On a personal note..........
In 2002 I was recommended for a duo performance in Pasadena, CA
I played percussion of India and the other musician played breath and string
instruments from various parts of the world.
it was the first time we had met
1 year later he invited me to perform a concert with his ensemble
The ensemble at that time also included
Malik Sow of Senegal
and
Martin Espino of Los Angeles,
two musicians that I had also never met prior.
On the drive there from East Los Angeles with Martin we spoke about many things.
It turns out that we had a lot of musical friends in common,
but our names had never been mentioned about or to each other.
We had been traveling in 2 very different worlds
and our circles had never intersected.
After that performance and long discussions about music, Martin and I collaborated
in two very different musical endeavors between 2003 and 2012 whenever I was in Los Angeles,
as I was touring 90 days a year at that time in 28 countries on 5 continents.
CLICK ON BUTTON for additional information
In 2002 I was recommended for a duo performance in Pasadena, CA
I played percussion of India and the other musician played breath and string
instruments from various parts of the world.
it was the first time we had met
1 year later he invited me to perform a concert with his ensemble
The ensemble at that time also included
Malik Sow of Senegal
and
Martin Espino of Los Angeles,
two musicians that I had also never met prior.
On the drive there from East Los Angeles with Martin we spoke about many things.
It turns out that we had a lot of musical friends in common,
but our names had never been mentioned about or to each other.
We had been traveling in 2 very different worlds
and our circles had never intersected.
After that performance and long discussions about music, Martin and I collaborated
in two very different musical endeavors between 2003 and 2012 whenever I was in Los Angeles,
as I was touring 90 days a year at that time in 28 countries on 5 continents.
CLICK ON BUTTON for additional information
The ensembles we collaborated on were either
MEXIKA -
performing original compositions for indigenous instruments of Mexico
from various regions of Mexico
MEXIKA did not incorporate "traditional" danza rhythms or drumming
it was mostly soundscapes and some traditional songs from non MEXICA/AZTECA cultures
and/or
QUE TAL -
breath instruments of Mexico and percussion of India and Mexico
Each of us knew how to read and write Western notation and had practical performance
experience playing these and other Western instruments and improvising in different contexts,
(Martin has studied classical guitar at Immaculate Heart College and I attended
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF THE ARTS on a full scholarship studying western music
and percussion of India) but I also had incredible opportunity's to learn and play with
traditional and classical musicians from
Africa,
China,
India,
Japan,
as well as classical, jazz and rock musicians
and we started to incorporate other musical aspects and ingredients
of music along with the indigenous ones that we knew.
Traditions are ALWAYS in a state of flux, and change constantly,
when one circle intersects another things change,
they always have and they always will......
MEXIKA performed at several concerts and educational lecture
demonstrations mostly in California
(but never outside of the United States)
for various educational levels - middle school to the university level,
sharing what we have learned and continue to learn about instruments,
and various cultures of indigenous Mexico.
Information gleaned through study, and personal contact with various musicos,
danzanates, and artisans, through playing, collaborating, and lots of reading,
research, studying and verifying that information and more playing.
Any danza rhythms or drumming I learned was from the following drummers
and not within the context of MEXIKA which never utilized danza rhythms in our performances
CLICK ON LINK for their names
MEXIKA -
performing original compositions for indigenous instruments of Mexico
from various regions of Mexico
MEXIKA did not incorporate "traditional" danza rhythms or drumming
it was mostly soundscapes and some traditional songs from non MEXICA/AZTECA cultures
and/or
QUE TAL -
breath instruments of Mexico and percussion of India and Mexico
Each of us knew how to read and write Western notation and had practical performance
experience playing these and other Western instruments and improvising in different contexts,
(Martin has studied classical guitar at Immaculate Heart College and I attended
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF THE ARTS on a full scholarship studying western music
and percussion of India) but I also had incredible opportunity's to learn and play with
traditional and classical musicians from
Africa,
China,
India,
Japan,
as well as classical, jazz and rock musicians
and we started to incorporate other musical aspects and ingredients
of music along with the indigenous ones that we knew.
Traditions are ALWAYS in a state of flux, and change constantly,
when one circle intersects another things change,
they always have and they always will......
MEXIKA performed at several concerts and educational lecture
demonstrations mostly in California
(but never outside of the United States)
for various educational levels - middle school to the university level,
sharing what we have learned and continue to learn about instruments,
and various cultures of indigenous Mexico.
Information gleaned through study, and personal contact with various musicos,
danzanates, and artisans, through playing, collaborating, and lots of reading,
research, studying and verifying that information and more playing.
Any danza rhythms or drumming I learned was from the following drummers
and not within the context of MEXIKA which never utilized danza rhythms in our performances
CLICK ON LINK for their names
INDIGENOUS SYMPHONIC MUSIC
2008 to the present
invited to work with the percussion section of the
BAKERSFIELD SYMPHONY
who performed
CARLOS CHAVEZ
SINFONIA INDIA
and
SILVESTRE REVUELTAS
SENSEMAYA
these pieces composed in 1936 for symphony orchestra and indigenous
instruments continues to be played worldwide but usually with Western substitute instruments instead of the indigenous instruments it was originally composed for.
We worked elbow to elbow for a few hours in order to familiarize them with non Western techniques.
I was also asked to give a 10 minute lecture about the instruments and the composition before we performed the piece.
Since then I have worked with the
THE ALL STAR ORCHESTRA
THE DUPAGE SYMPHONY
LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA
THE UCLA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
and several others providing tutelage for the percussion sections
as the instruments do not respond the way Western instruments do
e.g.,
the water drums move when you strike them
the Yaqui hand held drum requires the instrumentalist to hold
the drum with one hand, and strike it with a stick in the other hand
all the while finding the balance point so that the drum does not lose
its resonance
i.e.,
different techniques which most orchestral drummers have little to
no experience with
2008 to the present
invited to work with the percussion section of the
BAKERSFIELD SYMPHONY
who performed
CARLOS CHAVEZ
SINFONIA INDIA
and
SILVESTRE REVUELTAS
SENSEMAYA
these pieces composed in 1936 for symphony orchestra and indigenous
instruments continues to be played worldwide but usually with Western substitute instruments instead of the indigenous instruments it was originally composed for.
We worked elbow to elbow for a few hours in order to familiarize them with non Western techniques.
I was also asked to give a 10 minute lecture about the instruments and the composition before we performed the piece.
Since then I have worked with the
THE ALL STAR ORCHESTRA
THE DUPAGE SYMPHONY
LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA
THE UCLA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
and several others providing tutelage for the percussion sections
as the instruments do not respond the way Western instruments do
e.g.,
the water drums move when you strike them
the Yaqui hand held drum requires the instrumentalist to hold
the drum with one hand, and strike it with a stick in the other hand
all the while finding the balance point so that the drum does not lose
its resonance
i.e.,
different techniques which most orchestral drummers have little to
no experience with
CLICK
on the YOUTUBE below to hear
SINFONIA INDIA
played twice
INTRODUCTION
by CONDUCTOR BRUNO NASCIMIENTO
03:22
SINFONIA INDIA
performed with substitute western percussion instruments
16:43
SINFONIA INDIA
performed with indigenous percussion instruments of Mesoamerica/Mexico
on the YOUTUBE below to hear
SINFONIA INDIA
played twice
INTRODUCTION
by CONDUCTOR BRUNO NASCIMIENTO
03:22
SINFONIA INDIA
performed with substitute western percussion instruments
16:43
SINFONIA INDIA
performed with indigenous percussion instruments of Mesoamerica/Mexico
The DUPAGE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA hosted Christopher Garcia
as artist-in-residence for our November 19, 2022 concert, “Mexico & Spain.”,
which was
SOLD OUT
Mr. Garcia is a specialist in indigenous Mexican instruments and music and
demonstrated many of these instruments. Mr. Garcia is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, and educator with critical accolades and popular acclaim in 28 countries
on five continents who has given hundreds of performances and presentations.
Mr. Garcia is a “Who’s Who” in the world of music, equally skilled with drum set, marimba, the percussion of North and South India, and is a specialist in the indigenous wind, string and percussion instruments of Mesoamerica and Mexico.
INDIGENA COLLABORATIONS
From 2012 to the present I had the great fortune to be invited to work, record and
concertize with indigenous MUSICOS and practitioners from Mexico when they
perform in the United States as well as performing concerts in Mexico where they
allowed me the use of the larger instruments which are difficult to travel with when I
concertize there.
It has been an eye and ear opening spiritual EXPERIENCE to be invited to work
with learn, and MAKE MUSIC with these kind folks
as it is a very different inflection than what is done inside the United States by modern day
practitioners that don't have that practical EXPERIENCE in traditional and non traditional settings.
From 2012 to the present I had the great fortune to be invited to work, record and
concertize with indigenous MUSICOS and practitioners from Mexico when they
perform in the United States as well as performing concerts in Mexico where they
allowed me the use of the larger instruments which are difficult to travel with when I
concertize there.
It has been an eye and ear opening spiritual EXPERIENCE to be invited to work
with learn, and MAKE MUSIC with these kind folks
as it is a very different inflection than what is done inside the United States by modern day
practitioners that don't have that practical EXPERIENCE in traditional and non traditional settings.
INDIGENA COMPOSITONS
most orchestras play music of Mexican composers once a year,
which means that audiences only get to hear indigenous instruments
in these settings once a year.
I have arranged music for various ensembles since 1978 but started to compose
consistently since 2002 specifically for these instruments which has led to concerts
across the world
CLICK
on the link below to visit any of the ensembles I compose for
I have been more than fortunate to be invited to perform my compositions
for indigenous instruments of Mexico/Mesoamerica several times in Mexico since 2006
personal highlights for me were concerts in Mexico City
@
Teatro de la Cuidad,
El Castillo de Chapultepec,
and in San Miguel de Allende
@
El Charco del Ingenio,
Teatro Peralto and the museo in San Miguel de Allende,
as well concerts in
Costa Rica,
Europa,
Korea
U.K.,
and the United States.
THANKS
to the many anthropologists, archaeologists, dancers,
drummers, educators, elders, filmmakers, instrument makers, musicians,
scientists, who continue to share and discuss information
in regards to the instruments, the music, culture and history
in order to learn, research and corroborate the info via books,
personal experience, and modern day practitioners.
There are literally thousands of modern day practitioners
who utilize the instruments in various primarily traditional formats,
most of them being trained through the oral tradition.
My hope is that all the circles mentioned above will continue
to interact and intersect and share their information.
Our youngest daughter is a full time archaeologist, with degress
history, anthropology and art history and has boots on the ground
in Belize, Guatemala, Mexico and the United States.
She keeps me up to date on the most current discoveries, which still have not
been made public and are being catalogued and documented daily.
The Codices I have only read about for years and shown her as replicas,
she has actually held in her hands. (with gloves on, of course)
The work is never ending and there is ALWAYS so much more to learn about,
which is why this site was created so that people who are interested do not start
where I started, but start from where I left off.
INFORMATION is to be learned, discussed, questioned
and KNOWLEDGE is to EXPERIENCE the information
with those who know far more than us
what little I know I gladly share thru the creation of this site.
GRACIAS A TODOS
Christopher Garcia
for indigenous instruments of Mexico/Mesoamerica several times in Mexico since 2006
personal highlights for me were concerts in Mexico City
@
Teatro de la Cuidad,
El Castillo de Chapultepec,
and in San Miguel de Allende
@
El Charco del Ingenio,
Teatro Peralto and the museo in San Miguel de Allende,
as well concerts in
Costa Rica,
Europa,
Korea
U.K.,
and the United States.
THANKS
to the many anthropologists, archaeologists, dancers,
drummers, educators, elders, filmmakers, instrument makers, musicians,
scientists, who continue to share and discuss information
in regards to the instruments, the music, culture and history
in order to learn, research and corroborate the info via books,
personal experience, and modern day practitioners.
There are literally thousands of modern day practitioners
who utilize the instruments in various primarily traditional formats,
most of them being trained through the oral tradition.
My hope is that all the circles mentioned above will continue
to interact and intersect and share their information.
Our youngest daughter is a full time archaeologist, with degress
history, anthropology and art history and has boots on the ground
in Belize, Guatemala, Mexico and the United States.
She keeps me up to date on the most current discoveries, which still have not
been made public and are being catalogued and documented daily.
The Codices I have only read about for years and shown her as replicas,
she has actually held in her hands. (with gloves on, of course)
The work is never ending and there is ALWAYS so much more to learn about,
which is why this site was created so that people who are interested do not start
where I started, but start from where I left off.
INFORMATION is to be learned, discussed, questioned
and KNOWLEDGE is to EXPERIENCE the information
with those who know far more than us
what little I know I gladly share thru the creation of this site.
GRACIAS A TODOS
Christopher Garcia