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EDUCATIONAL TESTIMONIALS VENEZUELA
"When I met Christopher García at the LATIN AMERICAN CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL in San Francisco, as he rehearsed and played one of his pieces for ancestral Mexican percussion instruments and wind quintet, I rediscovered something I had somehow lost track of throughout the years: a musician rooted in the rituals of magical performance. Beyond the external aspects of power, virtuosity or any other relative term of comparison, there was something unique coming across, akin to a religious experience, through his beats and rhythms. I think Christopher is definitely on the path of connecting the objects he strikes or shakes with the deeper currents of the soul. That's what I felt when he played; he's not only resuscitating old instruments, he's on a different search." COMPOSER PAUL DESENNE www.pauldesenne.com/ UNITED STATES “Christopher Garcia brings a wealth of experience, dynamism, and passion to each of his events. Through ongoing research into primary sources from Mesoamerica, he is concerned with representing the wisdom and traditions of the First Peoples who inspire the music he shares. His music invites those present to look more closely at their own cultures and backgrounds, while always searching for common human ground. The event we hosted that showcased his music was a great success. Students were talking about it for days afterwards!” Ezekiel Stear PhD AUBURN UNIVERSITY MEXICO CITY, MX "Christopher Garcia is frequently invited as a soloist with symphony and chamber orchestras in Europe and America's to play instruments that are rarely associated with music of the European tradition including Tlapan Huehuetl, Teponaztli, Huilacapiztli and Atecocolli from Mesoamerica, alongside tabla from North India, kanjira, and ghatam from South India...." TIEMPO LIBRE MAGAZINE ARTE Y CULTURA EN MEXICO UNITED STATES "Sometimes the ancestors walk with us and sometimes they walk within us. Rarely both. But listening to Flower Song Music we experienced both – and more. It was emotionally moving and visually striking. The music took us to a place firmly rooted in the essence of the earth. Seeing them, being with them, in concert was simultaneously profound and uplifting. Their knowledge of the ancestors whose music, philosophy, and thoughts shared were so deep it retains a vibrance that continues to resonate long after the concert was finished". AMAPOLA PLAYERS ROBERTA MARTINEZ ABRAZOTES. UNITED KINGDOM “Highly respected ethnomusicologist and percussionist from Los Angeles, CA, USA, Christopher Garcia gave a masterful, inspirational and engaging presentation on ancient Mexican music and nature-based sounds to a family audience, who were enthralled all evening. The combination of performance and informal illustrated talk was a winner from the start. A unique, multisensory experience which brought distant Mesoamerica to life. A real treat for those lucky enough to attend.” IAN MURSELL MEXICOLORE.UK https://www.mexicolore.co.uk/ UNITED STATES “Christopher Garcia is a national treasure. Watching him and his family bring Mesoamerican instruments and 500-year-old codex stories to life on stage in San Antonio, Texas, U.S.A., and later sharing his studio with me one-on-one in California, was one of the most moving sonic journeys I’ve experienced. He opened my eyes to the sound medicine instruments that are part of my own heritage. I had long looked to the East for gongs and singing bowls, never realizing gongs were part of the Mesoamerican tradition too. What he shared filled in real gaps about my ancestors. He’s a masterful storyteller, a gifted musician, and a beautifully humble man. I encourage anyone who gets the chance to witness his storytelling to take it.” Michael Enderle SOUND MEDICINE WHEEL Michael Enderle SOUND MEDICINE WHEEL https://www.soundmedicinewheel.com/ GERMANY
"While he has devoted much of his life to learning indigenous music Garcia also revels in playing the new and unexpected….. Garcia's musical vocabulary not only spans centuries and cultures it's also spontaneous." DEUTSCHE WELLE GERMANY'S INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTER UNITED STATES “The Garcias presented one of the most engaging, thought-provoking, and informative lecture- demonstrations we’ve had at CalArts in some time. Deeply knowledgeable and extremely passionate, the Garcias presented a two-hour journey into Meso-American Music that not only showed tremendous scope and depth of knowledge but created intrigue and curiosity, posing many questions still to be answered. As much as their class was a journey to another time, place, and culture, it was equally reflective and introspective, made highly personal to everyone in attendance by the masterful teaching style, fantastic anecdotes and storytelling, and soulful performances. We look forward to having them back as Visiting Artists at CalArts again to share more with our students and community.” RANDY GLOSS DRUMMER / PERCUSSIONIST / COMPOSER / EDUCATOR WORLD MUSIC DEPT CHAIR PERFORMANCE PROGRAMS HERB ALPERT SCHOOL OF MUSIC @ CALARTS "The first time I heard Christopher's music, I felt my spirit stirring within me. The sounds, so deeply connected to nature, are grounding and pure, flowing effortlessly in every direction. His music is both healing and uplifting, inspiring and deeply moving. It is an emotional experience, powerful and unforgettable." LAURA VAZQUEZ RODRIGUEZ – ARTIST lauravrodriguez.net/cultural-art Christopher and Yolanda have such big hearts, musical mastery and passion to impart important not-taught cultural history. It was a pleasure hosting you and bringing you to so many schools where the kids were ignited by rhythmic clapping, singing and reciting in multiple languages you taught them! Whew. It's a mutual admiration. Thank you! EVA SOLTES JOSHUA TREE FOUNDATION FOR ARTS & ECOLOGY and HARRISON HOUSE. “We were so grateful to have musician Christopher Garcia perform for the 4th and 5th grade students attending our Summer Encounter Arts Intensive at the Colburn School. The array of instruments and styles of playing showcased was thrilling, from simple gourds in water bowls, sculptured percussion pieces and powerful African and Indian drums. He shared with our students a wholehearted love for percussive music, the varied cultures from which it comes, and its power to unite us through dynamic rhythm, storytelling and fun!” ABIGAIL CARO THE COLBURN SCHOOL LOS ANGELES, CA UNITED STATES
"Collaborating with Xochi Cuicatl—Christopher Garcia and his family—was an amazing and enriching experience. They put on a musical performance to conclude a live public reading of Book 12 of the Florentine Codex to commemorate the quincentennial of the surrender of Tenochtitlan and the fall of the Aztec Empire. By bringing in traditional Mesoamerican instruments and singing songs in Nahuatl, Xochi Cuicatl helped bridge the present with the past and gave audiences an evocative impression of what flower songs of the Nahua people may have sounded like. This performance offered a measure of closure after dealing with this difficult commemoration of Mexica history and an assurance that Nahua culture and language remain vibrant today. Chris went above and beyond to make this event a success, despite all the challenges of producing it in the midst of the COVID pandemic. Chris and his family's spirit is an inspiration to all. It was an enormous honor and pleasure working together! Tlazcamati miac!" DR. KIM RICHTER THE GETTY RESEARCH INSTITUTE INDIA "We hear a variety of percussion, including instruments from India, Mexico and MesoAmerica. They sing and throb to the pulse of a single person, Christopher Garcia. He produces an extraordinary array of sound and rhythms, effortlessly weaving in and out of familiar Indian patterns to those of traditional MesoAmerica........." SRUTI MAGAZINE INDIA'S PREMIER MAGAZINE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS UNITED KINGDOM "An incredible meeting with an extraordinary musician! Thank you, Christopher, for joining us in Cambridge for a night filled with magical sounds that remind us of the significance of the Precolumbian spiritual world and the connection with our ancestors through music." DR. JIMENA LOBO GUERRERO ARENAS SENIOR CURATOR IN WORLD ARCHAEOLOGY MUSEUM OF ARCHAEOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE UNITED STATES "Christopher Garcia is a multifaceted master musician that has the unique gift of becoming one with the instruments he is playing, thus sharing the vibrations with those present. His knowledge and respect of the ancient instruments he plays allows him to bring to life their ancestral tones and rhythms. Anyone fortunate to be a part of this experience will be blessed with an experience they'll never forget." JERRY TELLO NATIONAL COMPADRES NETWORK UNITED KINGDOM "Christopher Garcia brings us into community with strangers, beloveds and practitioners from many fields. With profound curiosity about what is possible when we listen together, Garcia generates a shared experience of transformation and social growth." BHANU KAPIL, POET UNITED STATES “Christopher’s musical talent and expertise transcends generations, traditions and culture. His ability to share foreign folklore with young children is astounding, as it is done through both music and storytelling, allowing children to connect through the sentiment of the melodies. I was privileged to witness Christopher motivate and help children explore a variety of instruments, as well as inspire confidence in themselves as they connected to the instrument and themselves.” DIANA LOPEZ, MSW 
“What a gift for our entire community! We had a great time learning about Mesoamerican music and expressing ourselves through dance. Some of us were inspired to find our own rock instruments. We hope that you will visit us again next year!
With sincere gratitude, GRACIELA BARBRA CASTRO EDUCATOR @ SANTA MONICA ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLHOUSE "Our visit to Camp Glen Deven was amazing. In addition to learning about the coastal watershed, the hikes, the creek crawl and the surrounding environment, we learned about the heritage of the Mexica indigenous people. We were treated to an myriad of percussion sounds from the many instruments and objects played by master percussionist Christopher Garcia. After a three days about learning about nature, our coastal environment, music, history, swimming, making our own pizzas, arts and crafts and games played, our students left in awe of the best camp ever." SONIA ARAMBURO, PRINCIPAL OAK AVENUE ELEMENTARY GREENFEILD UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT "The presence, power and voice of your intentions rouses our spirits, illuminates positive intentions within us, (re)uniting us with the absolute legitimacy and joy of our belonging- in our own skins as well as in the worlds around us. You bring out the gifts we each have inside ourselves! How wonderful that you share yours with these communities. TODD FARRINGTON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MANAGER BIG SUR LAND TRUST “Christopher’s musical talent and expertise transcends generations, traditions and culture. His ability to share foreign folklore with young children is astounding since it is done through both music and storytelling, which easily allows children to connect through the sentiment of the melodies. I was privileged to witness Christopher motivate and help children explore a variety of instruments, as well as inspire confidence in themselves as they connected to the instrument and themselves” DIANA LOPEZ, MSW “His knowledge regarding MesoAmerica is remarkable and spiritually enlightening. The spellbinding performance of our native culture reaches many levels of our nature yearning for validation historically denied. Thank you uniting our souls with our true spirit.” JOSEPH PORTILLA 5TH GRADE TEACHER GREENFIELD UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT "We want to take the time to thank Mr. Christopher Garcia for introducing us to career pathways in music. He introduced us to various musical instruments and talked about their history. Most importantly, he inspired us to reach for the stars! Everything is possible if we believe in ourselves." BEATRIZ GONZALEZ NEAL ROBERTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL "Christopher was a warm, engaging presenter. He seamlessly wove the history and culture of the instruments into his performance and made it all very informative relatable to young children and adults. His variety of unique instruments created an intriguing yet comfortable environment for children to both interact and ask questions. His passion for his craft is contagious and we would have him back at our school in a heartbeat" GROWING PLACE SCHOOL Santa Monica, CA “We were so grateful to have musician Christopher Garcia perform for the 4th & 5th grade students attending our Summer Encounter Arts Intensive at the Colburn School The array of instruments and styles of playing showcased was thrilling, from simple gourds in water bowls, sculptured percussion pieces and powerful African and Indian drums. He shared with our students a whole-hearted and great love for percussive music, the varied cultures from which it comes, and its power to unite us through dynamic rhythm, storytelling and fun!” ABIGAIL CARO THE COLBURN SCHOOL LOS ANGELES CA "I would like to thank Christopher for sharing his passion, love, and positive vibes with our school. The kids and staff loved him. Chris is an inspiring musician who speaks to the heart not only with his words, but through his music. Thanks for introducing such an inspiring person to us." MAYRA ACEVES NEAL ROBERTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BILINGUAL EDUCATOR SAN BERNARDINO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT "Thank you so much for coming to our school! Our 5th graders talked about your visit for the rest of the week! After learning about the different instruments, my students were truly inspired in the creation of their own instruments. Many of the instruments included elements seen in your demonstration (water, rocks, and use of "every-day items" to make their instruments! Some of our kiddos got to use their instruments in the school's end of the year band performance. Attached is a picture of your visit and some instrument examples from the project that followed! Thank you again and I can't wait to have you visit again next year to kick off our "science is everywhere" projects!" MISS HEATHER HERSHBERGER KIPP LA.ORG EAST LOS ANGLES, CA |
