Music, Arts and More Summer Camp for Kids in La Cruz by Edgar Duran Duran Cindy Bouchard - Villa Amor del Mar
July 9, 2015

La Cruz is about to have a fabulous teacher volunteering his time for Proyecto Verano 2015 OR Summer Project 2015, doesn’t it sound so much better in Espanol?

As I listened to the presentation I was eager to learn more about the man behind such a challenging mission. Edgar’s goal is to offer a summer camp for around 100 children with music, arts, dancing and sports lessons, also ecology and swimming. Surely it will be a great project! Edgar says “Kids, I’m pretty sure that they will have a better future if they learn arts, sports and ecology.” The brainchild of Edgar, Sergio Ayabar joined him as he started planning it. Edgar did a similar program last year in Punta Mita and it was a great success.

The program begins July 20th and will continue for 3 weeks. It’s open to all ages from kindergarten through high school.

Often we’ll see Edgar Durán Durán on stage playing dance tunes at a local bar or as a player in Luna Rumba, the most enchanting band! In that role he generally plays bass. However; he fulfills many other roles in his life including husband, father, maestro (teacher), all in all he’s an inspiration to so many!

Originally from Acapulco, Edgar arrived La Cruz in 2005, playing with a salsa band called CONTRAPUNTO. His wife, Sandra and his two darling children, Valerie and Edgar Jr, joined him a few months later. When I asked what inspires him he first said his wife and kids and then… my heart melted, as I so love romance! “My wife Sandra is my universe, we grew up in Acapulco and she was my first and only love. In life I’m proud that I’ve done what I’ve wanted. I’m very proud of my wife (a nurse); she is my inspiration, and a great woman.”

A musician since 1995 Edgar has also been and giving music lessons since 2001. Those are my two passions. He teaches at the Colegio Salzmann school and gives private lessons as well. He said he was very excited to learn music when he was a teenager and was the first to sign up for music class. Like most of us his first instrument was the recorder then when he was fourteen he started playing guitar and at seventeen he learned the bass. Edgar says “Learning is exciting!” He also plays classical acoustic guitar, piano and a quena. From Wikipedia:

The quena (hispanicized spelling of Quechua qina,[1] sometimes also written kena in English) is the traditional flute of the Andes. Traditionally made of totora, it has 6 finger holes and one thumb hole, and is open on both ends or the bottom is half-closed (choked). To produce sound, the player closes the top end of the pipe with the flesh between his chin and lower lip, and blows a stream of air downward, along the axis of the pipe, over an elliptical notch cut into the end. It is normally in the key of G, with G4 being the lowest note (all holes covered). It produces a very “textured” and “dark” timbre because of the length-to-bore ratio of about 16 to 20 (subsequently causing difficulty in the upper register), which is very unlike the tone of the Western concert flute with bore ratio about 38.

With all that talent he says his favourite instrument… his specialty, is the bass guitar and he most enjoys being on stage. It seems his daughter, Valeria, might have her dad’s musical talents as at the young age of twelve she plays the violin. Edgar, dad’s namesake, at ten years of age doesn’t like playing and Edgar says “I’ll support him whatever he wants to do.”

Edgar’s English is great, he says “I took lessons many years ago, but learned a lot by talking to people and playing with US and Canadian musicians.” Living in a fishing village I was curious if he got out on the water. “My boy loves fishing, I prefer eating. I love Acapulco style ceviche and fish soup. I love swimming.”

When asked what he’d say to folks if they wanted to vacation or live in La Cruz. “Just come visit… after that they’ll decide to move!” That worked for me!

They have room for a few more kids and its open to any child whether Mexican or not. They are also looking for donations and you can do that here by contacting Edgar directly at (322) 131-6089 or at duranedgar7710@gmail.com or through Amigos de La Cruz.

To be even more inspired by the community involvement of La Cruz and who will be teaching the swimming lessons, read more at Swimming Instruction.

For more of Cindy’s fun and fabulous stories about life in La Cruz visit her blog at Villa Amor del Mar.

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