A keyboard in the making--from these bars of wood come the beautiful tones you hear as Juan Carlos is playing. These bars (or said in Spanish, teclas) are being made in the workshop of one of Mexico's very best and most highly respected marimba makers, the Nandayapa Family. It is on a Nadayapa marimba that you'll practice at school.
Nandayapa's workshop is high on the bank of the Rio Grijalva in the small town of Chiapa del Corzo in Chiapas Mexico. Click to tour the Nandayapa workshop.
This is the text we recommend you buy to continue learning once you're back home. Co-autored by a member of the Nandayapa family, this book comes right out of the State of Chiapas, right out of the heartland of this incredible musical genre.
The text is in both Spanish and English.
Should you wish to buy a copy but you can't come to Veracruz at this time, just contact us and we'll send you the info you need to purchase one.
Likewise if you'd like to investigate purchasing a spectacular Mexican Marimba from the Nadayapa family, let us know and we'll put you in touch with them.
The Language Immersion School doesn't sell the texts nor does it sell marimbas. The school--that's us--does not receive any remuneration in any manner whatsoever from a purchase you might make.
A more advanced text, and one that is in Spanish only, has been available for a number of years. It was written by the world-renowned marimbista, Zeferino Nandayapa.
Zeferino, who passed away in December of 2010, was the uncle of the marimba making Nadayapa brothers. He was a profesor of music at UNAM in Mexico City. Many say that until his death for many years he had been the most important figure and performer of Mexican Marimba.
For those who already read music and play a keyboard instrument, we're able to move quickly into multi-part arrangements. This book is a tremendous ensemble experience, and takes our more advanced students directly to playing in a three person group.
These very popular, very traditional songs are arranged in three parts by Terry Baldridge PhD. His arrangements capture the sound of the marimba as we hear it being played in plazas and on sidewalks and at events. The text is in English.
Dr. Baldridge is a musicologist and professor of music. For a number of years he has been studying Mexican and Central American Marimba. This book is available from vendors in the U.S. It is Music of Mexico and Central America by Terry L. Baldridge.
In Dr. Baldridge's words, "this publication was a direct result of me spending 6 weeks there {here in Veracruz at our school} and hearing the music every night in the zocalo."
Included are the following
- One hour private lesson Monday through Friday with Juan Carlos or another local marimbista.
- A two-hour outing Monday through Friday with a charlante
- Housing (air conditioned room with private bath) in the school's gracious and traditional Mexican home
- Two meals a day five days a week, and snacks and "recalentados" are available
- All materials needed for class
- High speed Internet access (ethernet or 802.11 b and g wireless) using your computer or ours
- Weekly laundry service (no dry cleaning or pressing)
- Airport pick-up upon your arrival
- Exercise machine
- You are always welcome to join us when we take our boat out onto the Gulf of Mexico.
- And here's a list of little things always available that students tell us are charged for in some schools--drinking water, coffee and tea, fruit, popcorn, kleenex, towels for the beach, air conditioning, "reheats" (the leftovers from the day's La Comida), bus fares during outings, email computer.
- We are ready to help you plan weekend trips, and we’re happy to make sure you’re on the right bus. You may wish to take a run to Puebla or Oaxaca City, or even visit the magnificent ruins at Teotihuacán or Palenque.
Pricing
- We have class starts every Monday. Your room is available as early as noon on Saturday before your Monday start. Most folks fly down Saturday afternoon or evening or on Sunday. Check-out is Saturday morning after your last Friday of class.
- For the first week the price is 675 USD
- Starting with the second week the price per week is 600 USD
Marimba Lessons
Learn to Play Mexican Marimba
While You Enjoy the
Vacation of a Lifetime
Marimba in Veracruz.
