Taco Talk: Dynamo and bassoonist Lia Uribe
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I recently met Lia Uribe, associate dean of Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas, for tacos and conversation.
The setup: Uribe suggested Taqueria Guanajuato #1 in Springdale. I followed her lead. That's probably a good idea for most people.
- She ordered al pastor, asada and "tripa" (tripe, or beef intestine), $3 each.
- Less adventurous, I had al pastor, asada and quesabirria.
State of play: If there were such a thing as perpetual motion, Uribe would be the human incarnation.
- She's the chief bassoonist with the Arkansas Philharmonic Orchestra, formerly played with the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas and routinely plays internationally. Oh, and she holds three academic degrees.
- Until the recent promotion to associate dean, she also taught music at UA.
Yes, but: Her interest in advancing inclusiveness, representation, and diversity in the arts underpins most activities.
- Uribe says it's important for women and Latinas to see representations of themselves playing in prestigious orchestras.
- She also works to help unknown composers by seeking them out for original works she can perform.
- "The decisions we make for what we play has the potential to affect people," she said, meaning both on a psychic level and commercially.
Uribe hosts "Sound Perimeter" on KUAF-FM, is a board member of Creative Arkansas Community Hub and Exchange (CACHE) and is founder of the RefleXions music series.
The verdict: Uribe enjoyed her assortment of tacos — especially the tripe. I preferred the asada. We both used only the green sauce, which was very mild.
- Originally from Colombia, Uribe said she's not a taco expert but knows what she likes, which is why she frequents Taqueria Guanajuato.
Listen to Uribe:
- Ojo de Tormenta by Jorge Mockert
- Swan Song by Katherine Murdock (starts at 6:19)
🎶 Taco Talk is a new regular feature. We'll sample a taqueria with the movers, shakers, artists and bakers of NWA, and rap about news in their world.