Music exchange broadens cultural boundaries

SANDPOINT — One of the greatest things about music is that it knows no bondaries.

Despite linguistic or cultural differences, musicians can instantly converse through the universal language of their instruments. Students and teachers at the Music Conservatory of Sandpoint are enjoying that unique relationship this week with a group of special guests from Mexico, including guest instructors Antonio Malave and Marli Calderon. After several intensive practices this week, Malave will conduct an orchestra of local students and Mexican exchange students in a concert set for 2 p.m. Friday at the Panida Theater. Event organizers suggest a donation of $5 for entry.

“We’re really excited for the students to get a different cultural and musical experience under (Malave),” said conservatory instructor and co-founder Ruth Klinginsmith.

Hailing from the city of Mexicali in Baja California, the instructors and students of the Red Rio Nuevo Youth Chamber Orchestra launched into practices Tuesday morning after arriving in Sandpoint only hours beforehand. They crossed the U.S.-Mexican border Monday morning, caught a plane in San Diego, Calif., to Salt Lake City, Utah, where they caught a flight to Spokane. Local resident Rick Reed drove them to Sandpoint from the airport. According to Malave, the schedule left the crew tired but excited for the opportunity to teach and perform in the U.S.

“The music really helps (students from different cultures) to understand each other,” Malave said through an interpreter.

A longtime professional musician, Malave is a Venezuela native who cut his teeth in El Sistema, a massive, publicly-financed music education program designed to combat the country’s high crime and violence rates.

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Malave eventually became a member of the Simon Bolivar Orchestra, Venezuela’s elite youth orchestra. In 2010, Malave was asked to organize a community youth orchestra in Mexicali through a public-private partnership. Using El Sistema as a model with crime prevention in mind, Malave soon attracted hundreds of participants to the youth orchestra.  

Malave aims to bring his considerable teaching experience to Sandpoint students. Not only does he instruct in the principals of orchestral performances — he also teaches students how they can pass their skills onto others. This model could potentially serve as a foundation for establishing a community youth orchestra similar to Red Rio Nuevo.

This isn’t the first time Malave will be working with Sandpoint musicians. In March, musicians Keegan Bernardin, Torrin Bernardin, Kai Whitley and Nichol Reed traveled to Mexicali as a part of a cultural exchange. While in Mexico, they played with the 165 members of the Red Rio Nuevo Youth Chamber Orchestra. In fact, Nichol was instrumental in setting up the exchange thanks to her yearly Mexico trips.

“It was wonderful to see (the Sandpoint students) so happy as they played with the rest of the orchestra,” Malave said.   

Now Red Rio Nuevo students Nohemi Limon, David Ortega, Alexandra Stoopignan and Uriel Medina have an opportunity to complete the exchange. They’ll be playing in a complete youth orchestra with several regional students ranging in age from 10 to 18.

“What I think is neat is that they all get to come together and take part in this full orchestra,” said Klinginsmith, who recruited most of the local student musicians for the event. “For some of (the local students), this will be their first experience in an orchestra.”

After their performance in Sandpoint, the Mexican students will travel to Spokane and play with the Spokane Youth Symphony Orchestra. They’ll be back in town with the Spokane orchestra Aug. 4 to play the Festival at Sandpoint family concert.

Malave said the trip is possible thanks to the funding from the Cultural Institute of Baja California, better known in Mexico as the ICBC, and the Redes 2025 program, an initiative designed to establish youth orchestras in the major Baja California cities of Tecante, Mexicali, Tijuana, Rosarito Beach and Ensenada. The contributions are also valuable for local youth, who also can benefit from the socially positive aspects of music programs.