Experience Arizona Music

This event is also occurring on Sunday, July 15.

Included with paid museum admission; free for members

Escape from the heat and immerse yourself in sounds of the Southwest! Home to a wonderfully diverse population and an impressive range of distinct musical styles, Arizona has cultivated a rich musical history. Join MIM as we celebrate the unique musical landscape of our home state.

Sponsored by APS
Supported by Canyon Records

Arizona-Themed Gifts Available for Purchase
9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
The Museum Store will offer instruments, music, books, and local handmade gifts that will commemorate the music and culture of Arizona.

Maraca Craft
9:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
The maracas are an iconic instrument heard in many Latin styles and popular music genres that have a foothold in Arizona. In fact, legendary Arizona musician and “Father of Chicano Music,” Lalo Guerrero, was known to play a pair of pink, flower-covered maracas during his career. Join the fun to make and decorate a maraca for your own instrument collection.

Photo Booth
9:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Have your photo taken with fun costumes and props at MIM’s custom photo booth, and instantly get your own copy to take home as a souvenir!

Toe-Tap Pianos
9:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Add your own tunes to Arizona’s musical diversity—using our eight-foot-long piano mats.

Native American Music Performance
10:45–11:30 a.m.
Enjoy Native American flute music by Grammy Award nominee Aaron White (Diné-Ute), Navajo horse songs and Canadian round-dance songs by Jay Begaye (Diné), and Mexicá flute and drum meditations by Xavier Quijas Yxayotl (Huichol). White, whose instruments are on display at MIM, will also discuss Native American flute making, and Quijas Yxayotl will talk about his reconstructions of Aztec-style flutes and drums. This special collaboration among three Native artists is copresented by Canyon Records. An independent record label based in Arizona and one of the oldest in the industry, Canyon Records specializes in recording and distributing traditional and contemporary Native American music.

Face Painting
11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Add some of the vibrant colors of the Arizona landscape to your look! Have your face painted with a colorful design by the artists of Hello Face Paint.

Arizona Lunch Menu Available for Purchase
11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
Enjoy a special menu at Café Allegro highlighting Arizona flavors, with dishes including Sonoran style hot dogs, “Burros” beef machaca, and sweet fry bread.

Curator Talk: “Arizona’s Musical Landscape”
11:45 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Dr. Richard Walter, MIM’s curator for North America, will discuss the combination of deep traditions and contemporary innovations that help define Arizona’s unique musical history. Learn more about the cultural and environmental factors contributing to Arizona’s diverse genres, exciting instruments, and influential musical legacies.

Arizona Young Artist Performance
1:00–2:00 p.m.
In addition to having a thriving professional music scene, Arizona is home to an abundance of talented music students. Come and hear select students from the Phoenix Conservatory of Music, Rosie’s House, and Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock Teen Center in performances that highlight the accomplishments of the next generation of Arizona’s musicians.

Arizona Songs and Stories
2:15–3:00 p.m.
Honored as “Arizona’s Official State Balladeer” since 1966, Dolan Ellis writes and performs songs that pay homage to the people, little known places, and special moments in the state he calls home. Enjoy a presentation and performance by this Grammy Award–winning artist with a singular adoration for Arizona.

Mexican Folkloric Music Performance
3:15–4:00 p.m.
Arizona hosts a vibrant community of musicians who perform a range of musical genres from Mexico. With a raw and intimate approach to classic styles such as rancheras, boleros, and huapangos, the all-female trio La Luz de la Luna will be at MIM this weekend to share their passion for traditional Mexican folkloric music.

Photography courtesy of Robert Doyle / Canyon Records