ONLINE PERFORMER & EDUCATOR

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

NOTE on ONLINE:

Since March 2020, I have presented many ONLINE events: Performances, Workshops and Lectures. More and more people are also calling me for my services as a Composer.                                   Since the early 80's to Present, the majority of my programs have been 100% interactive. 

DESCRIPTION: Audience is gently guided to sing "easy-to-sing" songs, as well as perform on a wide variety of Native percussion instruments.

TOPICS: All programs age appropriate using California Visual and Performing Arts Standards along with nearly 40 years of pioneering and developing interactive performance techniques.

POSITIVE & REAL INFORMATION: All my programs have History, Cultural, Pride, Language, Geography, Food, Customs, Appreciation and Instrument Demonstration, again with the California Visual and Performing Arts Standards. My programs encourage my audience to investigate their culture, ancestors and ultimately themselves. I make a connection with the ancient past of the Americas to our present-day lives. I believe the more we learn about appreciating other cultures and ourselves, it can only lead to a better world.

Also see the Tab "PHOTOS of STAGE SET UP"

STUDENT ASSEMBLIES

    My programs were all developed on my own. Back in 1980, when there was really no one presenting educational programs with Native instruments of the Americas, I began to pioneer what I call "Interactive Performance" (some have called it Edu-tain-ment).
    Trust me, I remember back then, that's how far back I go! Interactive performance "IS" a technique that must be developed!!! I helped put the word "Interactive" on the map by my schedule of frequent presentations!!! So, you are getting the original man!

    When you see that I've recommended a 1 hour presentation length, it's because when I present my programs the audience, regardless of age, doesn't want to leave, I motivate then and get them going!!! 45 minutes is the standard for schools and libraries over all these years, so let me know what your time allows. I am flexible.
   Any question you might have about how Martin presents his material is answered like this "I'm a been there, done that musician and I've done it excellently, all the time...."

    Here are 9 music programs, 2 storytelling programs and over 25 different instruments to make in workshops. Everything is customizable to your needs!!!

#1 - ANCIENT MEXICO “Songs & Sounds of My Ancestors” 
 
100% Interactive. Available as a RESIDENCY as for details.  Making an "Aztec Flute" can be included
Most highly requested program since 1984. This can be presented by Martin, as soloist (remember, he uses the audience as his band). This program has the widest variety of percussion and wind instruments as well as a diverse variety of sounds and songs, all upbeat, this program absolutely mesmerizes everyone!  The audience is gently motivated to "sing-easy-to-sing-songs" in indigenous languages, like Maya, Nahuatl, Huichol and more!!! The audience will be motivated and guided to play "native percussion instruments"! 

Martin has been studying neuroscience and it shows when people (all ages) play instruments or sing, that all areas of the brain light up like a Christmas tree involuntary! Performing music is the most beneficial activity neurologically to the brain...it promotes stress relief, rejuvenates the senses, charges up the areas of the brain that have to do with cognitive learning, memory, math concepts...and more!!! No wonder why Martin's audiences don't want to stop playing!!!

NOTE: This program can also be presented with Master Aztec Dancer, Ms. Noemi "Tlalla" Esparza or Mr. Nazario Segura. We can get the audience involved with some dance as our finale!!! 
Ages: Preschool to Adult – Duration: 45 minutes, recommend 1 hour 



#2 - ANCIENT HOMELANDS (Indigenous North, Central & South America)
100% Interactive. Available as a RESIDENCY and can include Instrument Making
Music from the Deserts, Rainforests, Mountains and Beaches!          
Ages: Preschool to Adult – Duration: 45 minutes, recommend 1 hour         


#3 - ANCIENT CALIFORNIA
100% Interactive. Available as a RESIDENCY, includes Making a CLAPPER STICK instrument.
Lots of singing; Light percussion like a wide variety of Rattles, Clapper Sticks, Percussive Rocks; Delicate Sounding Flutes and Whistles, Buzzers and Hunting Bow Instrument. No drums in this program because the ancient Californians did not use them. This is not a loud program.

Martin had to reconstruct all of the instruments in this program because they are very difficult to find or are not in use any more, so you are going to see and be able to play some of the very unusual looking instruments!!!

When building an instrument is desired, we will make the native CLAPPER STICK and design it with California petroglyphs!!!


Martin even has an accompanying CD called ANCIENT CALIFORNIA, 33 minutes of a little creek in San Dimas, CA, native birds at a hot springs in Soledad, CA and Indigenous Flutes reconstructed by Martin Espino. No one has ever done this before!!! Martin is always innovating!!! Always thinking!!!
Ages: K to Adult – Duration: 45 minutes, recommend 1 hour

                                                                                                                             #4 - EL DIA DE LOS MUERTOS (The day of the dead)
Interaction, Listening appreciation, NO Scary junk, Cultural myths broken: Altars vs. Ofrendas; Hispanic vs. Indigenous celebration and more!     
Back in the early 80's, Martin Espino developed and presented some the very first programs to educate people about this wonderful and sacred celebration. In the nearly 40 years of  presenting this program, he's discovered many misunderstandings of this sacred celebration still used by many people who hold El Dia de Los Muertos events and those who post info about it. These untruths are being filtering into the mainstream without people knowing it and those myths and misusages too! This means that the misunderstandings are being integrated into the public consciousness. Martin clears all that up and brings a vibrant, happy, celebratory yet reverent program of uplifting music and exotic sounds along with the "actual" poetry of Ancient Mexico that talks about the subject of the Muertos and the subject of existence itself. That poetry being the words of Nezahualcoyotl, King of Texcoco in the 1400's.
When presenting this program in schools, Martin, unless asked, appears dressed in traditional indigenous garments, no skull faces and does nothing "scary". Martin is known for explaining this subject delicately and gently and positively. He includes historical and cultural content whenever possible.
Ages: K to Adult - Duration: 45 minutes, recommend 1 hour

 



#5 - ANCIENT NORTH AMERICA                                                                             100% Interactive. Available as a RESIDENCY, can include Making Flutes, Rattles or Clapper Stick instruments.               

Exploring "what is North America"? Indigenous music from The Southwest, the Sub-Arctic, East Coast and West Coast forests, Mexico, The Great Plains, Canada, the Deserts, California tribes and more!

When instrument making is desired, we make a Native Californian CLAPPER STICK instrument and decorate it with Californian Petroglyph images and participants learn the rich native history of over 13,000 years, way more important than the gold rush and the missions, that we sit on here in California!



#6 - RAINFORESTS OF THE AMERICAS
100% Interactive. Available as a RESIDENCY. Making a Rainstick can be included.                                                                                                                                    
Indigenous music from the Rainforests of South America: Mexico, El Salvador, Ecuador, Brasil, Colombia, and Peru. Beautiful sounds and pretty music, everybody has fun! Yes I'll bring my famous "Jaguar" voice instrument!       
Ages: Preschool to Adult – Duration: 45 minutes, recommend 1 hour         



#7 - NAVIDAD EN AZTLAN
100% Interactive        
Solo or with additional musicians: Tradition, Culture, Legend, History of Christmas. Music from Spain to Mexico. Prehispanic roots are discussed: origins of tamales to pinatas and more.      
Ages: K to Adult – Duration: 45 minutes, recommend 1 hour  

       

#8 - GREEN MUSIC                                                                                                                              50% Interactive, more of a listening appreciation experience                                                                                 Especially geared towards environmental, multi-cultural and Green Events, this program demonstrates sounds when “Green” & “Technology” meet! I perform “live” on Instruments from around the world made with natural materials (mostly Bamboo & Gourd). I also utilize a "Loop Station" (I was the first to do this extensively back when Loop Station first came out) and recently, using Ableton Live 8 to sample and re-process the natural sounds to create otherworldly sounds and cool upbeat rhythms & grooves. This program is an experimental departure from my “indigenous music career” giving me some fun-time to create another world music made up of instruments whole materials are found in nature!
This is also GREAT for background music!         
Ages: Grade 3 to Adult – Duration: 45 minutes, recommend 1 hour          


#9 – SCIENCE OF SOUND       
This is NOT an Assembly but more an individual class - Interactive.in some sections.
Using Indigenous Mexican Instruments, Martin teaches us how sound is produced.
Ages: Grade 3 to Adult - Duration: 45 minutes, recommend 1 hour



 

STORYTELLING

#10 - ETEHOI (Yaqui Native Stories with musical participation)             
This title means “Tellings”.
Martin, an expert storyteller (just talk to him on the phone, hahaha) weaves, traditional & original stories of legends and life lessons with music and audience participation to relate the stories of his mother's Yaqui (Yoeme) heritage. Included: the Yaqui language called Yoeme, Yaqui percussion playing, listening skills, Arizonan and Sonoran desert animals, Yaqui stories that talk about the universe, love, respect and being good. Martin also created “Coyote Stories” of his own as well.

This program only focuses on two adjacent geographic areas: Northern Sonora, Mexico & Southern Arizona.
The program ends with the audience playing Yaqui music with Martin music for the Deer Dance and more! Yaqui percussion the audience uses are: Gourd Water Drums, Gourd Rattles, Scratchers and Hand Drums. Watch out, Martin might even do the "Deer Dance" too.
At this presentation, Martin wears his traditiional Yaqui man's outfit.



#11 - THE ANCIENT SOUTHWEST
(Stories & Music)           Stories and mostly music of the Ancient Wild West: California, Arizona, Northern Mexico. Featuring instruments like the Gourd Water Drum, California Flutes, Hunting Bow as a first stringed instrument and your voices!