LEAF INTERNATIONAL GUATEMALA

GUATEMALAN MARIMBA, MANDOLIN AND MORE!

THIS RESIDENCY WILL BRING A TASTE OF THE RICH AND EXPANSIVE INSTRUMENTATION THAT AWAKENS MAYAN TRADITIONS USING THE MARIMBA (NATIONAL INSTRUMENT), VIOLINS, GUITARS, PERCUSSION, AND KEYBOARDS. PAIRED WITH CUSTOMARY DANCES, STORYTELLING, AND CLOTHING, STUDENTS WILL TRULY EXPERIENCE GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP DURING THIS MUSICAL JOURNEY.

5 DAYS WEEK OF 5/8-5/12

PRICE: $1000

In 2007, LEAF International partnered with NC musician David LaMotte who led PEG Partners - a non-profit organization focusing on issues of literacy, critical thought, and artistic expression, in partnership with Guatemalan schools and libraries. Through this connection, LEAF supports teaching artists in El Tejar to provide after school music and cultural arts programs. Classes are designed by teachers to not only give children a firm base in the instrument they are learning but a firm base in the history of Guatemalan culture. Lead culture keeper Sara Morales has been teaching for LEAF for 16 years, and currently teaches classes with her students 2 nights a week. An avid music lover and an individual proud of her Guatemalan heritage, she finds teaching for LEAF International not only a rewarding opportunity but important work. Why? She tells us that this work is meaningful to her, “because art is to share and it is very important to teach our traditions to our youth so that they value and appreciate our culture. When our students perform music it gives importance to our traditions. The people in our community value the work that we do, and our students are a positive example for other young people in our community who think only foreign music has value. We are preserving our culture by passing it down to new generations. This work is important because there are fewer spaces [for our traditional culture] because of globalization.”