Tecate Beer and the San Francisco Philharmonic Craft a Cross-Cultural Musical Experience

Tecate puts a Latinx twist on “Pops” orchestral programs, fusing hip-hop, reggaeton and dancehall beats into a one-night-only concert designed to celebrate cross-cultural pride and get the crowd dancing in their seats.

To hype its Alta light beer, Tecate joined with agency Remezcla and Jessica Bejarano, musical director of the San Francisco Philharmonic, to present “Alta Sinfónica,” happening Saturday (Oct. 1) at the city’s Herbst Theatre.

Bejarano will conduct the philharmonic’s classical musicians, while emerging artists Snow Tha Product, Oscar Cortez and Los Rakas perform reimagined versions of their best-known tracks.

Here’s a quick promo that hits the highlights:

And in this mini-doc (the first part of a three-part video series), Bejarano explains her motivations, and rocks a snazzy new S.F. Philharmonic tattoo:

“People shouldn’t be boxed,” she says in the video. “I feel the same way about music. Music shouldn’t be boxed, either. Like symphony music belongs in the symphony hall, and hip-hop and rap belong somewhere else. Let’s take these boxes out of the equation, and create something different, something special, something unique.”

At one point, Bejarano recalls attending classical performances and being mistaken for an usher or asked to prove she purchased a ticket. This speaks volumes about just how far America hasn’t come in terms of cultural relations, and her experience puts a fine point on the themes of inclusivity and awareness in “Alta Sinfónica”.

“I want people to be able to walk into a concert hall and be welcomed, and not questioned as to why they’re there based on what they look like,” she says.

Proceeds from the show will benefit the nonprofit San Francisco Philharmonic, and select segments will stream in coming weeks on Tecate’s social channels.

“Music has been part of our brand’s consumer activations for a number of years now, and for our newest product, Alta, we wanted to do something different to reach the new generation of U.S. consumers,” the brew’s brand director Belen Pamukoff tells Muse.

“Tecate Alta is all about welcoming unique perspectives and embracing what makes us different,” Pamukoff says. ” ‘Sinfónica’ celebrates and brings audiences on a journey of cultural convergence, nodding to the blend of classic and contemporary sounds. It is the perfect example of how our brand encourages this new generation of consumers to be as they wish to be—unique and unconventional.”