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Musicians
give Sturgen students real taste of Spanish language
by David Howell
Musicians give Sturgeon students real taste of Spanish language
David Howell, The Edmonton Journal
Published: Saturday, December 01
NAMAO - For a few moments, a hot rhythm took Justin Classen
right back to Cuba.
"I close my eyes and it's like being there," the
Grade 12 student at Sturgeon Composite High School said Friday.
"¡Bomba! is as close to actually being there as
you can possibly get."
Classen, 17, visited Cuba last spring on a school-sponsored
trip.
RITMO
LATINO: Luis Emilio from the Latin band Bomba! shows
Sturgeon Composite High School students how to dance
Latin-style on Friday. |
He revisited -- in his mind at least
-- when Spanish teacher Shelley Speer invited ¡Bomba!
to spend Friday at Sturgeon Composite.
Five of six members of the critically acclaimed Latin
jazz band hosted workshops with students who are studying
Spanish and music.
The visit closed with a concert in the gym. Students
sang along in Spanish to Guantanamera. Principal Brian
Brigden joined dozens of other dancers in a rhumba line
led by singer-guitarist Luis Emilio Rios.
"We don't want the Spanish language just to be
about grammar and verb tenses," Speer said of why
she organized the event. "We want to give context
to what they're learning. |
"We want the Spanish students to learn about the people
who speak this language, and we want them to understand where
the music comes from.
"And for the band students, it's important for them
to deal with these professional musicians who know these different
rhythms and can explain how the music is different from each
country."
In an afternoon workshop, ¡Bomba! leader Mario Allende
taught music students the distinctive clave rhythm which is
the foundation of Latin music.
After about 30 minutes of instruction, students picked up
their trombones, trumpets, flutes and other instruments and
took part in a loud, long jam.
"This is like a team effort," Allende, a percussionist,
said in encouragement.
"All of this stuff comes together and creates a rhythm,
a style that you can't resist. Together we're creating something
very elegant, very complex ... very beautiful."
Travis Brenneis, 15, got a bongo lesson from drummer Raul
Gomez Tabera, while his friend Brett Sheehan, 15, played standup
bass alongside bassist Rubim de Toledo.
"They knew what they were doing and they gave us lots
of input and advice," Sheehan said after the jam.
Music teacher Darwin Krips said playing with the pros helped
his students gain a deeper understanding of the music.
"Those kids thought they were only going to listen,"
Krips said.
"They didn't realize they were going to play. But when
they're open, and they try like that, that's what's really
cool. I think it's amazing that they can take that leap of
faith and trust themselves, musically, to do that."¡Bomba!
was formed in Edmonton about eight years ago. Three of the
six musicians are from Cuba. Allende, who was born in Chile,
said he and his bandmates learned as much as the students.
"If I really want to understand something, I should
sit down and try and teach it to you," he said.
"We're teaching a bit, but we always learn so much more.
They give back to us." |
