a party of an album for children of all ages
Music. Art. Joy.
Limited edition 500-run CD. Live in Concert + Studio Sessions. Available locally at K.C. Bonkers Toys and Coffee, Black Ice Comics, and the Michigan Tech Bookstore. Available from Amazon for our far-away friends.
Also streaming on iTunes, Spotify, and wherever you listen.
Having trouble getting your hands on a hard copy? Contact us, below.
A party of an album for children of all ages.
iFiesta! is a joy-packed, magical ride that will have you strumming, drumming, and tap-tap-tapping. Latin American beats, guitar, wind band, marimba, children’s chorus with vocal soloists. Fiesta’s magical flowers, birds, bulls, and Guatemalan traditions will captivate and charm you. Original music: Raúl López Colibrí. Lyrics: Hugo Gordillo. Music arranged by Mike Christianson.
iFiesta! premiered with the Superior Wind Symphony at the Rozsa Center for Performing Arts in Houghton, Michigan. The symphony is composed of students from diverse majors including: Forestry, Finance, Chemistry, and Engineering, and community members from this small Michigan town. The Fiesta Youth Choir brought together children from local schools, many of whom learned their first Spanish words while singing its songs.
The album is a record of how art can cross the distances of language, culture, and politics – connecting communities from two countries in this one musical space.
“Toda la felicidad del mundo cabe en una pequeña fiesta para niños.”
— Hugo Gordillo
“All of the happiness of the world fits in a small party for children.”
Lyrics
(original Spanish + English translations)
“Making music with kids always makes me more hopeful about our world. ”
— Amanda Plummer
“Crear música con niños siempre me hace sentir más esperanzado con nuestro mundo.”
“I have fallen deeply in love with these poems and this music, which give the impression that Guatemala is one of the most beautiful and exciting places on earth!”
— Mike Christianson
“Me he enamorado profundamente de estos poemas y de esta música, que dan la impresión de que ¡Guatemala es uno de los lugares más bonitos y emocionantes de la tierra! ”
Reach out.
Want to chat with us, learn more, or ask about arrangements/ readings? Say hello here. iAbrazos!