Orquesta Sinfónica del IPN, Villa Gustavo a. Madero

February 3, Thursday concert. Edmundo D�az del Campo, formerly with the San Diego Symphony, conducting Brahms "Academic Festival Overture" followed by Rodrigo's "Concierto de Aranjuez" and Mendelssohn's "Midsummer Night's Dream' incidental music. A surprisingly good concert considering that IPN is a tech school with no music department per se. Although some sections displayed technical weaknesses the ensamble provided a cohesive interpretation under the baton of Diaz del Campo. The Brahms piece was energetic and grandiose with a sour moment provided by the French Horns in a short segment of the piece. Edgar Mario Luna, a young performer, was the soloist in the guitar concerto playing with security and aplomb in this brilliant piece. The Mendelssohn showcased five out of the 13 numbers composed for the Shakespeare's play. The best were the overture, allegro appasionato, and Wedding March. The difficult Scherzo proved to be out of the skill range of the musicians sounding blurry and sloppy and the Nocturne had again unfortunate moments with the French Horn section. Despite the brief shortcomings this orchestra deserves a visit by music lovers in the North area of Mexico City. It could well be considered a valid cultural alternative to this underserved area since everything seems to concentrate in the South.