Debrecen4U
November 26, 2025
Mexican marimba virtuoso showcases his art at the University of Debrecen
According to Javier Nandayapa, there are many more connections between Hungarian and Mexican folk traditions than many people would think.
An internationally prominent marimba artist, the Mexican Javier Nandayapa is giving a master class to percussion students at the Faculty of Music of the University of Debrecen. The master will introduce the students to the Mexican marimba, which has a unique and inimitable sound, and then perform his special concerto in the Liszt Hall, accompanied by a large orchestra, as writes unideb.hu.
Javier Nandayapa began his career in 1989 with the band named after him and then launched a solo career in 1995. He has played in over fifty countries and collaborated with symphonic and chamber ensembles from Mexico, the United States, Lithuania, Poland, Paraguay, Argentina, and Colombia. He founded several orchestras, including the Javier Nandayapa Trio and Trio Zur. He is co-author of the book Didactic Method for the Mexican Marimba.
The Mexican marimba master came to Debrecen to give a master class for the first time to students of the Faculty of Music of the University of Debrecen. As he said,
“There is much more connection between Hungarian and Mexican folk traditions than many people would think. Five years ago I was able to personally experience the talent of Hungarian youth, and it was noticeable that they receive an extremely high-quality musical education at the University of Debrecen. In Hungary, I have always met performers who play at an outstanding level, and of course I am excited to work and play with these wonderful artists. I come from southern Mexico, where there is a deep tradition of folk music, which we use a very unique instrument to play. I had the opportunity to bring the Mexican marimba to the Faculty of Music, which I will present at the master class and the concert.”
The Mexican master will give a master class to the students of the Faculty of Music of the University of Debrecen on Wednesday, November 26, in the Liszt Hall, and then he will present his concerto for marimba there at 7.00 p.m. with the faculty’s SONUS percussion ensemble.
Source:dehir.hu | Photo credit: Facebook Debrecen városa
