Oaxaca lives and breathes musicbut this cultural tradition It is largely the result of community effort and not government support. Faustino Díaz, director and trombonist of the Ensamble de Estrellas Oaxaqueñas, expressed it clearly at the press conference of the Oaxacan representation at the International Cervantino Festival (FIC).
“There are people who are born and know that they will be musicians, but in regions like La Cañada, few young people dedicate themselves to music. They do not have the same luck as those who grow up in the Sierra and Central Valleys or on the Coast. It cannot be generalized that the music learning It is going to be the same everywhere,” declared Díaz.
The director emphasized that, although there is a rich musical legacy in Oaxacathe lack of adequate infrastructure for music education limits opportunities for many young people.
“Some bands that study in Veracruz are just being formed. He tomusical learning is not the same for a child that is born in Central Valleys or in the Sierra that for those who are born on the Coast; the latter has more complications.” In this context, he highlighted that many of the successful bands in Oaxaca are supported by community projects and not by government support, since “there has never been government support,” he stressed.
He “Oaxacan Stars Ensemble,” which will be presented at the Temple of the Company of Jesus Oratory of San Felipe Neriaims to rescue works by forgotten local composers and show the musical diversity of Oaxaca. This afternoon, your program will include everything from Renaissance works by JS Bach to compositions by Juan Matías and Daniel Pineda, culminating with the emblematic hymn “God never dies” by Macedonio Alcalá.
Oaxacan music is a living testimony of the history, resistance and cultural wealth of the state, presented at the Cervantino International Festival. Photo: Cuartoscuro
The Pream, a musical group originally from Santa María Tlahuitoltepecwill also be present at the festival as part of the concerts that will be held today in Los Pastitos. At a press conference, they shared that their musical training did not come from a conservatory, but from a cultural heritage passed down from generation to generation.
“What we play is what we have absorbed, we interpret it in our style,” they commented. Their music fuses traditional rhythms with contemporary genres, demonstrating that the musical richness of Oaxaca goes beyond typical syrups and dances.
On the other hand, the Juchirap collective will bring to the FIC a fresh proposal that mixes rap with the Zapotec language. Despite facing initial skepticism from some, his determination has managed to open doors.
“If you lift a stone, a musician comes out. Our goal is bring new generations closer to the Zapotec language through their music, and demonstrate that rap can be an effective means to revitalize this cultural heritage,” the group clarified.
