La Banda
Music workshop taught by Juan Tarango Martinez, David Beebe, Primo Carrasco, and others
Copresented by MISD as part of the Camp Summer Shake-Up
Workshop, June 6-9, 2016
Final performance, Crowley Theater, Thursday, June 9th, 7pm
Community potluck, June 9th, 6pm, all community members are invited to bring a dish and celebrate
The performance and potluck are free
The students of Marfa Live Arts’ Camp Summer Shake-Up program ‘La Banda,” were guided by their music teachers, Juan Tarango Martinez, Manuela Martinez, David Beebe and Primo Carrasco.
The first day of class kids to tried out each instrument. The auditorium became a playground for the students to experiment with a drum-set, bongos, guitars, “squeezeboxes”, wood blocks, keyboards, guiros, maracas, tambourines, cowbell, triangles, xylophones, and more. A few brave students took to the microphone and sang for their peers. The young musicians learned about cumbias and how to keep rhythm. A cumbia dance team of La Banda students accompanied the music with their choreography.
Juan Tarango Martinez and his daughter Manuela Martinez are leading the workshop. Juan has a recording studio in town and brought many of his own instruments and gear to the workshop for the kids to use. David Beebe is the expert drummer on site, and is working with the students on keeping count as they play along with the music. Primo Carrasco is leading guitar lessons, teaching the students to strum and pick new guitars that have been provided by Marfa Live Arts with the support of Texas Women for the Arts and Texas Commission for the Arts. Marfa Live Arts will be donating all instruments purchased for the program to the school band program at the end of the workshop.
La Banda serves as “band practice.” All members of the class, both teachers and students, rehearsed as an ensemble, choosing a few instruments they wish to become acquainted with in the allotted time. The final performance was at the Crowley Theater on Thursday, June 9th, at 7pm. There had a community potluck beforehand at 6pm, all community members were invited to bring a dish and celebrate. T
Marfa Live Arts and La Banda are generously supported by the 2016 Season Sponsors, Texas Commission on the Arts, and Texas Women for the Arts. Tremendous gratitude to the leadership and educators of Marfa ISD especially superintendent Andrew Peters, who coordinates all of Summer Shake Up, principal Oscar Aguero who spoke to the kids about his experience with music, and bus driver Mr. Madrano who was a professional musician throughout his life and was able to play with the kids tonight.
Special thanks to Norma Martinez, Jessica Allen, Julie Bernal, Big Bend Sentinel, Tim Crowley of Crowley Theater, Primo Carrasco and Jackson Wisdorf of Marfa Public Radio, Robert Saltonstall, Dan Shiman, Cory Van Dyke, and Sarah Vasquez.
These week and this evening performance are also made possible through the support of the parents of our talented students.
