For the first show of Mexico at 200, Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas conductor and New York native, Alondra de la Parra examines Mexican music from the late 1700s through early 1900s, and traces how Euro-centric Mexican composers began to exoticize their sound through local new-world character.

Mexico at 200: The Birth of Nationalism is the first show of Mexico at 200 and sets the stage for the birth of avant-garde Mexican modernism and the transformation of an imported European sound into something uniquely Mexican, with music by Juventino Rosas, Ricardo Castro and Gustavo Campa, among others.

Hear Mexico at 200 every day at 7 a.m. and p.m., starting Tuesday, May 25, and continuing through Friday, May 28. Mexico at 200 celebrates 2010 and the Bicentennial of Mexican Independence.

Mexico at 200 is hosted by Alondra de la Parra, with research assistance from Joshua Feltman. The producer is Alex Ambrose, and the executive producer is Limor Tomer.