Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
The Tucumcari Elementary School's Nyoka Marimba Band recently performed in Adele Ilfeld Auditorium at New Mexico Highlands University, its first public show in more than a year. Shown in the lobby of the auditorium after the performance are, from left, instructor Andrew Kesten, Jaelyn Smith, Mariela Montoya, Karina Banuelos, Valeria Ortega, Maleah Aldrerete (kneeling), Alexis Shankles, Jaelyn Stephenson, Gavin Wallace and Bryson Klinger.
The Nyoka Marimba Band at Tucumcari Elementary School recently held its first public performances in more than a year after being sidelined by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The band, directed by music teacher Andrew Kesten, gave a livestream performance from its music room on April 30 after in-person classes resumed at the school district during the early spring.
Its first live performance was May 14 at Adele Ilfeld Auditorium at New Mexico Highland University in Las Vegas that parents and family members were allowed to attend. The Highlands performance also was livestreamed so other family members could watch at home.
Kesten said the marimba band's last live performance had been Jan. 9, 2020, at the University of New Mexico's Popejoy Hall in Albuquerque.
He said his students began resuming their practices in August via the Google Meet videoconference platform, but it wasn't easy.
"The online practice was difficult because of the inherent latency," Kesten wrote in an email. "We could not play together for this reason. The students would play individually by turning on their microphones. It helped to record videos for practice purposes. The learning was much slower than in-person."
"These kids were resilient, focused and dedicated. They kept the program alive. I can't describe how proud I am of them," Kesten added.
The marimba is a percussion instrument, much like a xylophone, that originated in Africa. "Nyoka" in the band's name is Zimbabwean for "snake," a nod to the school's Rattlers mascot.
