The Ministry of Culture and Youth, through the National System of Musical Education (SINEM), announces a new chapter in the cultural and musical exchange between Costa Rica and Mexico. This July, a series of events will bring together young musicians from both nations.
On this occasion, Costa Rica will welcome the Symphony Orchestra of the Professional Institute for Teaching and Human Development (IPEFH), from the city of Toluca, State of Mexico. This exchange has been made possible thanks to the efforts of Maestro Jorge Siliézar, director of the SINEM Cóbano branch, who has facilitated enriching musical encounters, workshops, and reciprocal visits between teachers and students.
This year’s tour includes three SINEM locations: Quepos, Puntarenas, and Cóbano. The program features concerts for the Puntarenas community:
- July 4 – 3:00 p.m. | Concert at Marina Pez Vela, Quepos
- July 5 – 12:00 p.m. | Performance at Plaza del Pacífico, downtown Puntarenas
The delegation will then travel to Cóbano to participate in the International Music Festival of Cóbano, an event also organized by the Ministry of Culture and Youth through the SINEM Cóbano branch.
The concerts will include performances by the orchestras of SINEM Quepos and SINEM Puntarenas, who will share the stage with the Mexican musicians. This is a unique opportunity for Costa Rican students to grow artistically by performing alongside high-level international musicians in a space of learning, cultural exchange, and collective growth.
The Mexican ensemble is led by Maestro Luis Antonio García Cuevas and includes young musicians accompanied by professors Hetziel García Portillo, Óscar Alberto Garza, Susana León, and Monserrath Aguilera Rivera. Their repertoire features emblematic pieces of Latin American music, celebrating the spirit of unity between nations.
As part of strengthening this cultural bond, a selection of students from the SINEM branches in Cóbano, Puntarenas, and Quepos will have the opportunity to travel to Toluca, Mexico, from November 28 to December 8, 2025, to participate in the IPEFH Orchestra Festival. “This international experience offers a valuable opportunity for artistic development and personal growth for young Costa Rican musicians,” stated SINEM.
This visit is made possible thanks to the joint efforts of the Ministry of Culture and Youth, through SINEM, with the support of the parent associations of Quepos, Puntarenas, Miramar, and Cóbano, local municipalities, the Puntarenas Tourism Promotion Board, and Marina Pez Vela.
“Initiatives like these strengthen cultural cooperation between sister nations and enrich the artistic education of new generations, promoting values such as respect, coexistence, and peace through music,” shared SINEM.
