Educational Excellence Since 1912
Hamden Hall Country Day School
Educating students in PreSchool through Grade 12

Music with a Latin Beat Livens Up School Assembly

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Lower and Middle School students were introduced to the diverse musical stylings, instruments, and songs of Latin culture through an interactive concert performed by Surcari.

Students gathered in the Taylor Performing Arts Center for an end-of-week assembly in which Surcari performed instrumental and vocal music from various Spanish speaking countries throughout the Andes, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. The band used an array of native instruments such as maracas, claves, congas, and more while wearing traditional hats from each country represented.

The “Music with a Latin Beat” program is designed to introduce and educate audiences on the rich Spanish, African, and Indigenous influences of Latin music and how music connects all cultures.

Students were encouraged – and did! – to clap and dance along to the music. Surcari lead member said “It’s very interactive, it’s very hands-on. “It’s like traveling through all these different Spanish-speaking countries through the magic of music.”

Volunteers from the Lower School tried their hand at keeping the beat. Students played the maracas on stage while the band performed its final song. 

Surcari is a blended word combining “sur,” which means south in Spanish, and “cari,” which is a short form the band uses for Caribbean. Band members fused cultural musical traditions from their home countries of Chile, Venezuela, and Puerto Rico to create an engaging program.

Director of Lower School Lorri Carroll was pleased the band was able to perform for both divisions as the high energy performance was perfect for all ages, she said. Hamden Hall works with Arts for Learning CT, an arts in education organization, to obtain this type of programming for assemblies.
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Hamden Hall Country Day School

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Hamden Hall Country Day School is a nurturing and inclusive community with a dynamic learning environment that promotes academic excellence by understanding each child and fostering their individual growth.