Joy, education & empowerment through
music
Welcome to Kookix Music School in
Dzemul, Yucatán, México
Welcome to KOOKIX MUSIC SCHOOL in Dzemul, Yucatán, México. We are a private, not for profit project that offers free music classes for children of all ages, including the instruments of their choice, in the pueblo of Dzemul and the surrounding communities in the northern Yucatan.
The project was started by Marjorie Skouras and Bruno Bardavid on their ranch Quinta Kookix in September 2021. Our mission is to empower students of all backgrounds to explore their creative potential and develop a lifelong appreciation for the arts.
To date, it has been supported financially by Marjorie and Bruno, along with some donations by friends and family of both funds and instruments.
Listen to La Llorona
November 1, 2022
Our Story
People ask us "Why music?" We were looking to support a program with strong historical and traditional roots here in the Yucatan, and the combination of the beautiful musical heritage of Mexico aligned with the concept of social change through music to give these children the opportunity to explore beyond their geographic and socio-economic boundaries. The program has taken shape organically, growing according to the interest and increasing abilities of the students, and it has created a thriving artistic community, dignifying and enriching the lives of all who have joined us.
We also just love music and the joy that it brings to everyone involved. DONATE HERE
There is no music school in Dzemul, and as in the United States, state funding for the arts has been greatly diminished, resulting in the discontinuation of art and music programs at the public schools in the Yucatan. The only option for music instruction has been through private lessons, something that is cost prohibitive for most of the children in Dzemul. Dzemul, like most of Mexico, has a rich musical and dance tradition – the Jarana dancers (the local folkloric ballet dancers) are known statewide, and three generations ago, Dzemul had an 80-piece orchestra named the Clave Azul (The Blue Note).
We started our project on September 30, 2021, with three students, Maria – 10, Joel – 9, and Santiago – 6, not knowing what kind of reception we would have. We were aided by our friend Eduardo Zarracino from the Hacienda San Francisco in Dzidzantun, who has been working with the children of his community for more than 15 years and took his group to perform at the White House not once, but twice. After the first class, we took the children and walked over to the community of San Diegito, which lies directly to the northeast of us, taking percussion instruments, and went from house to house to explain what we were offering, and that all were welcome. One week later, we held an open house with a musical demonstration and a pinata. The following week our little group had grown to 9 students. DONATE HERE
By Christmas of 2021, we were 14 strong, and a choir had been formed and had 6 songs, including one in Mayan. We were invited to perform at the Christmas tree lighting ceremony for the neighboring town of Cansahcab and received a certificate of thanks from the mayor.
Later in December, several of our group were invited to participate in a traditional Mayan musical performance at the famed Teatro Peon Contreras, Merida’s beautiful opera house. Three of the children had never been to Merida, a one-hour drive from Dzemul.
As we entered 2022, the choir was strengthening, and the children expressed an increasing interest in learning to play instruments. and so we had a demonstration of over 20 different instruments. At this point, Marjorie made a post on Facebook asking if anyone had any used instruments that they could donate. The response was overwhelming, and very gratifying. Marjorie and Bruno began to buy the musical instruments which were of interest to each child. We started to receive visits from our friends, their friends, and people we did not know but who had heard of our happy band of budding musicians, who began to bring musical instruments, and give us monetary donations. There were violins, cellos, guitars, ukuleles, clarinets, recorders, a transversal flute, trumpets, a trombone, a beautiful keyboard, percussion instruments (including those of Marjorie’s daughter India, which she had saved for 20 years not yet understanding why…), three electric guitars with an amp, a mandolin, and a vihuela de Mariachi, an elegant string instrument from Mexico. All of these were enthusiastically tried and chosen by the group of then 25 students. We have since augmented our selection by double, financed from our personal funds. We were so bowled over by the amount of talent, enthusiasm and dedication on the part of so many of these children that we could not stem the tide. DONATE HERE
We have become somewhat of an attraction…friends from Merida, as well as their visitors to the Yucatan, come out to see this wondrous phenomena in person, and many are moved to tears. In early spring of 2022, we had a visit from Grammy winner Steve Katz, one of the founding members of the legendary group Blood, Sweat and Tears, who gifted us with his personal guitar. He had heard about us from mutual friends in Merida and made a trip out to visit. For a girl from 1960s San Francisco, this was really, really cool…Steve returned to us a year later on February 14, 2023, to play his guitar for the school and answer a myriad of questions, a marvelous Valentine’s Day gift.
Bringing the outside world in has become a big part of our program. We have visiting musicians monthly now, from both inside and outside of Mexico. To date, we have had not only Steve Katz, but Jennifer Charles of Elysian Fields; Alejandro Pinzon, born and raised in Merida, now the conductor of the Pittsburgh Civic Symphony; professional saxophonist Michael Squillace from Philadelphia; Daniel Borges, renowned composer of Trova music from the Yucatan, with many more to come.
We are also venturing out into the world, with field trips. The mayor of the city of Dzemul, Willy Flota and his wife and partner Diana Lopez Franco, are supporting us with transportation to and from our events, for which we are enormously grateful. We visited the Museum of Yucatecan Music in Merida in February 2023, where we had a private tour and presentation, and are visiting the Museum of Popular Art in May of 2023. We are invited to perform (!!!) in the fall at both the Museum of Yucatecan Music and the Gran Museo del Mundo Maya in Merida, which is so exciting! In December 2023 we have an invitation to attend the Orchestra Sinfonica de Yucatan´s children´s Opera program. Several other field trips will be planned throughout the year. DONATE HERE
As the number of students grew, so did our teaching staff. We engaged Ramon Mata Cox, a Dzemul native and professional trumpet and trombone player, as director of the school. Maestro Ramon plays professionally with Banda Furia Latina, a group which is famous in the Yucatan, Quintana Roo, Campeche, Oaxaca, and Mexico State. His wife, Michelle Uc Tepal is our head of administration. We began to engage additional instructors in the summer of 2022 as the groups focusing on individual instruments began to grow. As of March 15, 2023, we have four instructors teaching singing, piano, guitar, ukulele, percussion, trumpet, clarinet and trombone. Please read more about each of them below.
As a symbol of our purpose and intent, Marjorie and Bruno have constructed a music school on the northeast corner of our property. It has an interior classroom with secure storage for instruments, and four exterior covered patio classroom areas, as well as two bathrooms, audio visual facilities, a performance area and gardens for larger events. The space is used enthusiastically 5 days per week for classes, and we have had several celebrations and events already, including the first The Voice Kookix singing competition with over 100 people in attendance, and an article in the local newspaper. In June, we are inaugurating Movie Nights, with a new projector and speakers donated by one of our supporters, featuring movies about music, and of course popcorn! DONATE HERE
We have known that the Yucatan is a place of magic since we arrived. Beyond the wild beauty and history of it all - it is the seat of the Mayan Empire – it´s magic manifests on a nearly daily basis. To be able to live amongst these joyous, kind, and generous people lifts one’s spirit and makes one feel that indeed anything is possible. The original idea was to find a way in which we could become part of our new community, and to give back for the great fortune which we have to be able to live here. It has become something so much bigger than this. It has touched us in ways we never imagined, changing our lives and outlooks. We have not only been accepted by our community but embraced in a way we had never expected. It has also created a strong and growing community of young musicians, who are thriving and learning new and valuable skills. We so very proud to share that we now have an orchestra of 26 musicians, the first in this town in nearly 60 years. There is another group of traditional Charanga musicians comprised of students from the school who are playing professionally at religious events around town – they were fully booked for Christmas 2022!
We entreat you to join our community in any way that you are able. We have become a portal to the world for these children and have pledged ourselves to the support and growth of the school for the foreseeable future.
Kookix Music School is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions for the charitable purposes of Kookix Music School must be made payable to “Fractured Atlas” only and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
Un Saludo Cordial,
Marjorie and Bruno
May 10, 2023
Dzemul, Yucatan
México
People ask us “Why music?” We were looking to support a program with strong historical and traditional roots here in the Yucatan, and the combination of the beautiful musical heritage of Mexico aligned with the concept of social change through music to give these children the opportunity to explore beyond their geographic and socio-economic boundaries. The program has taken shape organically, growing according to the interest and increasing abilities of the students, and it has created a thriving artistic community, dignifying and enriching the lives of all who have joined us.
We also just love music and the joy that it brings to everyone involved. DONATE HERE
There is no music school in Dzemul, and as in the United States, state funding for the arts has been greatly diminished, resulting in the discontinuation of art and music programs at the public schools in the Yucatan. The only option for music instruction has been through private lessons, something that is cost prohibitive for most of the children in Dzemul. Dzemul, like most of Mexico, has a rich musical and dance tradition – the Jarana dancers (the local folkloric ballet dancers) are known statewide, and three generations ago, Dzemul had an 80-piece orchestra named the Clave Azul (The Blue Note).
We started our project on September 30, 2021, with three students, Maria – 10, Joel – 9, and Santiago – 6, not knowing what kind of reception we would have. We were aided by our friend Eduardo Zarracino from the Hacienda San Francisco in Dzidzantun, who has been working with the children of his community for more than 15 years and took his group to perform at the White House not once, but twice. After the first class, we took the children and walked over to the community of San Diegito, which lies directly to the northeast of us, taking percussion instruments, and went from house to house to explain what we were offering, and that all were welcome. One week later, we held an open house with a musical demonstration and a pinata. The following week our little group had grown to 9 students. DONATE HERE
By Christmas of 2021, we were 14 strong, and a choir had been formed and had 6 songs, including one in Mayan. We were invited to perform at the Christmas tree lighting ceremony for the neighboring town of Cansahcab and received a certificate of thanks from the mayor.
Later in December, several of our group were invited to participate in a traditional Mayan musical performance at the famed Teatro Peon Contreras, Merida’s beautiful opera house. Three of the children had never been to Merida, a one-hour drive from Dzemul.
As we entered 2022, the choir was strengthening, and the children expressed an increasing interest in learning to play instruments, and so we had a demonstration of over 20 different instruments. At this point, Marjorie made a post on Facebook asking if anyone had any used instruments that they could donate. The response was overwhelming, and very gratifying. Marjorie and Bruno began to buy the musical instruments which were of interest to each child. We started to receive visits from our friends, their friends, and people we did not know but who had heard of our happy band of budding musicians, who began to bring musical instruments and give us monetary donations. There were violins, cellos, guitars, ukuleles, clarinets, recorders, a transversal flute, trumpets, a trombone, a beautiful keyboard, percussion instruments (including those of Marjorie’s daughter India, which she had saved for 20 years not yet understanding why…), three electric guitars with an amp, a mandolin, and a vihuela de Mariachi, an elegant string instrument from Mexico. All of these were enthusiastically tried and chosen by the group of then 25 students. We have since augmented our selection by double, financed from our personal funds. We were so bowled over by the amount of talent, enthusiasm and dedication on the part of so many of these children that we could not stem the tide. DONATE HERE
We have become somewhat of an attraction…friends from Merida, as well as their visitors to the Yucatan, come out to see this wondrous phenomenon in person, and many are moved to tears. In early spring of 2022, we had a visit from Grammy winner Steve Katz, one of the founding members of the legendary group Blood, Sweat and Tears, who gifted us with his personal guitar. He had heard about us from mutual friends in Merida and made a trip out to visit. For a girl from 1960s San Francisco, this was really, really cool…Steve returned to us a year later on February 14, 2023, to play his guitar for the school and answer a myriad of questions, a marvelous Valentine’s Day gift.
Bringing the outside world in has become a big part of our program. We have visiting musicians monthly now, from both inside and outside of Mexico. To date, we have had not only Steve Katz, but Jennifer Charles of Elysian Fields; Alejandro Pinzon, born and raised in Merida, now the conductor of the Pittsburgh Civic Symphony; professional saxophonist Michael Squillace from Philadelphia; Daniel Borges, renowned composer of Trova music from the Yucatan, with many more to come.
We are also venturing out into the world, with field trips. The mayor of the city of Dzemul, Willy Flota and his wife and partner Diana Lopez Franco, are supporting us with transportation to and from our events, for which we are enormously grateful. We visited the Museum of Yucatecan Music in Merida in February 2023, where we had a private tour and presentation, and are visiting the Museum of Popular Art in May of 2023. We are invited to perform (!!!) in the fall at both the Museum of Yucatecan Music and the Gran Museo del Mundo Maya in Merida, which is so exciting! In December 2023 we have an invitation to attend the Orchestra Sinfonica de Yucatan´s children´s Opera program. Several other field trips will be planned throughout the year. DONATE HERE
As the number of students grew, so did our teaching staff. We engaged Ramon Mata Cox, a Dzemul native and professional trumpet and trombone player, as director of the school. Maestro Ramon plays professionally with Banda Furia Latina, a group which is famous in the Yucatan, Quintana Roo, Campeche, Oaxaca, and Mexico State. His wife, Michelle Uc Tepal is our head of administration. We began to engage additional instructors in the summer of 2022 as the groups focusing on individual instruments began to grow. As of March 15, 2023, we have four instructors teaching singing, piano, guitar, ukulele, percussion, trumpet, clarinet and trombone. Please read more about each of them below.
As a symbol of our purpose and intent, Marjorie and Bruno have constructed a music school on the northeast corner of their property. It has an interior classroom with secure storage for instruments, and four exterior covered patio classroom areas, as well as two bathrooms, audio visual facilities, a performance area and gardens for larger events. The space is used enthusiastically 5 days per week for classes, and we have had several celebrations and events already, including the first The Voice Kookix singing competition with over 100 people in attendance, and an article in the local newspaper. In June, we are inaugurating Movie Nights, with a new projector and speakers donated by one of our supporters, featuring movies about music, and of course popcorn! DONATE HERE
We have known that the Yucatan is a place of magic since we arrived. Beyond the wild beauty and history of it all – it is the seat of the Mayan Empire – it´s magic manifests on a nearly daily basis. To be able to live amongst these joyous, kind, and generous people lifts one’s spirit and makes one feel that indeed anything is possible. The original idea was to find a way in which we could become part of our new community, and to give back for the great fortune which we have to be able to live here. It has become something so much bigger than this. It has touched us in ways we never imagined, changing our lives and outlooks. We have not only been accepted by our community but embraced in a way we had never expected. It has also created a strong and growing community of young musicians, who are thriving and learning new and valuable skills. We are so very proud to share that we now have an orchestra of 26 musicians, the first in this town in nearly 60 years. There is another group of traditional Charanga musicians comprised of students from the school who are playing professionally at religious events around town – they were fully booked for Christmas 2022!
We entreat you to join our community in any way that you are able. We have become a portal to the world for these children and have pledged ourselves to the support and growth of the school for the foreseeable future.
Kookix Music School is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions for the charitable purposes of Kookix Music School must be made payable to “Fractured Atlas” only and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
Un Saludo Cordial,
Marjorie and Bruno
May 10, 2023
Dzemul, Yucatan
México
Our story in pictures
imagery we have captured along the way.
An introduction to our instructors
in their own words
Maestro Ramon
Director of the Kookix school of music and teacher of trumpet and percussion
Mi nombre es José Ramón Mata Cox, originario de Dzemul, Yucatán. Llevo 10 años en la música y 8 años como músico profesional, he participado en concursos con diferentes grupos y bandas del estado y como logro principal en el 2017 participé con una banda estilo sinaloense y ¡ganamos un concurso nivel estatal con una banda de la ciudad de Mérida! He estado en grupos importantes del estado y viajado por estados vecinos llevando nuestra música ¡a todas partes! Estudié música privada en el área de trompeta con un maestro de la ciudad de Mérida llamado Sergio Collí, actual director de la orquesta Bartolomé Loria Canto de la Secretaria de Seguridad Pública de Yucatán, actualmente soy el Director de la Escuela de Música Kookix de Dzemul, Yucatán y maestro de percusión y trompeta ¡con el que contamos con más de 40 alumnos en diferentes áreas! Estoy muy contento de trabajar y aportar un granito de arena para hacer que en Dzemul haya más talentos en este bonito arte que es la música.
Maestro Luis
Singing Teacher
My name is Luis Fernando Catzin Pat, I am originally from the municipality of Dzemul, Yucatan, for more than 22 years I have been singing professionally, for 14 years I have been working in the cultural missions of the government of the State of Yucatan. My important achievements, since 1998 I have been participating in singing contests at the Municipal level, at the State level and at the National level, of which we have obtained 4 first places at the State level and 2 at the National level; In 2004 I had my first opportunity to work with children and young people from the Dzemul community, which gave me great satisfaction seeing how the new talents of my community are forged. Now I work at the Kookix School and I feel very happy That I be given, once again, that opportunity to work for the people of my town, love music, love singing, is my highest priority to teach my students and make them feel proud of our music and our culture!
Me llamo Luis Fernando Catzin Pat, soy originario del municipio de Dzemul, Yucatán, hace más de 22 años trabajo el canto de manera profesional, hace 14 años trabajo en las misiones culturales del gobierno del Estado Yucatán. Mis logros importantes, desde 1998 estuve participando en concursos de canto a nivel Municipal, a nivel Estatal y a nivel Nacional, de las cuales hemos obtenido 4 primeros lugares a nivel Estatal y 2 a nivel Nacional; en el año 2004 tuve mi primera oportunidad de trabajar con niños y jóvenes de la comunidad de Dzemul, la cual me dio mucha satisfacción el ver cómo se forjan los nuevos talentos de mi comunidad, ahora trabajo en la escuelita de Kookix y me siento muy contento de que se me dé, una vez más, esa oportunidad de trabajar para la gente de mi pueblo, amar la música, amar el canto, es mi mayor prioridad para enseñarle a mis alumnos y que se sientan ¡orgullosos de nuestra música y nuestra cultura!
Maestro Samuel
Piano Teacher
I’m from Motul, Yucatan and I’m 30 years old. I grew up in a musical environment, my grandfather and my father are musicians, thanks to my grandfather I got a lot of love for music, he taught me since I was 7 years old.
I don’t have a specific instrument since I dominate trumpet, saxophone, flute, keyboard, clarinet, trombone among others. In particular, I really like playing the trumpet and the saxophone.
As a child, the only teachers I had were my grandfather and currently my father, thanks to them I learned and am learning many things.
I didn’t have the opportunity to attend school due to many situations but I have always said that the love for what I do has taken me far and has given me many opportunities. Nowadays I’m in a musical group, “LEOS 77”, made up of family and which was founded by my grandfather Don Tomas Can.
I don’t think I have any specific song since each one has an important meaning for me. Every time I play a melody I am delighted. I love music and for me it is an art, a gift that God gives us and there’s nothing better than sharing our knowledge with these little ones, which give them an opportunity to learn.
I am attracted to how interesting it can be to teach a child from scratch and see their ability to learn and offer them everything that one day as a child I had the opportunity to have.
I see a spectacular future, I know that with a lot of effort and dedication many things will be achieved. I’ll give my all to be able to provide them what is necessary, their effort and dedication are my best reward and make everything worthwhile.
Soy de Motul Yucatán y tengo 30 años.
Crecí en un ambiente musical, mi abuelo y mi padre son músicos, gracias a mi abuelo le agarre mucho amor a la música él me enseño desde los 7 años. Mi instrumento no es específico ya que domino, la trompeta, saxofón, flauta, teclado, clarinete, trombón entre otros. En lo particular me gusta mucho tocar la trompeta y saxofón. De pequeño los únicos maestros que tuve son mi abuelo y actualmente mi padre , gracias a éllos aprendí y voy aprendiendo muchas cosas.
No tuve la oportunidad de asistir a una escuela, por muchas situaciones. Pero yo siempre he dicho que el amor hacia lo que hago me ha llevado lejos y me ha brindado muchas oportunidades. Actualmente estoy en un grupo musical “LEOS 77” conformado por familia y que fue fundado por mi Abuelo Don TOMAS CAN.
Yo creo que no tengo alguna canción específica ya que cada una tiene un significado importante para mi. Cada que tocó alguna melodía me deleito. Porque amo la música y para mi es un arte, un don que Dios nos brinda y no hay nada mejor que compartir nuestros conocimientos con estos pequeños, que les brindan la oportunidad de poder aprender.
Me atrajo lo interesante que puede ser enseñar desde cero a un pequeño y ver lo capaces que son de poder aprender y brindarles todo lo que un día de pequeño tuve la oportunidad de tenerlo.
Veo un futuro espectacular, sé que con mucho esfuerzo y dedicación se lograrán muchas cosas. Daré todo de mi para poder brindarles lo necesario. Su empeño y dedicación son mi mejor recompensa y hace que todo valga la pena.
Maestro Victor
Clarinet and Saxophone Teacher
I am from Zavala, Sotuta police station, Yucatán and I am 21 years old. I
grew up with the influence of a father who is a musician, thanks to him I took
a taste for music and since I was little I practice this beautiful art. My specific
instrument was not something that I wanted, in the beginning I always
wanted to be a trumpeter. One day they bought instruments in my town to start a musical project in which they gave me a saxophone. From that moment I took a liking to it and that has been my forte until now, later I learned to play other instruments, but the one I am most fond of is the saxophone.
As a child the only teacher I had was my father, thanks to him I learned the basics of the saxophone. I had the opportunity to attend the cultural mission in my town a few years ago when I was younger. Similarly, I took classes at the José Jacinto Cuevas Music Center (CEMUS) in the city of Mérida. Currently, he continued studying in the music area of the State Center of Fine Arts in Mérida in order to further expand my knowledge. I believe that there is no favorite song for me, there are many songs which make me feel totally inexplicable emotions. I teach because music is beautiful and to support people interested in learning about this unique world called music.
I was attracted to Quinta Kookix by how exciting it can be to see where we are able to support all the children who seek to learn every day and above all give them a little of everything I would have wanted when I was their age. I see a great future, I know we can achieve many things. They
have achieved a lot in all this time and I have no doubt that in a few more years Kookix and his children will be recognized throughout the state and
even outside of it.
I will work and give all my effort to give a good education to all the children, their smiles are the best motivation. #TeamKookix.
How to help
Donation Options
Kookix Music School is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions for the charitable purposes of Kookix Music School must be made payable to “Fractured Atlas” only and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
Alternative payment options
Please let us know if you would like to help using an alternative payment method.