.

And Arturo Márquez’s, Danzón No. 2? ¡Ay, Dios mío! If ever a piece demanded more than potatoes, it’s Danzón. Celebrated and beloved as México’s second national hymnal, it is no mere dish of boiled simplicity. Under Alfonzo’s baton, the orchestra was called to serve up something far richer: whipped velvety potatoes–– spiced with syncopation, seared with sensuality, and garnished with pure gusto! Márquez’s Danzón has swing and heat, restraint and release––emotion simmering just beneath the surface until it erupts in rhythm and motion.  

Right: Ben Zander's Masterclass | Photo: Jen Mabray

Watching the winds lock in with the rhythm section and the violins sway, almost involuntarily, it became clear: we weren’t just performing a Mexican composition. It was performing us!

But here’s the thing: a concert can’t be just… potatoes.

Ben’s point, of course, was that musicians can’t stop at technique or even talent. The real magic happens when you add butter, spice, and heat–– when the performance becomes human, soulful, and alive. Body language, movement, positive energy, attitude, and facial expression––each become a vital ingredient in how we tell the world not only who we are, but what we are made of. “We need the potatoes,” he told BPYO in our afternoon meeting. “But we’re not serving plain potatoes on this tour. We’re bringing flavor. We’re bringing México.”

Tonight's concert at Teatro del Bicentenario is sold out! On both sides of this cultural bridge––among staff, musicians, and conductors alike––we can already sense the energy rising, as anticipation fills the venue.

Teatro del Bicentenario atrium | Photo Jen Mabray

The Side by Side

The Side by Side served not only as preparation for tonight's performance, but also one of our most cherished international rites of passage: the musical exchange.

Side by Side: Erick Alberto Villa Sierra from Orquesta Juvenil Universitaria Eduardo Mata | Photo: Jen Mabray

Young Mexican musicians from five different youth orchestras across Guanajuato, Léon, and México City gathered to play for the legendary Benjamin Zander. Their conductors came too, eager to study his full-bodied sweep of his gestures, the precise diction of his baton, and his signature running commentary––a spirited instruction in transforming the physical into a medium that conveys the ideology of the music itself.

Ben Zander's Masterclass | Photo: Paul Mardy

The Side by Side is more than just a vessel for learning and musical growth––it’s a spark: a mutual reaching to connect. Stand partners exchanged contact information. In this vibrant Mexican setting, our musicians showed pure excitement and respect as they learned and absorbed new words and phrases in Spanish––some of them key for tomorrow’s concert. Bright smiles lit the faces of the extraordinarily talented Mexican students as shared music blossomed into shared language.

BPYO Musicians and Mexican Musicians during the Side by Side June 13 | Photo Jen Mabray

We were not merely rehearsing Elgar’s, Nimrod––we were rehearsing culture. Our packed stage became a site of exchange, where musical interpretation was deepened by cross-cultural dialogue. New techniques were absorbed. New ways of listening, leading, and responding took shape. The synergy that emerged—rooted in shared artistry, mutual respect, and the bridging of cultural perspectives—generated a palpable euphoria within the concert hall.

BPYO Caroline Samuels & Angel from from Léon during the Side by Side June 13 | Photo: Paul Mardy

And So… Potatoes y Papas

So how shall I wrap this up? A day of instruction––for both students and their conductors. A day of cultural exchange. And yes, a day of potatoes. Fittingly, potatoes were even served at dinner (Well, for everyone except Kento––who was awarded a slightly more exotic cuisine).

Kento and his exotic meal June 13 | Jen Mabray

As a historian, I find it essential to trace the arc from utility to elegance… from the mundane to the sublime–– which, in many ways, was the very theme of today. Consider, for instance, Marie Antoinette, who famously adorned her hair with potato blossoms, transforming a symbol of sustenance into a fashion statement among the Parisian elite.

Music elevates the raw and the everyday into something transcendent. But, it’s still more than that. The sound coming from Jessica Jeon’s violin, or Sadie Goodman’s flute isn’t just a story of successful playing––it’s a story of contribution, of possibility. And those two ingredients combined are what moves audiences.

Dinner at Casa del Tia Popa June 13 | Photo: Jen Mabray

The next time you see a potato, I hope you see potential. I hope you see resilience. I hope you see transformation. And maybe––just maybe––a little music waiting to bloom.

Written by: Jen Mabray