January 17, 2012

Students invited to learn about the history and culture of Afro-Caribbean music

Jan. 9, 2012—On Friday, January 6, more than 100 high school students were treated to a live demonstration of Afro-Caribbean music as part of a special program entitled, Afro-Caribbean Rhythms: Echoes of the Soul. The event, which took place in the High School LGI, was presented by Pedro Perez and his band mates Marcus Benoit and Joe Montarello from the local musical group Gabriels Groove. Students from several Spanish, Social Studies and English classrooms attended, as well as members of the high school’s Latin Dance Club.

Perez served as the lead presenter, taking students through the history of Afro-Caribbean influence on Latin American and American music. He discussed several different styles of music, each showcasing a different rhythm, and then joined his friends to demonstrate songs of each style being discussed.

Students were also invited to join the band for a song at the conclusion of the program. “Students can become so much more involved and engaged when speakers from the community share their insight,” said Chelkowski, a teacher with the World Languages and Cultures department who organized the event. “The students were able to relate to decades of music that stem from Afro-Caribbean rhythms–not reading about it from a text book or watching it on TV but rather hearing and feeling these rhythms live.”