How to Learn More About Latin Music Before Your Trip
- Updated: 08/30/2022
Every Friday, I interview a different travel expert for my Instagram account and Facebook page. I also link to some of the longer talks on my Conversations With Travel Pros page.
This week I am thrilled to share a conversation with a friend, musician, and teacher, Magaly Cordero Dietz, and owner of Pop-Up Music School based in Oak Park, Illinois. She has a passion for sharing her love of Latin music with families who want to learn more.
Table Of Contents
In our conversation, Maggie shares her background, her curated playlists, who she loves listening to right now, and more.
On Maggie's Background In Music
Q: Maggie, can you tell us more about your background—especially your efforts to share the music of Latin America with kids and their families?
I am a Latina of Afro-Caribbean descent; my mother is from the Dominican Republic, and my father was Cuban. As a young child, I lived in Carolina, Puerto Rico, and Miami, Florida (which is essentially a Latin American city due to its predominantly Latino population).
I spent most of my childhood in Orlando, Florida, which has a large Hispanic population as well. Naturally, I grew up listening to Latin music. Specifically, the Caribbean genres of Merengue and Salsa were the soundtrack of my childhood.
In addition, I grew up watching Spanish-language television, and there is almost a “Pan-Latin” nature to its programming. I watched television that originated in Mexico, Brazil, Venezuela, and Argentina, and so I was also exposed to music from these countries. I became familiar with Mexican Norteña, Brazilian Bossa Nova, and Argentinian Tango, to name a few genres.
Naturally, I grew up listening to Latin music. Specifically, the Caribbean genres of Merengue and Salsa were the soundtrack of my childhood.
In my teens, the Latin musicians Selena and Luis Miguel were particularly influential in my life, and to this day, I can sing several of their songs by heart. To put it simply, Latin American music is a huge part of who I am.
In college, I made the decision to become a classically trained singer, but I had the opportunity to take an ethnomusicology class on the music of Latin America, and it was one of my favorite classes. It was the first time that I examined the social, cultural, and historical influences of the music, and I was overwhelmed with pride as I learned these details of my musical heritage.
Today, I am a stereotypical Latina mom who cleans the house while listening to upbeat Latin music (and its lively tempo has the added benefit of inspiring my children to help out!).
In my classes, I aspire to share the beauty, complexity, and historic significance of Latin American music with young children because I want them to love it at an early age. Similar to language exposure, the sooner a child discovers music, the sooner they understand and appreciate it.
I aspire to share the beauty, complexity, and historic significance of Latin American music with young children because I want them to love it at an early age.
Hopefully, my Pop-Up Music School students will be inspired to continue listening to or even creating music of these styles as they grow.
Maggie's Latin American Playlist
Q: I love that you shared your Central American & Caribbean playlist with us. (See below for the link). Can you tell us more about the music you chose?
First of all, the music I chose are examples of traditional or popular genres of their respective countries. In addition, the music is of high quality, performed by talented musicians. Lastly, these are pieces that I use in my classes.
These songs complement the games and exercises in my classes perfectly! They include lively pieces for active games as well as more gentle songs and lullabies for the relaxed moments in class.
Click on Maggie’s Pop-Up Music School YouTube playlist linked above to listen to Maggie’s selected music from the Caribbean and Central America.
Where to Learn More About Latin Music
Q: For families who listen to these playlists, and want to learn more about the music of Latin America before or during a trip, where would you send them?
YouTube is a great place to start. You can find a ton of great music on the platform, and a lot of it is searchable by country.
Also, I am working on an e-book on the music of Latin America. Hopefully, I will have it done by the end of the year. The e-book will include basic information about a country as well as information about national musical genres and details such as instrumentation, characteristics, and history of the genres. Stay tuned!
Youtube is a great place to start. You can find a ton of great music on the platform, and a lot of it is searchable by country.
If you are traveling to a Latin American country, I suggest that upon arrival, you ask the concierge at your hotel or your host where live music could be heard. You could even befriend locals to get this information.
Artists Maggie Likes to Listen to on Repeat
Q: Which artists do you have on repeat at the moment?
Some well-known artists I listen to constantly include Celia Cruz, Juan Luis Guerra, Luis Miguel, and Marc Anthony.
These are big-name musicians who are beloved in all of Latin America and around the world. One of my favorite stories about Juan Luis Guerra is that when he toured Japan he was impressed at how well the people there knew the Latin American musical genres. He wrote “Bachata en Fukuoka” while there in honor of the Japanese people.
In the past couple of years, I have learned about some phenomenal musicians who may not be as well known in the States. These musicians and groups include Beytsada Machado y La Parranda el Clavo from Venezuela, Andy Palacio from Belize, Inti-Illiman from Chile, and Melissa Rueda from Mexico.
How To Find Maggie & the Pop-Up Music School
Readers can find Maggie on Facebook, on YouTube, or they can check for updates on her Pop-Up Music School website.
Read More About Latin America
For families traveling to Latin America, check out my related articles below to help you get the information you need to plan your best visit. Many more destinations coming soon!
Or view my “Mexico: The Best Books to Read Before a Trip” Bookshop.org booklist above. Look for more Latin America reading lists soon!
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Hi, I am Janice and and I run the Gather and Go Travel blog. I am a travel writer, blogger, and bookhound, specializing in family and group travel. I have traveled extensively domestically and internationally to 40+ countries. I am fascinated by other cultures, religions, and languages—and love to share what I have learned in my writing. For more on my background, read my bio, our story, and how to work with me.
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