Sunday night's gonna be more than just your average stroll down memory lane at the Tobin Center. Emilio Navaira's kids are bringing the late Tejano legend's tunes back to life, backed by an orchestra that's got strings to pluck heartstrings. According to KENS 5, Emilio IV and Diego Navaira are taking the stage with the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio (YOSA) to honor their pops with some orchestral flair.
Playing with musicians likely younger than some of Tejano music's greatest hits, the brothers will be jamming to dad’s classics like 'Juntos' and 'Como Le Hare', no doubt stirring up a mix of emotions and nostalgia. Emilio IV, chatting with KENS 5, said he's looking forward to the orchestra making it like ten times more emotional. Diego weighed in, mentioning how it's been a hot minute since they did a tribute back in their San Antonio stomping grounds.
Joining forces with YOSA's 40-member orchestra, which is no stranger to dropping classical bombs behind other big names, kick in some symphonic power to the Navaira songbook. Diego Navaira, who's no newbie to the strings and horns ensemble, confessed to San Antonio Report that having a symphony behind him gives him goosebumps, especially when belting out the old man's tearjerkers to new arrangements.
But let's talk about the kids in the band. YOSA's musicians, hand-picked from the San Antonio area's hotbed of under-22 talent, are soaking in Tejano for perhaps the first time. Troy Peters, the maestro whipping these young ones into shape, spoke of the discovery element as half the fun. He told San Antonio Report about when he first dipped his toes into Emilio Navaira's discography, falling for tunes before even knowing which were chart-toppers.
This union of legacy and fresh talent, slated for 8 p.m. at the Tobin Center, promises to be a night where tradition meets a new twist, and where fans are likely to find their feet tapping down memory lane. As Emilio IV foretold to KENS 5, expect to hear the soundtrack of your upbringing with a fresh spin — dance-worthy, nevertheless.
