Last week I traveled to Guanajuato, Mexico, a singularly beautiful old city, to participate in a convocation of critics from various disciplines. This was at the behest of the Cervantino International Festival, which, in its forty-second year, remains one of the more imposing arts festivals on the global scene. Unfortunately, I wasn't there long enough to gain a good impression of Cervantino's offerings, although I did catch a concert by the Next Mushroom Promotion Ensemble, from Japan. Tomoko Fukui's Schlaglicht, a grippingly spastic, wild-eyed piece for violin and piano, was the highlight. Performers this year include the Ensemble Intercontemporain, Steve Schick and red fish blue fish, the Arditti Quartet, Les Arts Florissants, and Bach Collegium Japan. I was happy to meet Hilda Paredes, and came away with a list of younger Mexican composers to investigate. Many thanks to Dr. Jorge Volpi, the festival director, for hosting me.