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
Performed for Hanal Pixan, the night of the children’s spirits for Day of the Dead, at the cemetery of Dzemul.
November 1, 2022
Our Story
We started our project on September 30, 2021, with three students not knowing what kind of reception we would have. By the following week our little group had grown to 9 students. By Christmas of 2021, we were 14 strong, and a choir had been formed and had 6 songs, including one in Maya, under their belts. 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. We were on to something…
As we entered 2022, the children expressed an increasing interest in learning to play 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. We received substantial cash donations, and many musical instruments from not only our friends in Merida, but from friends around the globe. 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. 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.
Our story in pictures
Our school has a colorful history filled with characters best shown through the
imagery we have captured along the way.
An introduction to our instructors in their own words
Maestro Jose Luis Chan Sabido
Program Coordinator Kookix Music School
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A native of Merida, Yucatan, Jose Luis is the founder and head of the Vienna Music Academy in the nearby pueblo of Motul. His story is remarkable, an inspiration of the highest order, and we are blessed to have him helping to refine and enhance our experience at Kookix Music School.
A violin prodigy, Jose Luis left the Yucatan by himself at the age of 14 to go and study violin at the Music School of the University of Veracruz in Xalapa. At the age of 19 he was playing with the Symphony Orchestra of Xalapa. At 21 years of age, he left Veracruz to attend the prestigious University of Music and Dramatic Arts in Vienna, Austria. Soon he was playing in the Orchestra of the State Theatre of Baden bei Wien, His work in Vienna took him on voyages around the globe, and he played in Indonesia, China, the USA, Russia, Taiwan, Italy, Spain, Poland, Germany, France, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Belgium, the UK, Hong Kong and Greece, as others.
He settled in Catalonia, and was the Artistic Director of the Chamber Orchestra of Pirineus Catalonia, and violinist with the Symphony Orchestra of the Principality of Asturias. During this period, he was also a violinist with the Symphony Orchestra of the Gran Teatro del Liceu of Barcelona.
Upon returning to the Yucatan in 2005, He was the titular and artistic director of the Academic Camerata (Chamber Orchestra) and Coordinator of Internal Services in the area of the Department of Promotion and Development of the Arts of the City Council of the City of Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico. In 2006 he was named the Director of the Youth Orchestra of the Yucatan. In 2008, he was made Director of the Symphony Orchestra of the Yucatan, OSY. In January 2011 he was invited by the American Consulate in Yucatán and the
Embassy of the United States of America to attend as a representative of Mexico at the International Conference “Association of Performing Arts Presenters” in the city of New York.
His full list of accomplishments is much longer, and includes his mastery of Spanish, Catalan, German, English and French.
Thank you, Jose Luis, for believing in us, and extending the hand that we have all been waiting for – we are thrilled!
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Coordinador del Programa Kookix Music School
Originario de Mérida, Yucatán, José Luis es el fundador y director de la Academia de Música de Viena en el cercano pueblo de Motul. Su historia es notable, una inspiración del más alto nivel, y tenemos la suerte de contar con él para ayudarnos a refinar y mejorar nuestra experiencia en Kookix Music School.
Un prodigio del violín, José Luis dejó Yucatán solo a la edad de 14 años para ir a estudiar violín en la Escuela de Música de la Universidad Veracruzana en Xalapa. A la edad de 19 años tocaba con la Orquesta Sinfónica de Xalapa. A los 21 años, dejó Veracruz para asistir a la prestigiosa Universidad de Música y Arte Dramático en Viena, Austria. Pronto tocó en la Orquesta del Teatro Estatal de Baden bei Wien. Su trabajo en Viena lo llevó a viajar alrededor del mundo y tocó en Indonesia, China, Estados Unidos, Rusia, Taiwán, Italia, España, Polonia, Alemania, Francia, República Checa, Suiza, Bélgica, Reino Unido, Hong Kong y Grecia, entre otros.
Se estableció en Cataluña, donde fue Director Artístico de la Orquesta de Cámara de la Cataluña Pirineus y violinista de la Orquesta Sinfónica del Principado de Asturias. Durante este periodo, también fue violinista de la Orquesta Sinfónica del Gran Teatro del Liceu de Barcelona.
A su regreso a Yucatán en 2005, fue Director Titular y Artístico de la Camerata Académica (Orquesta de Cámara) y Coordinador de Servicios Internos del área de la Dirección de Promoción y Desarrollo de las Artes del Ayuntamiento de la Ciudad de Mérida, Yucatán, México. En 2006 fue nombrado Director de la Orquesta Juvenil de Yucatán. En 2008 fue nombrado Director de la Orquesta Sinfónica de Yucatán, OSY. En enero de 2011 fue invitado por el Consulado Americano en Yucatán y la
Embajada de los Estados Unidos de América para asistir como representante de México a la Conferencia Internacional “Association of Performing Arts Presenters” en la ciudad de Nueva York.
Su lista completa de logros es mucho más larga, e incluye su dominio del español, catalán, alemán, inglés y francés.
Gracias, José Luis, por creer en nosotros y extendernos la mano que todos estábamos esperando. ¡Estamos encantados!
Maestro Oscar
Maestro of Trova Yucateca
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Born in Mérida, Yucatán on April 4, 1990, Oscar is the youngest of three brothers. He is an empirically trained, self-taught, and academic musician. He has studied Tololoche Yucateco, popular guitar, classical guitar, electric bass, and music theory on his own since 2004 as well, with private teachers. He has an undergraduate degree from the University of the Arts of Yucatán in Merida. He is the director of the "Trigo Nuevo" quartet and a member of various musical groups such as the Latin American ensemble of Maestro Víctor Celis, guitarist; the guitar quartet of Maestro Jorge Buenfil, Yucatecan singer-songwriter; and is co-producer in “Mérida en serenata”, a Yucatecan musical project whose objective is to spread love, respect, and admiration for Yucatecan Trova.
His work as a teacher includes students from public and private academic institutions such as the Autonomous University of Yucatán, El Yucatán Country Club, the State Preparatory School #8, the Ateneo de Mérida school, the Edai school, among others. His students have performed in many events including La Noche Blanca in Mérida, the Serenades of Santa Lucia Park, events in the garden of the central building of the UADY, and in theaters in the city of Mérida such as the Teatro Daniel Ayala, Teatro Felipe Carrillo Puerto, the Silvio Savala Auditorium, among others.
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Nacido en Mérida, yucatán el 4 de abril de 1990, es el menor de tres Hermanos. Músico de formación empírica, autodidacta y académica. Ha estudiado Tololoche Yucateco, Guitarra popular, guitarra clásica, bajo eléctrico y teoría musical por sus propios medios desde 2004 y con la ayuda de otros maestros particulares e instituciones educativas como la Universidad de las Artes de Yucatán, a través de diferentes capacitaciones, cursos y estudios de licenciatura. Es director del cuarteto "trigo Nuevo" e integrante de diversos grupos musicales como el ensamble latinoamericano del Mtro Víctor Celis, guitarrista; el cuarteto de guitarras del Mtro Jorge Buenfil, Cantautor Yucateco; y es coproductor en “Mérida en serenata”, proyecto musical yucateco cuyo objetivo es difundir el amor, respeto y admiración por la trova Yucateca.
Como profesor, ha preparado y presentado por varios años a alumnos de instituciones académicas públicas y privadas como la Universidad autónoma de Yucatán, El Yucatán Country Club, la escuela Preparatoria estatal #8, el colegio ateneo de Mérida, el colegio Edai, entre otros; para ser presentados en marcos culturales estudiantiles y/o artísticos profesionales como la noche blanca de la ciudad de Mérida, las serenatas del parque de Santa Lucia, eventos en el jardín del edificio central de la UADY, y en teatros de la ciudad de Mérida como el Daniel Ayala, Felipe Carrillo Puerto, el auditorio Silvio Savala, entre otros.
Maestra Irina
Music Theory and Choir Teacher
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A native of Cuba, Maestra Irina comes to the Kookix Music School as the former Director of the Symphony Orchestra of Villa Clara in Cuba. She did her undergraduate studies in Orchestra Direction at the University of Havana in Cuba, going on to earn her master’s degree in music with a focus on Orchestra Direction. In addition, she studied at the Centro Nacional de la Musica de Concierto in Havana, as well as with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Chihuahua, Mexico. She was the director of the Youth Chorus of Santa Clara, Cuba for nine years. Her unique background and talents take us to an entirely new level in both our classes of singing and musicology, both of which are offered weekly.
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Originaria de Cuba, la Maestra Irina llega a la Escuela de Música Kookix como ex Directora de la Orquesta Sinfónica de Villa Clara en Cuba. Hizo sus estudios universitarios en Dirección de Orquesta en la Universidad de La Habana en Cuba, y luego obtuvo su maestría en música con enfoque en Dirección de Orquesta. Además, estudió en el Centro Nacional de la Música de Concierto de La Habana, así como con la Orquesta Filarmónica de Chihuahua, México. Fue directora del Coro Juvenil de Santa Clara, Cuba durante nueve años. Su experiencia y talentos únicos nos llevan a un nivel completamente nuevo en nuestras clases de canto y musicología, las cuales se ofrecen semanalmente.
Eladio Feliciano Chale Eb
Maestro de Percussion
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Maestro Eladio is a native of the Yucatan, born in the city of Tixkokob. He has studied over the years with many of the leading percussionists in the city of Merida, including maestro David Martinez, Principal Percussionist with the Symphony Orchestra of the Yucatan, OSY. He is adept at many musical styles, and has performed not only with OSY in the Yucatan, but with visiting musicians from several European countries, as well as having spent time playing and studying in Mexico City.
His work has included instruction and performance with the Youth Orchestra of the Yucatan under the direction of maestro Jose Luis Chan Sabido. He was a teacher of percussion at the Yamaha School of Music in Merida, and in 2021 became a principle of percussion for the State Band of the Yucatan.
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Coming Soon
How to help
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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.
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