SAN ANTONIO – A group of women who learned to play the accordion at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center brought their music and message to the Viva Mexico Women’s Festival on the South Side this Sunday.
The Mujeres, as they call themselves, often practice in a locally owned coffee shop.
“We’ve only been doing it for about two weeks. We’ve been catching on quick,” said Karsen Maldonado, as the group rehearsed inside The Koffee Kup Company.
Many of the women in the group have never played another instrument before, and whether their reason to join was to learn a new hobby or make new friends, the group says they’re thrilled to have found a community.
“I didn’t know what it was going to be like playing it,” said Ida Salazar. “After learning more and seeing other people play, I realized there are so many ways to do different chords and notes.”
“I grew up around Conjunto music, Tejano music. I love it. And I needed a way to get out of the house,” said Marisol De La Cruz, another member. “I work from home, so I’m stuck in a desk. And sometimes I like to overwork a little bit. So this was a way for, like, on Mondays, I have to get up the house on time to make it to class.”
The group was recently invited to perform at the Viva Mexico Women’s Festival, an event designed to uplift artists and musicians while showcasing Mexican culture. These members said they hope the festival performance is only the beginning.
“We kind of all clicked together. We’ve gotten a special bond being women playing this specific instrument,” Maldonado said. “It’s really fun to have this community of ladies playing,” added Lets Molina, another member.