MARFA — Before the bell even rings, signaling the official start of the class period, Marfa Junior High and High School students are affixed to their instruments of choice in the band hall, a space that has been devoid of music since band programs were cut a few years ago.
Eighth-grader Jerika Rodriguez sits comfortably at a drum kit in athletic gear; sophomore Daniela Fernandez plays the black and white keys of a 12-pound accordion that’s strapped to her chest.
It’s only the students’ second week participating in the new conjunto music program, taught by Juan Martinez, but they claim the borrowed instruments as their own, thrashing symbols and sending air across accordion reeds, resulting in a disjointed, cheerful sound.
“I’ve been dreaming of this for maybe over 40 years,” said Martinez, Marfa ISD welding teacher and a lifelong musician. “I always wanted to be a music instructor, but I never thought it would be Spanish music, like conjunto or Tex-Mex or anything like that, but this is a reality.”
Conjunto is a musical genre unique to the state. It developed over a century ago when Tejanos became interested in the accordion music of German, Polish and Czech immigrants. Many of the students have heard conjunto music before, Martinez said, but are only now becoming aware of its history in the new class.
“They were blown away because they thought it was just something that you listen to at quinceañeras and stuff,” Martinez said. “I said, ‘No, it goes back to the Polish and the Germans, with their accordions coming to Texas, remember, migrating, and with the Mexicans putting a guitar in, then a drum set and just changing it up’.”
The class — a total of 18 students — came about because more extracurricular activities were needed to fill the schedule, Martinez said, and he jumped on the opportunity to lead it when approached by Interim Superintendent Arturo Alferez. The conjunto class is also cheaper than a full-fledged marching band, and more local.
“I think it’s better than a marching band because it’s most of our culture,” Senior Marisa Hernandez said. “So we get to bring the culture into school.”
For now, the class is utilizing instruments from the preexisting band program and from Martinez’s personal collection. His hope is that the initial trial year will be successful and the conjunto class will gain funding for more instruments in the future.
In the meantime, students are familiarizing themselves with percussion, including the drums, cowbell and cabasa, in addition to vocals, guitar, piano, accordion and saxophone. They are starting out by learning Cumbias from Selena, “something simple, just to get them acquainted,” Martinez said. The class’ current goal is to work towards a Christmas concert.
Martinez can play every instrument, by ear, and is in his element with the start up musicians. He grew up in Marfa, and began performing publicly at age 8 with his brothers to help support the family. He runs a recording studio in Marfa called Dream Shack and plays in a band called Alturas.
He said he wants to give his conjunto students the opportunity to learn various instruments, gain exposure to the history of music, and ultimately help preserve the culture.
“I want them to know where it came from, how it was made, the whole nine yards, that’s what’s beautiful,” Martinez said. “It’s them rediscovering different music and instruments and genres that I grew up with, because it’s kind of fading.”
Martinez said he’s working to boost the students’ confidence and teach them how to play as a unified group, but they are already making strides compared to just a week ago.
Clutching drumsticks, eighth-grader Jerika Rodriguez explains that her favorite part of the kit is the bass drum with its reverberating, deep sound. She said she “loves the drums” — the second instrument she tried out after the guitar — and how her classmates are all comfortable with one another.
“She wants to keep playing after the bell rings, it’s like, ‘Okay, it’s time to go’,” Martinez said.
Senior Marisa Hernandez is helping train Rodriguez and another student on the drums. “They’re getting the hang of it,” Hernandez said. “They’re pretty good too.”
Sophomore Daniela Fernandez was drawn to the accordion for its look and feel, she said. “I like the buttons and the way it sounds and pulling it too,” Fernandez said.
She learned the G chord in Tuesday’s class, and said she’s nervous about the prospect of performing for a live audience but confident she’ll get there. “I have time,” Fernandez said. “And if I get quicker with the buttons, then I’ll be good.”
The conjunto class is allowing Martinez to make an impact on student lives, he said, and having a music program back at Marfa ISD that expands students’ horizons is exciting.
“You’re giving them a chance to expand their music ability, their knowledge,” Martinez said. “It’s a good place to start if you want to do something with your musical career, you want to learn how to play guitar and then start writing music. It’s somewhere versus nothing.”